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Sietse Bakker: ”In 2005 I was in the Greek National Selection jury and I didnt vote for My Number One”!

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Sietse Bakker the producer of Eurovision 2021 and member of the Reference Group of the competition, made an exciting revelation.

The occasion was a video on Tik-Tok by the most famous Eurofan and Youtuber of America, Alesia Michelle, in which she humorously criticizes the members of the juries in Eurovision, for the fact that they do not vote the winning songs every year, in high place.

Seeing Alesia’s post on Instagram, Sieste Bakker wanted to take a stand, revealing something that no one knew until now and concerns the Greek participation in Eurovision 2005, saying:

I was in the Greek National Selection jury in 2005 and had the chance to pick ‘My Number One’. I didn’t, ranked it second and ranked ‘OK’ on top as it stuck with me since the dress rehearsal, the day before. Epic fail! Thankfully the other judges had a better vision. I never dared to predict a Eurovision winner again ever since.

In 2005, ERT internally selected Elena Paparizou to represent our country in Kiev. The song was chosen through a national final in which the greek audience and a jury decide between three songs, the greek entrance for Eurovision 2005. These were the songs My Number One, OK και Let’s Get Wild, with the first won not only the the National Final but the one and only victory of Greece in Eurovision.

You? What was your favorite song from our national final in 2005? Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Greek participation in Eurovision 2022!

Sietse Bakker: Cyprus did not ask to be first in the running order of the Grand Final!

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In their most recent video William Lee Adams from Wiwibloggs stated that the Cyprus delegation asked the organizers to let Elena Tsagrinou open the night of the Grand Final with her song El Diablo.  However, the producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 and one of the members of the Reference Group Mr. Sietse Bakker has denied these rumors.

When asked on Twitter about the alleged request by Cyprus, Sietse Bakker reminded the public that it is up to the public broadcaster who hosts Eurovision to make the running order.  Furthermore, the running order requires the subsequent approval of the EBU.  Thus the participating broadcasters do not suggest which place they would like to be sorted out.  In addition Seitse Bakker mentions that he attended the sorting process of the running order for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.  According to him, the opinion of the delegations did not play a role in this process.

After this public denial it seems that the information Wiwibloggs had was inaccurate.  Nonetheless, William seemed absolutely sure that Cyprus had in fact made this request.  This may be because many Cypriot fans have echoed the alleged petition by the Cyprus delegation to perform in first place for months.  It is possible that the fans have get these fake news from the same source.

You can watch William mentioning this rumour in the embedded video, at 44.30:

Sietse Bakker: “If their plans work, we will see something we have never seen before”. Which is that entry?

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Sietse Bakker, producer of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, gave an interview about everything we will see next May in Rotterdam. Among what he said is interesting all he said about the participation of a country, where the rehearsals happen in a gym. As he characteristically states, if what this delegation plans, work on the stage of the Ahoy Arena, then it will be something really impressive, which we have never seen on the stage of Eurovision. Of course Eurovisionfun gives you all the important detail…

As we have written to you in our previous articles, the stage appearance prepared by Fokas Evangelinos for Last Dance and Stefania is something that has not taken place again on the stage of the contest and is an idea that will create a school. We are sure that in the coming years will be used by other countries, of course always adapted and perhaps evolved over time.

Is it a risk? Yes, technically it is a risk. That is why the Greek delegation is constantly testing, in order to be sure that everything will go smoothly and we will have an even TV result. What happened in 2017 with Demy where nothing worked as planned, became a lesson and the Greek artistic team this time, but also ERT, which wants a very good result in this year’s contest, leave nothing to chance.

So to be sure, Stefania has been rehearsing for three weeks and will be coming in Athens for another two weeks. Many technical tests were carried out both by the Greek delegation and by the organizers and at this moment, according to our information, all the problems that had arisen have been resolved.

Stefania’s rehearsals as it is already known take place at the ERT gym in Agia Paraskevi. We know that several rehearsals have been videotaped from there, where they have been sent to the organizers to realize exactly everything that takes place in the Greek entry, literally every second.

It is clear which entry Sietse Bakker is referring to, since he really describes the stage appearance that has been inspired by Fokas Evangelinos!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Greek entry in Eurovision 2021!

Eurovision 2021: Tomorrow the announcement of the scenario according to which the contest will take place!

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In the news program of the Dutch public television, Niewsuur, it was recently announced that tomorrow, Wednesday, February 3, the scenario will be announced, according to which the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will take place, on May 18, 20 and 22! Read more

Eurovision 2021: Sietse Bakker “reveals” how the contest will be held | Will there be any audience?

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A literally last minute news. In a recent TV interview in the Netherlands, the executive producer of Eurovision 2021, Sietse Bakker, essentially reveals how the contest will take place.

According to Sietse Bakker, the primary concern of the organizers is to bring all the artists and delegations to Rotterdam in May.

Our priority is to bring all artists and expeditions to the Netherlands. If there is no other option, then the contest should be held without an audience.

Sietse Bakker, however, did not rule out the possibility of seeing the audience on the stands of the Ahoy Arena, he simply shifted the decisions for the presence or not of the audience in the arena for April!

Let’s postpone the decisions for the audience for later. Until mid-April.

Once again, the executive producer of Eurovision 2021 stated that the announcement of the scenario based on which the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will take place, will take place by mid-February.

The above means that the worst case scenario currently being considered is C, with the live presence of all the artists who can travel to Rotterdam and the absence of the audience. Apparently we will be late to find out if we finally see the colorful mosaic of fans in May at the Ahoy Arena.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments related to our favorite contest!

Eurovision 2021: Sietse Bakker gives answers for the live on tape videos, the vaccines and the scenario that will be chosen! (Video)

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A really interesting interview was given by the executive producer of Eurovision 2021, Sietse Bakker, to Jan Bors and his YouTube channel, Humans of Eurovision.

For the cancellation of Eurovision 2020

Sietse Bakker said that the team that was preparing for the contest in 2020, was very sad and disappointed, after so much effort was lost. Of course it was something that in the last days before the cancellation more and more people expected, since all the big events were canceled.

The fact that no one in Europe initially paid much attention to the pandemic was the reason why they were not prepared at all for this scenario and so we were led to the cancellation of Eurovision 2020. Unlike last year, this year the team is working feverishly for each possible scenario, related to the evolution of the pandemic.

Which scenario will be chosen for Eurovision 2021?

Unfortunately Sietse Bakker is not yet able to answer this question. He said they would have to announce next month, the scenario they believe could be implemented in May, so essentially predicting the course of the pandemic by then. It is a very difficult thing, but it is in consultation with all the competent bodies, in order to make the right decision.

Scenario D is not the worst possible thing for Sietse Bakker, but to disappoint the fans of the competition and not have done everything in their power to have the best Eurovision, under these conditions.

Live on tape videos will offer a great variety in the contest

Jan Bors asked Sietse Bakker of course about the live on tape videos and if we would be able to watch them, even if in the end the contest is not based on scenario D.

The executive producer of the competition mentioned the differences that will exist in the process of live on tape videos, in relation to what was observed for Junior Eurovision.

The national broadcasters will be given more freedom to make their own scene, that is, not all scenes will be the same. Of course there will be some limits to this. Directing, each country will have the opportunity to present its own approach. According to Sietse Bakker, this will offer a great variety and even if these appearances need to compete, it will be of great interest to viewers.

It is a decision of the EBU whether these appearances will eventually be broadcast, in case we do not go to scenario D.

The vaccine will not be mandatory

Although he is a proponent of vaccination, Sietse Bakker is clear. This decision belongs to the politicians and they cannot make it. For their part, they will do everything possible to keep the artists alive in Rotterdam, many rapid tests and they will ask the delegations to stay as long as possible in the hotels, in order to reduce the possibility of one of them getting sick.

Will there finally be an audience at the Ahoy Arena?

The answer to this question will be given shortly before the competition, as no one is able to predict what the situation will be in the Netherlands in May. But Sietse Bakker promises in this regard, that both his own intention and that of the organizers is to have a Eurovision as “normal” as possible, if of course conditions allow.

Eurovision 2021: In 4-5 weeks the announcement for the scenario according to which the contest will be held!

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At the height of the second wave of the pandemic, the executive producer of Eurovision 2021, Sietse Bakker, reveals via Twitter that the decision on the scenario according to which the contest will be held next May, will be announced in 4 -5 weeks from now.

Both the EBU and the Dutch organizers are determined to hold the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, which for the first time since 1956, did not take place last year. In September, the four possible scenarios were announced, according to which the contest will be held, depending of course on the course of the pandemic.

According to their latest reports in the Dutch press, what seems to be the most likely, is scenario C. In other words, all the contestants should appear live from the Ahoy Arena and there should be as little audience as possible, both in delegations, as well as in the press center. Of course, if in some countries travel restrictions apply, then they will compete through the live on tape video, which all broadcasters are required to deliver by the end of March. However, the intention of the organizers is that even if the presence of accredited journalists and the public is not allowed at all, there should be a live presence of the artists, a scenario that is between C and D.

By the beginning of February at the latest, according to what Sietse Bakker posted, we will know how this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place!

Which scenario do you think will eventually prevail?

Sietse Bakker: “Eurovision is a big party for Europe, I can’t imagine it going without a public”

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With whole Europe literally at the heart of the coronavirus pandemic and with major events coming up in the coming months, the fate of Eurovision 2020 remains unknown. However, the producer of this year’s contest, Sietse Bakker, made a statement to be discussed. Not too long ago, he said he could not imagine Eurovision without an audience.

The commentator on the broadcast of the competition for Dutch public television, Cornald Maas, and the producer of this year’s event, Sietse Bakker, also backed different positions today from what they saw in the spotlight yesterday, from Slovenian public television director Natalija Gorscak.

In particular, Natalija Gorscak, has revealed that the EBU is planning a plan B in case the pandemic does not crack in the coming weeks.

“At the EBU they are preparing as if Eurovision is normal. I am personally in touch with the administration, which has a plan B in which we will be more involved [the national broadcasters]. In Slovenia, this is supposed to be done in the TV studio.

If this scenario goes ahead, each member will broadcast their participation from a television studio. That’s what they think. Everything is under discussion, but in principle it acts as if Eurovision was in Rotterdam [as originally planned]”

Events in the Netherlands with more than 100 people are currently banned. This ban is valid until 31 March, although the measure is expected to last. Many events scheduled for April in the Netherlands are already postponed.

Contest commentator and production team consultant Cornald Maas proposes that Eurovision be postponed for the next year.

“If this quarantine is renewed again, it will be impossible to run the competition in time. We cannot begin preparing the site without knowing for sure if the event will take place. Also, we have no guarantee if the delegations will refuse to arrive, some already refusing to go to the Netherlands for postcards. At worst, it will be postponed for a year, but I know everyone is working to make the competition run smoothly”

In a similar vein the statements by Eurovision 2020 producer Sietse Bakker.

“We still have two months left, so hopefully the situation will calm down in the coming weeks. We are in constant contact with the Municipality of Rotterdam, the GGD (Ministry of Health) and the RIVM (Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment) and follow their instructions. Currently, the agency is still working in full swing, but is considering other scenarios. The Eurovision Song Contest is, of course, a party for Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Europe, and I can’t imagine it can take place without the public”

Sietse Bakker, producer of Eurovision 2020

However, final decisions are not expected before the middle of next month. It is clear, however, on the basis of the above that the Dutch do not want a competition without audiences, journalists and fans making Eurovision the largest music party on the planet every year.

Source:ESCKaz

 

Eurovision 2020:”We are doing everything to make Eurovision 2020 work properly”

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With most of the delegations leaders in Rotterdam for the meeting, the producer of this year’s Eurovision song contest,Sietse Bakker,made a statement that accurately indicated his intentions. The contest should take place normally if the situation in the Netherlands is not derogated from the coronavirus.

“We are monitoring the situation, we are in close contact with all the relevant authorities and we are doing our best to ensure that the Eurovision 2020 song contest is held! Let’s be optimistic – we still have 2 months. We are thrilled to present what we have planned to the heads of delegations from the 41 countries participating in Eurovision 2020. Some of them have participated online, most of them are here with us at #Rotterdam!”

Sietse Bakker

A statement from the meeting was also accompanied by a photo:

The statements of the Eurovision 2020 producer practically mean that at this point of time everything is going smoothly and no action will be taken. Anything that is circulating on the internet to cancel the contest or to hold the door closed was solemnly denied. The time and the competent authorities will dictate the need for action whenever necessary.

Absences from the meeting of the Heads of Delegations

We remind you that apart from the Greek Head of Delegation, the Heads of Delegation of Sweden, Finland and Israel were absent as well.. At the EBU headquarters in Geneva, Jon Ola Sand and other union executives will attend the meeting, after a case of coronavirus identified as an employee of the organization has quarantined all workers.

We are anxiously awaiting the announcements of today’s meeting, which will of course be the official submission of the 41 EBU entries for this year’s competition.

Eurovision 2020: Sietse Bakker: “Eurovision final may last less”

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An interesting interview was given by Eurovision 2020’s executive producer, Sietse Bakker. Speaking at singfestival.bg, he revealed several aspects of the Dutch organizers’ preparation, but also expressed his conviction that unlike his two semifinal contests, the big final lasts long, given that it is always a television program. At the end of the interview, Sietse Bakker said that while he had never been interested in the position of executive supervisor of the contest, he did not rule out the possibility of seeing him succeed Jon Ola Sand.

It was a complete cycle
Prior to taking over as executive producer of Eurovision 2020, Sietse, with his own website designing company, had worked with the EBU on numerous occasions and even served as Supervisor Event. In 2016 he decided to stop. “The first Eurovision Song Contest I attended was in Stockholm, so when it was in Stockholm again in 2016, it was a complete one for me. It was time to quit the competition and get more involved in my own business”.

It all started for one girl 
“It all started when I tried to impress a girl from another class who was a big fan of the competition,” Sietse said when asked where his interest in the competition came from. “I wanted to impress her by making a website mentioning the contest, ESCToday. After attending the Eurovision Song Contest in Riga for the first time in 2003, I was addicted and in the meantime our site had become very big. He didn’t work with the girl, but it was the beginning of my career. “

Proud Dutchman
The Netherlands had a hard time competing, so when asked how Sietse lived up to Duncan’s victory, he said: “AVROTROS has built this beautifully from 2013 onwards, from Anouk to Duncan now winning. Of course this makes us proud, but it’s also a weird feeling. I’m part of the team that has ultimate responsibility is a complete honor, but it’s a very difficult job”.

The final may last less
The most important news that comes out of the interview is Sietse Bakker’s phrase about the duration of the final: “The semifinals are relatively short, but it is true that the final takes a long time and can be less long”.

Does this mean that we will see a shorter broadcast of the Eurovision final, coming to Rotterdam in May? It is worth noting here that the duration of its final competition in recent years is approximately three and a half hours.

Happy with the hosts
“We didn’t find the presenters overnight. We’ve been working since July on who could present it. Everything came to mind: from presenters to singers, actors and dancers. After several meetings, this combination is the best result and we are very proud of this trio “.

More news about hotels coming soon
Sietse Bakker had, of course, to respond to the high hotel prices during the competition. High hotel prices are a problem for many Eurovision fans who would like to watch the event up close. “We have booked 3,000 rooms in the bidding phase, for which we will soon publish more news. Keep in mind that the Netherlands is a relatively small country and you should also look outside Rotterdam for accommodation”.

Successor to Jon Ola Sand?
Will he seek to replace Jon Ola Sand in the future? “I have never pursued this job and now I focus exclusively on the role I have. And for the story, I haven’t been called by the EBU yet”.

You can watch the entire interview below: