On Tuesday Portugal’s RTP firmly pulled Eurofans into the Eurovision 2018 orbit with the official announcement that Lisbon will host the contest next May.

Bernardo — our Portugal correspondent — grabbed a front-row seat for all of the action. If you missed his Facebook Live coverage, you can watch it here.

Since then, many of you have written to us asking whether the homage to water seen in various signage hints at the official slogan and theme for Eurovision 2018. Still others have asked about the location of MEO Arena and whether there’s anything to do in the surrounding area.

So today Bernardo — who is on his way to Zhara Fest in Baku — stopped by William’s house in London for a quick catch-up in front of the camera.

Among other things, they talk about how far ahead of schedule RTP seems to be.

Last year, Eurovision fans endured months of speculation, weeks of bidding, one nationally-broadcast presentation showa delayed decision processa cancelled announcement and a few mud-slinging sessions between politicians before Ukraine revealed its host city decision.

Ukrainian officials did so on September 9. Portugal’s team managed to announce on July 25 — about six weeks earlier.

The city council has secured access to the stunning Praça do Comércio — also known as Commerce Square — for ten days in May.

The large, rectangular square is shaped like a U and opens out onto the Tagus River — the lifeblood of the city.

Once home to a royal palace, which sadly burned to the ground, it was remodelled in the late 1700s. It has witnessed its share of history — including the assassination of Carlos I, one of Portugal’s last kings.

It’s exact use during Eurovision has not been confirmed. But if we had to guess we’d say it will host either the Eurovision 2018 red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony or Eurovision Village.

FIND MORE PORTUGAL EUROVISION NEWS HERE

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Diego
Diego
6 years ago

Best interval act will be Dulce Pontes and Andrea Bocelli with a recreation of the songs O Mare e tu.

Qice
Qice
6 years ago

I have ideal :”Sail Into Infinity”asesc2018 Slogan and the stage design warter around the stage like 2014.

Women, football and rock'n'roll
Women, football and rock'n'roll
6 years ago

We need a slogan about much – which is what ESC is about! Not the usual cheesy repetitions of the same theme

Quice
Quice
6 years ago

#AZULEJOS# as Esc2018 Logo and Theme Art Please . Please google search #AZULEJOS .its Amazing beautiful.#AZULEJOS##AZULEJOS##AZULEJOS##AZULEJOS#

Quice
Quice
6 years ago
Reply to  Quice

#AZULEJOS#

Hada
Hada
6 years ago
Reply to  Quice

Yes! Azulejos would be cool!

Osterreich
Osterreich
6 years ago
Reply to  Quice

I googled this and this reminds me of kalesdospic concept of Helsinki 2007. I prefer modern logo this time.

May 8, 10 and 12
May 8, 10 and 12
6 years ago

The logo must have something to do with the ocean, even if it’s dated, of course ocean theme was used before.
– a shell with a pearl that can have flags colors
– 3 seahorses because usually flags have 3 colors
– shark and dolphin together

azaad
azaad
6 years ago

Going on Twisted French’s point, while I appreciate that Portugal was once an empire of significance, I hope they don’t use it colonialist imagery in the marketing, as a person of colour.

Kris
Kris
6 years ago

Guys will there be a poll on Belarus’s JESC national final?

Quice
Quice
6 years ago

i really like their blue aquarelle Watercolor painting backgroud its fresh lighs something new ideal .lts looks like clean sky with white clouds and water . I wish they keep the them of background next year no need to change this amazing background. Waiting for the logo and slogan.

Bambi sato
Bambi sato
6 years ago
Reply to  Quice

In chinese Portugal was named ” grape tooth ” because grape in chinese world pronunciation “pu tao” and” tooth “means IVORY because portuguese and spanish send a lot of expensive thing like ivory to Asia for trading many hundred years ago.
So spain be called “west class tooth” in chinese word. So maybe they can use Grape as Logo. Lol

Bambi sato
Bambi sato
6 years ago
Reply to  Bambi sato

Sorry my bad english Lol. I speak Chinese very well but Im not living in China LOL.I just want let people know “tooth “as national name is not bad thing its means luxury thing .for example The Netherland city “Den Haag “in chinese word calld “Sea tooth” .Hungary name in chinese words ” Mind tooth benefit”…..

LWL2214
LWL2214
6 years ago
Reply to  Bambi sato

Based on your comment I assume that you live in somewhere like Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau

Bambi sato
Bambi sato
6 years ago
Reply to  Bambi sato

After I Consult the chinese dictionary ,”tooth” the word also meaning “Broker or Middleman of Business” since thourhan years ago.Thank you

greenmoon
greenmoon
6 years ago

I would like see a Jellyfish as icon mixed with sea waves. Also the jellyfish has a similar shape with Meo Arena. In 2013 the logo was a butterfly, why not a jellyfish? A kind of sea fireflies.

I hope the Graphic Designers make a good and smart choices.

Branko
Branko
6 years ago
Reply to  greenmoon

Jellyfish? Sounds so 2006!

greenmoon
greenmoon
6 years ago
Reply to  Branko

shh jellyfish is timeless
it only depends the graphism dude, colour, style, expression etc. if you use the right choices It can looks contemporary.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  greenmoon

That shape reminds me Alien’s head.
Maybe the design will be a fish, like tuna or cod ^^.

greenmoon
greenmoon
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

Rosa Mota arena in Oporto is their spaceship ?
Are you being ironic? but there is an oceane creature named “Portuguese man o’ war” but it looks a like the placenta

Kai
Kai
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

MEO Arena is like a Atlantic horseshoe crab…

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

Did Bernardo just say that the logo and slogan will be related to the sea and fit the Portuguese tradition? That sounds great! Hope for an intersting logo and an insiring slogan.

William, I don’t know if Ronaldo appears in Eurovision, but it’s sth almost everyone wonders. Who knows? Maybe like Sweden, as you said, when Zlatan welcomed everyone to Malmo in 2013. It’ll be so awesome!

So happy Portugal is already working on everything! I believe Lisbon will be a great host!

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

A “rectangular square [that] is shaped like a U”?

It’s like Portugal tried to square the circle but gave up halfway through.

Twisted French
Twisted French
6 years ago

William, I love you, but you can’t use the word colonial greatness… Colonial is a style now but there’s nothing to be proud of. Colonialism, by definition, means to eradicate the locals’ history and culture, and make them yours. Colonialism is the summum of domination and extermination…. And im French, so I know what colonialism is…. There can’t be colonialism greatness, that’s antinomic. I understand what you meant though!!

Português
Português
6 years ago
Reply to  Twisted French

You are very much mistaken the Portuguese Colonialism have nothing to do like French, Belgian, English or Dutch.
Even with the Spanish that destroyed civilizations like the Aztecs.

Go Lisbon
Go Lisbon
6 years ago
Reply to  Português

Still, colonization was a bad practice in every way.
Thrre’s no good colonialism.

Kai
Kai
6 years ago
Reply to  Twisted French

both of you are quite confuse…Guys you don+t even know the difference between colonization and colonialism. They are not the same think. Also you cannot look to 16th century with your 21st century eyes…thats nonsense…