The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest Final was the least watched on record according to information released by TVP, with the show losing over 1 million viewers.
Following Poland failing to qualify for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time since they returned to the contest in 2014, Polish audience opted not to watch this years contest live from Lisbon, Portugal. Over 1.3 million fewer viewers watched this years final in Portugal, compared to the show in Ukraine last year following the nations failure to qualify.
Viewing figures for the Grand Final were as follows:
- 2018 – TVP – 1,400,000 viewers – 14.4% share
- 2018 – TVP Polonia – 118,000 viewers – 1.2% share
- 2017 – TVP – 2,700,000 viewers
- 2017 – TVP Polonia – 190,000 viewers
This years Final is the least watched on record according to data available on Polish viewing figures. Previously the least watched contest had been in 2010 when 1,799,000 viewers watched the show live from Oslo, Norway.
Poland’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest this year was “Light Me Up” by Gromee featuring Lukas Meijer. The song had been expected to qualify for the final but finished 14th in the second semi-final with 81 points. The song would have qualified on a televote but was 15th with the juries.
Source: TVP
Poland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 alongside a number of other Eastern European countries. Their debut year saw their best result to date, as Edyta Gorniak finished in 2nd place with her song “To nie ja!”. Following this, Poland failed to repeat this initial success, managing a top 10 placing on only one other occasion during their initial 1994-2011 run in the contest. In 2012, following a string of non-qualifications, Poland withdrew from the contest due to financial difficulties. Since their return in 2014, they have been considerably more successful in the contest, having qualified for the final for every year up to 2017. At Kyiv 2017, Kasia Mos finished 22nd in the final with her song “Flashlight”.
