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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Kathryn Williams

Eurovision 2022 presenter: Who is Mika and what has he been doing lately?

Mika is co-hosting this year's Eurovision Song Contest grand final and semi-finals and he is one of three hosts sharing presenting duties for the 2022 event. The pop star has been under the radar since he burst onto the music scene back in 2007 when he was named top breakthrough act by the BBC.

He had a string of hits like Grace Kelly, Lollipop, Big Girl (You Are Beautiful). He has released five albums, and one compilation album, and has lived in Italy since 2013. Mika's real name is Michael Holbrook Penniman, Jr and he was born in Beirut and moved to France then the UK as a youngster.

Grace Kelly sold over three million copies worldwide, and his debut album Life In Cartoon Motion went straight to number one in UK and 11 other countries, and sold over seven million copies worldwide. Mika, also a television and radio entertainer, designer and illustrator, is presenting alongside Alessandro Cattelan and Laura Pausini.

Hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest Laura Pausini, centre Alessandro Cattelan, left, and Mika (AP)

Laura Pausini is possibly the most awarded Italian artist in the world. She has won four Latin Grammys, a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe. In 2021, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song with Lo sì (Seen) from the film The Life Ahead. And Alessandro Cattelan is very well known in Italy as a TV presenter. He has created and hosted late night shows, entertainment evenings and also introduced some new formats to Italy as Total Request Live, Le Iene, and X Factor Italy.

The Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals will air on BBC Three Thursday, May 12 and the Grand Final will be on BBC One, Saturday, May 14 at 8pm.

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