Excited fans flock to Basel for Eurovision final

Fans from all over are excitedly arriving in Basel, Switzerland, for the Eurovision final, a grand celebration of music that brings together countries from around the world. Josh McLaughlin from BBC News reported that members of the British Eurovision fan club, OGAE UK, had a delightful encounter with Nemo, the winner of Eurovision 2024. Nemo was spotted wearing a fluffy cream hat and a striped shirt, and the fans were all smiles as they posed for a photo together. British fans are making their way to Switzerland for the 69th edition of this annual song contest. Among them are dedicated attendees like Kevin Stephenson, Leigh Lester, and Daniel Folly, who took a special EasyJet flight from Gatwick to Basel. Another enthusiastic fan, Gary Speirs from Brighton, is celebrating his 34th Eurovision contest and expressed how difficult it is to imagine his life without this event. Everyone is eagerly preparing for the final show on Saturday, where the UK's representatives, a group called Remember Monday from Surrey, will be competing. nThe EuroClub & Café in Basel is buzzing with excitement as it serves as a gathering spot for Eurovision fans before and after the live performances. In one memorable photo, a group of British fans can be seen draped in Union Jack flags, holding signs that read 'United Kingdom' and 'United By Music. ' Some fans are proudly wearing Eurovision-themed t-shirts. Mr. Speirs shared that the atmosphere was electric during a gathering of UK fans ahead of the second semi-final. He remarked, 'There are fans from everywhere, it's quite impressive. ' Over the years, he has met countless people and loves the international feel of the event. For fans like Mr. Speirs, Eurovision is more than just a one-night spectacle. He explained, 'The music, the artists, the community – you get invested. It's a year-round thing for people like me. ' nThe host venue in Basel has a smaller capacity of 12,400 compared to last year's venue in Malmö, Sweden, which could hold 15,500 fans. However, the largest football stadium in Switzerland, St. Jakob-Park, which can accommodate 36,000 people, will host a viewing party on the night of the final. Eurovision blogger Molly O'Brien from Cranbrook in Kent shared that she will be watching the contest from a hotel in Italy this year. She expressed her envy, saying, 'I've got friends in Basel, I'm very jealous of them. ' According to the European Broadcasting Union, the UK ranked third in ticket purchases for the 2025 contest, following the host country Switzerland and Germany in second place. Fans will be joined by visitors from over 80 countries and territories, including those not competing, such as New Zealand, Brazil, the Philippines, and Japan. The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is set to air on May 17 at 20:00 BST on BBC1, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Sounds. The UK's hopefuls, Remember Monday, will be competing at Eurovision.