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Source: SVT Press Release

This year’s “Grand Final” is offered to an English-speaking audience via a special broadcast on SVT Play – to the delight of English-speaking viewers in Sweden and, of course, Mello fans worldwide. Experienced Bella Qvist comments for the fourth time, and will this year be accompanied by music journalist William Lee Adams, one of the most recognized faces within the world of Eurovision.

Melodifestivalen’s project manager Anders Wistbacka says:

 –  Melodifestivalen is very popular all over Europe and other parts of the world and it feels fantastic to be able to offer this broadcast to all our fans abroad. Bella has done it brilliantly for a few years and now she also gets help from one of the absolute most popular ESC personalities to comment on the broadcast on location in Sweden. Welcome to the bubble William!

About William and Bella

William Lee Adams first attended Melodifestivalen in 2011 and he promptly fell in love with Jenny Silver and Linda Bengtzing. He’s still recovering from Love Generation’s elimination in Andra Chansen. Since then, William regularly appears on primetime selection shows across Europe as a jury member and spokesperson, while also running the Wiwibloggs website and YouTube channel. In 2020 Will Ferrell gave him a cameo in the movie “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.”

An American journalist who has lived in London for several years, William has written about Eurovision for publications like Time Magazine, the New York Times and VICE. His book “Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision” was published last year.

This isn’t William’s first time doing commentary for Swedish television. During Eurovision 2016 he offered an international perspective for SVT’s three-part series “Studio Eurovision”.

 –   I’ve attended Melodifestivalen ten times, but there’s still so much about Swedish music that I don’t understand — from dansband to epadunk. I’m excited to pick Bella’s brain and to get a Swedish perspective on the most Swedish of shows. I’m so grateful that she invited me along, William Lee Adams says, and adds:

 –  The energy inside Friends Arena is rivalled only by the Olympics or the World Cup. I can’t wait to pull out my pink boa and glittery hat and to dance with my fellow Mello fans. It’s honestly the happiest place on Earth.

Bella Qvist returns as Melodifestivalen’s English speaking commentator for the fourth year running.

She has been hooked on Melodifestivalen ever since Charlotte Nilsson took her to Eurovision heaven in 1999, and she has been flying high on the wings of Eurolove ever since.  Bella, who is based in Stockholm, has spent 18 years living in the UK and Germany and has a long record of reporting on Eurovision for various British media outlets before making her debut as SVT’s commentator and Eurovision expert in 2021. 

For the past three years she has run the commentary together with UK journalist Olivia Le Poidivin. Sadly, Olivia was unable to join us this year, but Bella is proud and incredibly excited to welcome William Lee Adams to the commentator booth.

Bella Qvist says:

 –  I am beyond excited to return to the commentator booth in Friends Arena. There is no feeling quite like sitting there watching the Melfest final surrounded by thousands of screaming fans, watching as messages pour in from people in 30+ countries watching along with us. I have to pinch myself every time. And the fact that I this year get to introduce the world’s leading Eurovision expert William Lee Adams to the booth, and the Melfest fans, feels incredible.

 –  The love for Melodifestivalen from the international community is fantastic and it’s nothing but a privilege to get to convey the message of Melfest to everyone who doesn’t (yet) speak Swedish.

Follow the English-commented broadcast on SVT Play Saturday 9 March 20:00-22:00

MELODIFESTIVALEN: ENGLISH COMMENTARY

Note: It is not possible to vote in Melodifestivalen from abroad.