Due to the dreadful CoronaVirus pandemic affecting the whole world, the annual Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled for the first time in its history. It was replaced by 30-second performances of all 41 entries to the contest before its cancellation in this programme called Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light.  The programme featured the occasional interview with past winners and other than the three hosts of the programme, all interviews were sent in by video or by 'social distancing'.

At the start of the programme, ABBA fans were told to stay tuned and two hours later, Björn sent a short but touching message filmed in his kitchen.

He said:

"Good evening, I'm Björn Ulvaeus.

My grandson Albert was about seven when he came home from school one day and said to me, "My friends say that you're a pop star Grandad, is that true?  "Well",  I said, "you saw me on TV remember?  I told you that the chubby guy with the star-shaped guitar was me."   He looked incredulous.  He clearly found that very, very hard to believe and to tell you truth when I watch that clip from the Eurovsion Song Contest in Brighton, 1974, I find that hard to believe as well.  But then the ESC is one hell of a launching pad. And it still remains one of the most genuinely joyous events of the TV year. And it's so disarmingly European; it so allows you to escape and be happy - even forget about the CoronaVirus for a little while.

Everybody knows why there couldn't be the usual Eurovision final this year but we hope this show will comfort you in some small way, knowing that it'll be back next year. 

Very good title by the way:  Shine a Light.  I'm glad they didn't choose Waterloo. 

Long live the Eurovison Song Contest."

YouTube link c/o Eurovision Song Contest