The Eurovision Talent Contest was launched as the sixth spin-off contest of the Eurovision brand at the end of 2007. The contest would follow in the footsteps of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and the recently started Eurovision Dance Contest.
Key Information
- Host Country – Russia
- Date – 2009
- Venue – Unknown
- Presenter – Unknown
- Competing Countries – 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇳🇱 The Netherlands, 🇷🇺 Russia
The Format
The Eurovision Talent Contest would:
Uncover the best, most unique and surprising talents wherever they may be in a pan-European event set up along competitive lines and keying into the most powerful elements of the Eurovision brand and formula.
The format is based on broadly speaking non-verbal material in order to overcome language barriers. A key format element is the creation and integral use of a dedicated user-generated platform where candidates upload a video of their special talent or act onto the site for the material to be accessed by show producers for a possible call to audition. In traditional Eurovision fashion, each country will manage and produce its own local auditions/countdown series. Winning contestants will be selected by televoting.
The contest would be a two-hour production, presented in both English and French. At the time of the contest’s launch, it was not stated which countries would participate or who would host the event.
Changes To The Format
The contest had evolved by February 2008 with the first two countries confirming their intention to participate; the Netherlands (NPO) and Russia (Channel One). The format for the first time would fully embrace an online selection process across Europe, this would take place before national selections got underway.
It was further revealed that the first contest would have 10 countries participating, these 10 countries would be represented by a celebrity who award points in public to the acts and so become fully accountable to the home audiences for their judgment.
Russia To Host
It was announced after the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest that the first edition of the contest would be hosted in Russia. In September 2008 it was announced that a third country had signed up to compete in the contest. Belgium would be represented by VRT the Flemish broadcaster.
Contest is Cancelled
The Eurovision Talent Contest did not take place in 2009 and no information has been released since 2008 regarding the contest. The financial crisis of 2008 is assumed to be the cause of a lack of interest from EBU member broadcasters.
Image Source: Barco | Source: EBU