Ncuti Gatwa has pulled out, citing “unforeseen circumstances.” The news followed an engagement/boycott campaigning wave only a few days before the grand final, set for this Saturday. And Gatwa wasn’t just prepared to read out the UK jury votes. It was, in fact, one of the most memorable high points to come from the star-making, week-photogenic, music competition juggernaut.
In his stead, pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been assigned to the UK as the new face of its Leave campaign. The BBC went on to formally announce this change in a statement, confirming that they were thrilled to have Ellis-Bextor on board.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, unfortunately Ncuti Gatwa is no longer able to participate as Spokesperson during the Grand Final this weekend. However, we are delighted to confirm that BBC Radio 2’s very own Friday night Kitchen Disco Diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be presenting the jury result live from the UK.” – BBC spokesperson
The grand final to come this weekend cast a long shadow of competition this week with a series of semi-finals earlier in the week. Spain, Italy and Sweden all made it through to the final with impressive performances. At the same time, Ireland again failed to qualify, continuing what is a low period for the country’s current Eurovision joint-record win holder.
“I love Eurovision and it’s a privilege to be part of 2025’s grand final. What an honour it is to announce the UK’s jury score on such a special show which always puts music front and centre. I am very much looking forward to delivering the iconic douze points from the United Kingdom!” – Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Ireland, along with Sweden, is tied for the most Eurovision wins, with seven victories. The countries that made it to Saturday’s final are Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and host country Greece. The UK, France, Germany, and Switzerland had already qualified by winning in earlier Semifinal and Quarterfinal rounds.
This is a shot of Norway’s singer Emmy in her glittering performance costume for this year’s contest. Her colorful contribution, “Laika Party,” narrates the true tale of a Russian space dog. Sadly for Emmy, her stunning performance was not the one that received enough votes to move on.
With almost 70 years of colorful history this contest is packed with iconic moments and performances. Over the years, a number of luminaries have emerged as the UK ambassador. Among the familiar faces are Catherine Tate, Amanda Holden and AJ Odudu.
We can’t wait to see the excitement unfold on this year’s grand final! All of this paled in the lead-up to Ellis-Bextor’s preparation to deliver the UK jury score live on that hallowed stage.
As excitement builds for this year’s grand final, all eyes will be on Ellis-Bextor as she prepares to deliver the UK jury score on such a prestigious stage.
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