The BBC has unveiled its presenting team for this year's Eurovision Song Contest, marking the first major broadcast since Scott Mills was dismissed from the corporation last month.
Mr Mills, who had been central to the BBC's Eurovision coverage since 2011, was sacked following revelations about a Metropolitan Police investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy under 16.
The alleged incidents reportedly took place between 1997 and 2000, when Mills was in his mid-20s.
Police questioned him under caution in 2018, though the Crown Prosecution Service declined to prosecute in 2019 citing insufficient evidence.
The forner Strictly star has taken over from Scott Mills
|BBC
The corporation acknowledged it had been aware of the police inquiry since 2017 but stated it "acted decisively" upon receiving "new information" shortly before terminating his employment.
Angela Scanlon, the Irish broadcaster who reached the semi-finals of Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, will step into the semi-final commentary role alongside Rylan Clark.
The pair will present live from Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle arena for both semi-finals on Tuesday May 12, and Thursday May 14, with Ms Scanlon describing the opportunity as "joining the greatest party on earth – equal parts thrilling and terrifying!"
"I grew up watching the Eurovision Song Contest with my three sisters, making very serious (and wildly biased) scorecards from the couch, so to now be part of it – especially in its 70th year – is genuinely surreal," she added.
Mr Clark, who has been part of the Eurovision presenting team since 2018, called the milestone anniversary "the biggest show on the planet".
He added: "Being part of anything this big is something younger me could never have imagined."
The pair will be joining Ms Scanlon and Graham Norton
|BBC
Sara Cox, who was recently appointed as Mills' replacement on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, will also assume his Eurovision radio duties.
She will present coverage of both semi-finals and the grand final for BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, broadcasting live from the Austrian capital.
For the Saturday night finale, Ms Cox will be joined by Mr Clark for the radio commentary, with Graham Norton returning to his familiar position in the television commentary box for the grand final on May 16.
The veteran broadcaster, who took over from Sir Terry Wogan in 2009, expressed his enthusiasm for the landmark edition.
The iconic and popular show kicks off in a couple of weeks
|BBC
"It feels really special to be back, gently guiding viewers through the Grand Final in this very momentous 70th anniversary year," Norton said.
Mr Mills had served as a cornerstone of the BBC's Eurovision broadcasts for 15 years, commentating on semi-finals and later covering grand finals alongside Clark.
The 53-year-old was questioned by Metropolitan Police officers in 2018 regarding the historical allegations, with the investigation formally concluding the following year when prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
In a statement released through his legal representatives following his dismissal, Mr Mills said he had been subject to "rumour and speculation" and confirmed he had "co-operated fully" with the police inquiry.
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The BBC has acknowledged awareness of the investigation since 2017, with outgoing director general Tim Davie reportedly telling staff it was "very clear" Mills had to leave upon learning further details about the alleged victim.
The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Vienna, with Austria hosting after JJ's victory at last year's competition in Basel.
The UKs representative, Sam Battle, performs under the stage name Look Mum No Computer and will compete with his track Eins, Zwei, Drei.
As one of the "Big Four" nations alongside Germany, France and Italy, the UK automatically qualifies for the grand final without needing to progress through the semi-finals.
Sam Battle will be representing the UK
|YOUTUBE
Former Drag Race UK winner Tia Kofi returns as the BBC's digital correspondent, providing backstage access and behind-the-scenes content from Vienna throughout the week.
"It's such an honour to be back as the BBC Eurovision Digital Presenter for the 70th year of the contest," Kofi said, adding that the competition "already feels like it's a close competition between the acts".
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