After a decade as the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest and as Head of Live Events for Eurovision, Jon Ola Sand is saying goodbye. The Norwegian broadcasting executive has announced his plans to pass the role on to someone else after the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 ends in May.

Famous for his catchphrase “take it away”, the Norwegian has played a crucial role in the contest since 2010. By virtue of his upper management skills and his charm, he also became a beloved character within the bubble. But Rotterdam will be the last Eurovision under his leadership. He will leave after the 2020 contest.

Take it away!

The official announcement

Jon Ola Sand today announced his intention to leave his current roles, along with a full explanation. “The past decade at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been fantastic and exciting”, the Norwegian said. “But it will also be good to come home.”

The official Eurovision site’s announcement explained that the beloved Norwegian isn’t retiring altogether. He will take up a new role at NRK, the Norwegian national broadcaster where Sand last worked before joining the EBU. It is unclear at the moment who will replace Sand as the Executive Supervisor starting 2021. Soon, the EBU will conduct a search to find Jon Ola’s successor.

???Take it Away! ??Jon Ola Sand will step down as #Eurovision Executive Supervisor & Head of Live Events for the…

Posted by Eurovision Song Contest on Monday, September 30, 2019

There is speculation that Swedish TV producer Christer Björkman may be interested in the role. The Swedish producer will be leaving Melodifestivalen after the 2021 edition, making the timing right for a new role in Switzerland. However, Björkman has previously said that he is not interested in the Executive Supervisor role. Björkman is currently working on developing the “American Song Contest” project.

Jon Ola Sand and the Eurovision Song Contest

Shocked Jon Ola Sand is shocked that Jon Ola Sand is leaving

Jon Ola Sand first entered the world of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, when Norway hosted the show. While Sand was not especially a Eurovision fan, he had a strong background in live event television production and was employed as the Executive Producer of the show. Eurovision 2010 included the famous flashmob interval act, which remains one of the most beloved internal shows amongst Eurovision fans.

When the previous Executive Supervisor Svante Stockselius announced he was leaving, Sand was selected from 39 other applicants.

In his decade at the Eurovision Song contest, the Sand years have seen two non-English winners, Australia’s debut at the contest, a more thrilling voting sequence and — so far — 27 live shows that have been pulled off (mostly) without a hitch.

Fans on social media are also debating whether or not Sand’s departure will affect the quality of the contest. Sand has been involved in the management of the contest since 2010. Ever since the 2011 edition in Düsseldorf, he has held the two roles he will be passing next May.

What do you think of Jon Ola Sand leaving his role? Who should take it away next? Let us know in the comments below!

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Slytherin's Horcrux
Slytherin's Horcrux
4 years ago

Why are so many people here so negative?! Yes, this years voting was a mess, but that wasn’t all down to him! Jon Ola Sand has been an amazing executive producer and I will miss him terribly. He has become such an icon and done so much for the show that I think we, as Eurofans, owe him at least a thank you, and much more than what many of you are giving him. Thank you so much Jon Ola, you will be missed!

ESCJudge
ESCJudge
4 years ago

Who to blaim then if not the head that confirms the validity of results when it is not valid?! Santa Claus (?)

So you prefer lies and mess in EBU… I do not.
If there was a human error, a human has to go. No one was pointed out as a responsible for mess in voting so the head responsible person goes away. Life.

ESCJudge
ESCJudge
4 years ago

I’ll rember his “we have a valid result” especially concidering many errors that has occured during his “reign”. Good. Trust is crucial. I stopped to trust EBU about the “valid” results. He has to go.

yodenman
yodenman
4 years ago

Considering he basically had to thank the hosts, say that they had a valid result and hand it back saying take it away. Even though he just had literally 30 seconds of speech to deliver I always thought he was going to fluff his lines. He always had the look of a rabbit staring at at the headlights of a speeding truck. For comedy value alone he was priceless. Farewell and good luck.

Ffs
Ffs
4 years ago

Good riddance

Rob
Rob
4 years ago

Cornald Maas should be his follow-up! He would be great for this! It will cost a lot of creativity for the Netherlands, but I can’t blame him if he wants to go for it. He’s so in-touch with everything… My vote goes to Cornald!

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

It would be fun if the new was a swede just to see fans stupid reactions haha. I hope the new one dont want to go back to 100% televoting again and are fair and i dont think he should be turkish, russian or Azeri. I dont feel thats so good with the past in mind.

Indiana07
Indiana07
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

If it Will be 100% televote then congrats to Russia, Lithuania, Romania and Moldova

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

A bit racist

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Tajikistan

Turkey ONLY want televoting, Azerbajdjan have cheated a lot and mother Russia is banned a lot in sports so best if no one is of them i think.

Lars
Lars
4 years ago

Goodbye To Yesterday

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Firstly, thank you to Jon Ola Sand.
Secondly, I would very much like to apply for this job. 🙂 Seriously, I would do it.

Kredential
Kredential
4 years ago

Here’s to hoping his successor isn’t as big of a doormat as he is. The sheer number of mistakes this year was absolutely ridiculous and the EBU has made themselves look like a giant clown the last few years. I just pray that Bjorkman doesn’t get in otherwise Jesus take the wheel

beccaboo1212
4 years ago

Does this mean the time slot for Junior Eurovision will be changed back to Saturday?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  beccaboo1212

Curious. Why do you think that would happen?

Aris Odi
Aris Odi
4 years ago
Reply to  beccaboo1212

Can I just say as an Australian I’d kinda love that, cause then I wouldn’t have to get up on a Monday morning to watch it live XD

Marko
Marko
4 years ago

I’t looks like it will be the Dane Jan lagermand lundme. He was head of show in 2014 in Copenhagen, and has since been a huge part of EBU and Eurovision Song Contest.

Thomas
Thomas
4 years ago

The change is almost bittersweet, like change is always a good thing in the case of a competition…but as someone who started watching in 2014, I’ll miss Ola Sand, he always had a great energy an I think geniuen love for our contest.

Thank you Mr. Ola Sand!

I hope we get a new Head that really goes into getting Nations to return, if Ola Sand could get Italy Czechia and Austria to come back, imagine someone getting Slovakia Luxembourg or even Monaco back! Wishful thinking!

Tom
Tom
4 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Slovakia was in a competition in 2010,2011,or 2012 when Jon Ola was in ESC

Fionn
Fionn
4 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Or maybe letting Kazakhstan debue

Andrea Danese
Andrea Danese
4 years ago

After 17 editions with a Scandinavian exec (Svante & Jon Ola) I’d like to see a new exec from a Big 5 country, German or French maybe. A Swiss exec would work too I think. But give the Scandies a break please. But whoever gets the job, their first job has to be making sure that there are no more jury errors and get rid of the aggregated results.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Andrea Danese

To be fair, it only really helped Sweden. His own country Norway didn’t exactly profit a whole lot what with them being this year’s televoting winners, yet barely existing in the entire voting sequence. Sand always seemed like a spineless Björman puppet to me. Frankly, the Swede Svante seemed like a much better dude in comparison. The nationality shouldn’t matter here. German? What if you get a dude like Thomas Schreiber? Swiss? What if the dig up Ingrid Deltenre? Nationality alone doesn’t facilitate anything. Maybe it’s best to get someone from way outside. Like New Zealand, or well… Luxembourg.

Andrea Danese
Andrea Danese
4 years ago

LOL Luxembourg? You’re right it doesn’t matter where they’re from, I’d just like to see a Central European for a change? But as long as the jury issues and aggregated results are dealt with I’m happy?

Toffeenix
Toffeenix
4 years ago

Oh god no please no one from New Zealand. We would ruin it.

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Toffeenix

haha. no:) i dont think you would send one as bad as the X factor coaches that you kicked out ;).

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

Boring and fake news. Next, I only read facts. When you can prove that my country Sweden bribed 42 jurys for 17 years in a row then i believe you.

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  Andrea Danese

It should be someone from the east imo, it’s about time we got our fair share

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

he had a good run, i hope the next supervisor is russian or turkish so we go back to 100% televote and get rid of those useless corrupt juries for all

Denis
Denis
4 years ago

Yes, let’s return to the time when kitsch and trash ruled the contest and where visuals and skimpy outfits were more important than the song. Cause that what we all want with the contest gong into thee next decade..

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Denis

wow you seem to hate everything that’s fun… lighten up bruh

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

All small countries would be gone in 2 years. And i know you know it to. Turks would take over the show forever with diaspora. Dont you know how many turks that lives in Europe? A LOT!!!!

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

You really don’t like the Turks do you? Bit racist

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

haha i want the exactly opposite. Those countries dont know what fair play even means

Darren
Darren
4 years ago

It will be interesting to see what countries win or do well under the new head. Under Sands tenureship, the winners where very Nordic/Germanic. I wish him well though.
Personally, I think the EBU should change the supervisor role every 2-3 years to keep it fresh. 10 years is a long time.
Also, a big no to Bjorkmann. I just can’t take to this guy at all. He’s slotted in everywhere.

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Darren

While the winners under his watch stayed mostly north and central, the last few years got spread out with Ukraine, Portugal, and Israel, unlike the previous ten years where the contest has mostly stayed east for much of the previous decade (Estonia, Latvia, Turkey, Ukraine, Greece, Serbia, Russia).

Lloyd
Lloyd
4 years ago

I hope it’s not Christer Bjorkman. Genuinely feel that I’d struggle to enjoy the show if he was in charge and had a huge bias towards certain countries.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Lloyd

tbh he shouldn’t even be considered for that role as he’s too involved with the contest, and especially with one country in particular. not that jon ola sand was stranger to it – he was the head of delegation for norway, and in 1999 he snitched on croatia using pre-recorded backing vocals n tried to get them disqualified. a petty gay

TheDrMistery
TheDrMistery
4 years ago

Not that Norway ever had a prayer to win in 1999…

James
James
4 years ago

It was pretty clear Croatia broke that rule. I’m not particularly familiar with the whole matter but didn’t the matter of them using pre-recorded vocals was raised to the EBU during rehearsals? The impression I got from reading old articles covering this was that Jon complained about this after the contest concluded.

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago

it was not allowed. I see you love corrupption if you are from mother Russia. Its not ESC values

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Lloyd

You describe him as Trump or Putin i feel. Get over yourself. Its a music competiiton and Christer are not in war. He loves ESC so yeah i want him. Why should we have someone who destroys it? dont get the point of that

Kosey
Kosey
4 years ago

The skits he did with the BBC were hilarious – I’ll miss those.

Ja k
Ja k
4 years ago

Goood news

Mark Kendrick
Mark Kendrick
4 years ago

Im scared that Eurovision won’t be as good as this past decade because I think that this has been Eurovision’s best decade so far

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

Although his time in charge wasn’t flawless (2019 alone had a lot of issues that EBU failed to address properly), I’ll miss him. He has a serenity that helps a lot when you have so many responsabilities and also end up being criticized even for other people’s mistakes, since he’s the public face of a huge operation. Imagine dealing with 40+ delegations, all with different cultural backgrounds and levels of professionalism… He played his part on making the contest better and we’ll never know how much things would be different if he wasn’t around.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Interesting. I always perceived his “serenity” as a “nervosity”. He looked very uncomfortable and visibly shaky in many years when he announced “yes, we have a valid result”. I mean, sure, I’d be shaky too if I knew how many skeletons there are to uncover. I will agree that the problem is very likely not one person, but an entire system/ institution that’s rotten. But that’s how it is, the face of the institution hardly ever tries to right the wrongs under his supervision, so he gets paid handsomely to at the very least take the blame and “smile it… Read more »

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

Can’t someone be serene and feel uncomfortable with cameras at the same time? He’s an executive, not a performer. I would probably be nervous if I had to announce we had the results in front of million of TV viewers. That would mean I’m hiding corruption or only that I’m not camera friendly? I say he’s serene, because he never lost his temper or jumped on authoritarian remarks, when most people that keep a power position for 10 years tend to show their worst.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Okay, I agree with all your general points. But come on, how hard is it to not lose your temper when you appear like three minutes in three shows every year, saying the same thing you can learn by heart beforehand? Most of his work is behind the scenes, which granted, we don’t know very much about. All we have to judge is what gets reported to us, most of which wasn’t pretty. It’s not comparable to a politician constantly in the spotlight for ten years. And in Sand’s case, certain remarks were sorely missing.

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

But when I speak about he being serene, I’m not focusing on his time in front of the cameras, but in his day to day activities. The contest goes through polemic situations from time to time and nothing became a prolonged deal under his management. Countries kept coming back, unless for financial or bad performance reasons. I would say sometimes he’s too low-key (see how he avoids addressing juries’ erratic behavior, which is my biggest criticism about Eurovision these days), but I imagine things could be worst under someone with a reckless posture.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

i will NEVER forget when in 2016 he couldn’t find the words after he’d realized australia wasn’t going to win as predicted, but it was going to be ukraine. the stuttering, the sweat, the panic… whew, iconic

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

That was the one fun moment that Ukraine’s win brought for me. Like, yeah, I’m glad you backed the wrong horse dude and you deserve what’s coming to ya, even if I can’t stand the winner, either. I guess everything really is good for something. lol Although that’s still a very minimal consolation, the stuttering, the sweat and the panic were the best and most authentic legacy and frankly, the perfect summary of his ten-year-tenure.

Joseph Mendy
Joseph Mendy
4 years ago

I am so shocked by this news!!!!! Whomever takes over from him has some mega huge, and I stress the words MEGA HUGE, shoes to fill.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Mendy

are you calling jon ola sand a clown ?

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

Yes, I am.

Geo
Geo
4 years ago

Such great news. No more Nordic maffia, Ola Sand and the omnipresent Bjorkman – meddling in so many national countries, while their representatives were always getting the best slots during the semifinals and final…. Booooo!

SlowEstonian_1
SlowEstonian_1
4 years ago
Reply to  Geo

Nordic maffia?

Žutokljunac
Žutokljunac
4 years ago

FINALLY!!!

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

His career as an executive supervisor might not have been flawless, but you can’t deny his role in developing the contest. He’s surely gonna be missed and I doubt EBU will find anyone, who’d pronounce the words “take it away” as beautifully as he could. That being said, I’m really curious about what the new executive supervisor’s approach is gonna be and what Eurovision will evolve into under his/hers supervision.

Katariina
Katariina
4 years ago

Please do not give it to Björkman

Aitor Robles Morillas
Aitor Robles Morillas
4 years ago

I think the take it away role will be on Sietse Bakker because He is the Executive Producer of next Eurovision Song Contest as Ola Sand did ten years ago. Jon Ola Sand have done shine more than ever Eurovision Song Contest through all Europe

Darren
Darren
4 years ago

Sietse Bakker would be a great man for the job if I’m honest.

voix
voix
4 years ago

So many sad eurofans for the guy who was responsible for the first wrong set or results in 63 years. You are hillarious people

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  voix

I know, right? Defying logic since the invention of Eurovision websites.

voix
voix
4 years ago

you cant make this s*it up my friend, they are sad for the mister “take it away” leaving, while apart from the wrong results, during his years we saw a country banning another country from participating due to politics and he did nothing! What a professional lol

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  voix

Jon played mediator between the two on behalf of the EBU and even offered alternative solutions which both Russia and Ukraine rejected.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  James

Rightfully so. Performing somewhere else via satellite at Eurovision? How crazy in the head does someone have to be to view this as an acceptable solution? Sure, it was no loss, maybe even a blessing, the 2018 performance showed as that, but there’s a principle involved. The Ukraine-Russia crisis is home-made and the proverbial EBU fish rots from the head down. Their was no innocent party between Ukraine and Russia (though I personally view Ukraine’s actions in 2017 as the much worse ones, so bad that they disqualified themselves as a host country) but ultimately, the EBU is at fault… Read more »

James
James
4 years ago

What would you suggest if you in the EBU’s position to mediate between to broadcasters?

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  James

It’s their contest. If certain delegations severely and deliberately break their rules, they must be sanctioned, not enabled. The EBU rules clearly state that every eligible country wishing to participate with whatever eligible entry they choose to send must be allowed to do so and if need be protected by the host country during their stay. Ukraine should not have been allowed to host. Might have been too late to cancel it. Therefore, the consequences at least should come after their hosting gig. If ever a ban was truly justified, it was in that case. Their actions were far beyond… Read more »

James
James
4 years ago

That’s why if you have Jon’s POV when he was placed in that situation, you would do the best you can to give their erring broadcasters a settlement without jeopardizing the contest.

I mean, what is keeping you from completely abandoning watching a contest organized by the very union you don’t even have confidence in?

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
4 years ago

1: Russia was allowed to participate in eurovision 2017. Ukraine never prohibited this.
2: Yulia wasn’t able to perform in Ukraine because she had directly violated Ukrainian law. The russian broadcaster was very well aware of this. Nothing the ukrainian broadcaster could do to change all of this.

Everybody understands it was no coincidence that they send a girl in a wheelchair singing about hope exactly to Kyiv 2017… Just like “closer to the crime, cross the line a step at a time” in the year of the crimean border invation.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Of course Russia just wanted to provoke. But Ukraine doesn’t get to dictate who other countries choose to send. Nobody stopped them from sending “2014”, either. I mean “1944”. And that so-called law is BS.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
4 years ago

Did jamala violate any of the swedish laws in stockholm?’Can you imagine the headlines if the ukrainian police force would arrest yulia upon trespassing the border? Jon ola sand or UA: pbc for that part doesn’t have a magic wand that turns national legislation into the ebu’s favour.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Well, I don’t know much about Swedish laws, but I think Sweden doesn’t make you a persona non grata if you dare to enter their country through Finland or Norway.

James
James
4 years ago

Doesn’t the Nordics have open border laws with each other? It’s not exactly the same thing to compare that with the situation involving Ukraine and Russia over Crimea.

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

I think you’re overestimating Jon Ola Sand’s power, Bean. As the executive supervisor of the contest, he responds to EBU’s leadership, he can’t make certain decisions by himself (even EBU’s president couldn’t). And as a association of public broadcasters, EBU also doesn’t have that much power, since each broadcaster responds to their own government. In the end, EBU and Eurovision couldn’t dismiss Ukrainian laws or Russia’s artist choice. The only think Sand could do was trying to find common ground.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Oh, I will totally agree that the EBU’s leadership was pathetic. I remember Mrs. Deltenre’s sad role in 2017 very well. But if the EBU doesn’t take a strong stand in those matters, which they absolutely did not do, they have lost all credibility in calling their contest non-political. And suggesting a performance via satellite? I must wonder if they know the spirit of their own contest. And how is this fair? Should Russia have built an exact replica of Ukraine’s stage?

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

I agree that EBU needs to be more careful about the non-political thing, probably by stating clearer rules right away. About that particular case, I would suggest Russia to pick a different artist, saving Yulia to the next year contest (as it actually happened). We know they wouldn’t ever do that, but it was the only remaining diplomatic route to take if they wanted to have both countries competing. The satellite option was unpractical.

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  voix

Never heard of 1998 I assume?

Alex
Alex
4 years ago

It’s sad to see him step down. Christine Marchal-Ortiz should replace him.

Joseph Mendy
Joseph Mendy
4 years ago
Reply to  Alex

She was already the EBU supervisor until 2002.

Tajikistan
Tajikistan
4 years ago
Reply to  Alex

I think I should replace him, get some Lithuanian realness as Wiwi would say

Toffeenix
Toffeenix
4 years ago

Sad to see Jon go, but I can understand why he’s leaving the role. This seems like the perfect time to leave in order to shoehorn Sietse in and I’ll be quite surprised if he doesn’t become the next Executive Supervisor, as others have mentioned.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

Thank you for leaving, it’s been long overdue. But I hope my happiness won’t be cruelly punished by a certain someone becoming the Eurovision dictator he has always been hoping to be. I nominate Robyn Gallagher as the new Eurovision Executive Supervisor. Although we all know it’s probably going to be Bakker. The EBU is usually very predictable. Sand took over after Norway hosted, the same will probably be repeated with Bakker. And it remains to be seen if that’s a good thing. I remember an interview with him on eurovision.de years ago where he did not rule out the… Read more »

James
James
4 years ago

The contest had already gone full playback. Or do you mean eliminating the requirements of having back-up vocalists in the performances?

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  James

Since when aren’t the vocals sung live at Eurovision? Full playback means participants lip-synching along to their studio tracks. I’d stop watching if that were to happen.

James
James
4 years ago

There’s been rumblings about giving delegations the option of not utilizing back-up vocals save for the leading participants with JESC serving as the guinea pig for various format experiments before endorsing them to be used in the adult contest. The closest we got to that was in 2017 when he didn’t clear JOWST to use a synthesizer to live manipulate Aleksander Wallman’s voice, because it was considered a live instrument. Instead, the backing track used had those stems that sounded like Aleks’ voice but turned out not to be the case so the EBU let it fly. ESC Insight covered… Read more »

James
James
4 years ago

I posted as lengthy response to this but since it may have ended up in the moderating table, here’s a link to what I was talking about while waiting for my original post to appear: https://escinsight.com/2017/06/10/changing-eurovision-song-contest-live-vocal-backing-tape-rule/

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

u think bjorkie wouldn’t allow playback? he did that for mediocrityfestivalen already…

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

I made the exact opposite point. I argued that IF Bakker were open to that most awful of ideas, we might as well have Björkman because he already know he would make all those kind of horrible decisions and I want someone good and steady. That interview I read has stuck with me over the years because I find that very notion appalling and it’s made me very skeptical of Bakker.

James
James
4 years ago

He did let one act to perform an instrument live back during Melfest in 2013. And it was a saxophone of all things. 😀

The singer’s actual live vocals though…

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Agreed about Robyn Gallagher, of course. 🙂
But yes it probably will be Sietse Bakker.
(But please let it be me.)

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago

thank god bjorkman is playing with his new toy aka american contest and doesnt want to take the job

Nikki
Nikki
4 years ago

Let the salt towards Christer Bjorkmann begin. Mr. Sand is going to be missed, he’s being a great presence during his tenure and I wish him the best back in Norway.

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago

I’m really sad to hear he’s leaving. He was a really fair and passionate producer who always seemed to have the best attitude about each country and the contest. I have a thought that possibly Sietse Bakker may take over from him. He’s been working with Eurovision since 2006 and has served a number of important rolls. He’s even helped produced the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. He also has a very large responsibility this year as Executive Producer Event, moving up from event supervisor. Interestingly Jon Ola Sand was executive producer the year before he got the job. I’m sure… Read more »

Denis
Denis
4 years ago

That calm pregnancy glow of his will be missed:)
Welcome back home and thanks for the service! Good luck to the next person! It’s not exactly a thankful job..

Jack
Jack
4 years ago

That’s great news cause during his area I can’t recall anything good he did. HOWEVER, I pray that Bjorkman is not taking his place cause that will be the death of eurovision as we know it.

Peters
Peters
4 years ago
Reply to  Jack

He is the reason why Eurovision has been known to international fans. That’s a feat to remember.

Jack
Jack
4 years ago
Reply to  Peters

You mean logo TV with less than 50.000 viewers in the US? Lol

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Jack

On Saturday daytime where viewing levels are lower, relative to Logo’s niche audience share on cable, with a year-to-year increase, that’s actually pretty impressive.

Saturdays over-all is the least-viewed day of the week in the United States, at least on primetime.