We know the venue — Lisbon’s MEO Arena. We know the dates — 8, 10 and 12 May. What’s next on the Eurovision 2018 checklist? If the rumour mill is to be believed, the Portuguese broadcaster RTP has turned its focus to selecting a host or hosts. And they’ve allegedly got an eye on Nelly Furtado.
British website Popbitch unleashed the gossip hounds on Thursday, claiming in their weekly newsletter that:
Rumours are swirling that Portugal are sounding out Nelly Furtado as a potential host for Eurovision next year.
Quite where these rumours stem from remains a mystery as no further elaboration is given.
Previously, the sometimes irreverent site suggested that ex X Factor singer Nicholas McDonald and TOWIE star Jessica Wright might be amongst those competing in the 2016 UK national selection. On another occasion, Olly Murs’ name was plucked from the grape vine. Obviously, none of these tip-offs came true.
And just in case you were still holding out hope, RTP has poured cold water on all host-related speculation. Sources close to the TV network have told wiwibloggs that they haven’t even begun thinking about assembling a presenting team yet, and that other details such as the logo and slogan need to be decided on first.
Until we know more, we’re going to keep our sceptical Salvador Sobral faces on.
Who is Nelly Furtado?
Nelly Furtado is a world famous pop star who enjoyed huge success in the early 2000s. Hits such as “I’m Like A Bird”, “Maneater” and “Promiscuous” helped her sell over 40 million records globally.
Born in Canada to Portuguese parents, she previously waved the Bandeira de Portugal in 2004 when she released “Forca”, the official anthem for the Euro 2004 football championship — one of the biggest international events to ever take place in the Iberian nation.
Nelly Furtado and Eurovision
This isn’t the first time Nelly’s name has been bandied about in Eurovision circles. In August 2016, her manager reportedly told Danish Eurovision site Eurovisionary that she was potentially open to the possibility of singing at Eurovision for Portugal.
“If RTP contacts us with further details and a considerable amount of time, we might consider the idea.”
Disappointingly, it seems she was speaking vaguely and generally, having not actually consulted the pop star.
Because by September the singer was distancing herself from her manager’s comments, claiming she had no idea where the Eurovision rumours started.
Taking to Twitter, she wrote “I respect all creative showcases but have no idea where Eurovision rumour came from. It is a mere rumour. Good luck 2 all the contestants.” She signed off with a kissing heart emoji.
I respect all creative showcases but have no idea where Eurovision rumour came from. It is a mere rumour. Good luck 2 all the contestants. ?
— Nelly Furtado (@NellyFurtado) September 21, 2016
When will the Eurovision 2018 hosts be announced?
We might know the venue and dates, but it’s unlikely we’ll know the identity of the host or hosts anytime soon.
Over the last five years, Sweden’s SVT was the earliest to reveal their on-screen team, announcing Måns Zelmerlöw and Petra Mede as Eurovision 2016 hosts on 14 December 2015. They just beat Austria’s ORF who unveiled the 2015 presenters on 19 December 2014.
Of the remaining contests, we discovered that Petra Mede was overseeing the 2013 edition in January, while the 2014 and 2017 hosting trios were both made public in February.
Who will host Eurovision 2018?
Let’s scratch Nelly Furtado off our list for now Nelly Furtado. What names are left? Quite a few actually. Since Salvador’s incredible win in Kyiv, there have been frenzied questions and rumours about who RTP should recruit to host the contest. A number of TV personalities and actors have already expressed an interest and it’s quickly becoming a matter of 40 dogs for one bone.
Catarina Furtado, Sílvia Alberto, Filomena Cautela, and Pedro Granger are just some of the broadcasters who could potentially be in the mix.
Are you excited about Eurovision 2018? Who do you want to host? Is Nelly Furtado a realistic possibility? Let us know in the comments box below.
Nelly Furtado is legend and BIG ONE. Nelly knows what she doing. People in here says no body knows who is Nelly, Nelly is smart , Nelly want quite for now. Nelly Furtado knows how to write a great song and she does it she want it. If Nelly came to Eurovision and she want to win, it’s ezey for her all she need to do is to call timbaland and we will win , not only that it’s going to be a hit worldwide . Or she can call justin. Nelly is Nelly. If she want to do something… Read more »
I’d be down to this. I’m here for her opening performance of the legendary hit Maneater. 11 years later, it still goes OFF!
I hope Portugal can look beyond their roster of RTP presenters for hosts that have global-appeal and are also all-Around entertainers AND can speak solid English and French (being extremely good looking doesn’t hurt either). I’d look at Paulo Pires, Daniela Rhua and Mikael Carreira. If they want to consider some RTP talent then Catarina Furtado and Pedro Granger are solid choices but I believe they have thick accents in English. Pedro is a HUGE Eurovision fan and might good to reference past shows. I do think some of the hosts of this years Festival da Cancao were awful and… Read more »
I know you don’t have a Portuguese keyboard but at least try copy pasting when trying to write an accurate article. Forca means gallows, which is a morbid notion. Força (feel free to copy paste my ç) does mean strength instead, the true meaning of the song title. As for all these cries for Suzy…as someone already wrote, better forget about it. She may be well loved by the inner Eurovision circles but if you’d ask a random person about her name on the streets nearly no one would remember or know what you are talking about. She does not… Read more »
A peevish commentary about Popbitch, a very entertaining site which has also been a steadfast supporter of Eurovision for many, many years. I don’t get the lame attempt at savagery here by Padraig.
I think you’re reading malice where there is none. I was merely pointing out that not every rumour reported by the site has come true. I feel that if I hadn’t added the little bit of context the comments would be full of people accusing us of fake news. And also, it’s neither a lie nor an insult to call Popbitch irreverent. So really I don’t see where you’re reading the attempt at savagery. 😕
Nothing to do with calling Popbitch irreverent – which it most certainly is – but with pointing out solely speculations which didn’t come to pass. There is no balance, hence to those who know and admire Popbitch, this reads as one-sided, selective and a put-down.
You called it savagery! Exaggerating much? Made me laugh though. Padraig was of course right to state the context of the source.
Well, no – I called it a lame attempt at savagery!
Well, it could be a good choice, but I honestly really doubt it will happen. And for those who want Suzy to host, I’m sorry to tell you that it’s really unlikely for that to happen, “Quero Ser Tua” is thought of as terrible in Portugal, most of the Portuguese people hated the song.
You forgot to mention that Forca was supposed to be Portugal’s ESC 2004 entry. They even produced a 3 minutes version of it, but then they decided to use it as the official Euro 2004 anthem instead. I do believe that Portugal would have snatched their first victory with that song.
About celebrities like Nelly Furtado, they stay away from ESC because ”it has a strange reputation” I don’t want those celebrities to jump in now during ”the good times”. Nelly Furtado news : http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/09/22/nelly-furtado-denies-mangers-claim-consider-singing-eurovision/151354/
If she didn’t consider it then, she should stay away now too.
I prefer Lara Fabian, she can sing in portugues and she was on ESC stage.
I don’t know her as a presenter, but she would be cool as an interval act, maybe collaborating with the Sobrals. That’d be awesome.
I’m pretty sure RTP will choose their hosts from their roster, it’s only fair.
Hmm I dunno about the presenting job, I’m sure RTP have many in-house presenters that could do the job. I believe even Suzy could be good!
Nelly Furtado would be a good interval act though during the final.
They have to use Suzy wearing a different dress every time (to be a record). I’m sure designers will throw dresses at her, give her fans some eye candy. I guess Portugal will give Luisa Sobral everything she wants. If she wants to host, it’s a good thing to see song-writers being celebrated. Jamala 2016 and Luisa 2017 are maybe the song-writers most visible and it’s a good thing.
As long as it’s not those two AWWWWWWWWWFUL women who hosted FdC last year who did not shut the hell up
Nelly Furtado and Christano Ronaldo please 🙂
They should get gretchen from that new netflix show xD
She speaks english, french and portuguese.
I’d like to see a cute female and a funny male.
In 2006, Jennifer Aniston was allegedly supposed to host Eurovision in Athens… it never happened.
Yeah, this ain’t gonna happen. Too expensive and not particularly demanded by the fans. Most people will be fine with Suzy.
Yass I would be so happy to have Suzy!
I want Suzy!!
My country and my favourite singer… Let’s do this!!!!