Eurovision Song Contest (1956)

Name: Eurovision Song Contest
Rating: 7.2

Rating: 7.2

Synopsis

The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition, organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and featuring participants representing primarily European countries. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, transmitted to national broadcasters via the EBU's Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner.

First Air Date: 1956-05-24

Last Air Date: 2026-05-16

Number of Seasons: 71

Number of Episodes: 110

Networks: BBC One, RTÉ One, ORF 1, RTL, TF1, Das Erste, ProSieben, SVT1, NRK1, DR1, La 1, Channel 1, Rai 1, RTP1, Channel One, RTS 1, SRF 1, Yle TV1, TRT 1, ETV, BNT 1, LTV1, La Une, NPO 1, RTS Un, RTV 1, EinsFestival, RSI LA1, HRT 1, ERT1, Kan 11, BBC Television, RTV Slovenija, RTL9, RTK, Suspilne Pershyi, Eurovision, RTS, İctimai TV, RTL

Top Cast

Petra Mede as Self - Host
Carola Häggkvist as Self - Contestant
Måns Zelmerlöw as Self - Host
Hera Björk as Self - Backing
Edsilia Rombley as Self - Host
Eric Saade as Self - Green Room Host
Anna Sahlin as Self - Backing
Conchita Wurst as Self - Host
Loreen as Self - Contestant
Helena Paparizou as Self - Interval Act

Seasons

Select a Season

None

None (1956)

The first ever Eurovision Song Contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland, at the Teatro Kursaal, on 24th of May 1956.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Grand Prix of the 1956 Eurovision Song Contest (1956-05-24)

Inspired by the Italian Sanremo Festival, the idea to organise a pan-European musicial competition was born at a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union in Monaco in 1955. It was decided that the first ever Eurovision Song Contest would be hosted the following year in the Swiss resort of Lugano. The 1956 Eurovision Song Contest was primarily a radio show, although some cameras were taping the contest for the few Europeans who had a television set at that time. Lohengrin Filipello hosted the programme, which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. The seven participating countries each submitted two entries. The songs of the contest were not to exceed three and a half minutes, and the performers were accompanied by an orchestra of 24 musicians, led by Fernando Paggi.