Peter Van de Veire, the Eurovision commentator for VRT, has announced this evening that VRT is organising a national selection for Eurovision 2023.
Belgium is set to hold its first televised national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest since 2016. During ‘Zomerhit’ this evening on Eén Peter Van de Veire, who commentates for VRT at Eurovision, announced that the broadcaster will organise a national selection for Eurovision 2023.
Details of the format of the national selection have not been announced by VRT. It was first reported in April that VRT was considering returning to using a televised national selection to select the Belgian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Jérémie Makiese placed 19th in the final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest for Belgium. He received 64 points, 59 of which were awarded by the jury and 5 from the televote.
Image source: EBU / Nathan Reinds | Source: HLN
Belgium was one of the original seven nations to participate in the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. To date, the country has won the contest only once in 1986. Sandra Kim won the contest with the song “J’aime la vie”, her victory was not without controversy when it emerged that Sandra was just 13 years old, two years younger than the age restriction at the time. In the late 00s, Belgium struggled in the contest failing to reach the final annually from 2005 until 2010, when Tom Dice finished 6th in the final with 143 points. Belgium has finished last at the contest six times, including two sets of nul points.
