Tonight is the night! The Eurovision grand final has arrived, as 24 acts battle it out to be crowned the next champion.
As ever, the power is in the hands of voters, whether it be the national juries or viewers, and voting will soon close before they are carefully counted and the winner revealed.
But before the vote comes to a close, fans are in for a long night but there is plenty in store to break up the performances. Along with the Eurovision entrants, there will be a special interval performance and other exciting moments across the night.
Want to know who will be gracing the stage? Scroll on to find about more about the Eurovision 2026 grand final interval act.
During the voting period, three interval acts will take to the Eurovision stage to entertain
So far, it has been confirmed that Parov Stelar will bring his distinctive dance sound and electro-swing act to the stage.
Austrian Eurovision legend César Sampson will also take to the stage to perform a soulful version of Billy Joel’s Vienna.
Reigning champion JJ will be returning to the stage to perform his winning song Wasted Love.
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The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to take part in the event due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
This year, a number of countries will boycott the contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision not to expel Israel from the competition.
At the EBU general assembly in December 2025, a vote was held to introduce new rules that would stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters. No vote was held on Israel’s participation.
The EBU said in a statement: “A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place.”
Following this, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland confirmed they would not participate in this year’s Eurovision.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ said: “RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.”
The BBC, which broadcasts the competition in the UK, has said it supports the decision made by the EBU. “This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive,” it said in a statement.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place on Saturday 16 May 2026.
You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision.
Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
