🇦🇺 Australia withdraws from Junior Eurovision 2020

Australian broadcaster SBS has confirmed that Australia will not take part in this year’s Junior Eurovision. They become the second country to withdraw from the contest, following the withdrawal of Wales yesterday.

The 2020 Junior Eurovision Song Contest is set to be held in Warsaw on 29th November after Viki Gabor won the 2019 contest for Poland with “Superhero”. It will be the second consecutive time that the contest will be held in Poland.

Withdrawal due to “ongoing uncertainty”

Speaking to TV Tonight, a spokesperson for SBS confirmed that:

Due to the current travel restrictions and the ongoing uncertainty around this situation, Australia will not be competing in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020
– SBS spokesperson, confirming Australia’s withdrawal

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all international travel to and from Australia is currently restricted. This ban is expected to remain in place into next year.

Last week, Eurofestivales reported that ABC had handed back Junior Eurovision responsibilit y to SBS. In 2015 and 2016, SBS selected Australia’s entrants, before handing duties to ABC. ABC have confirmed to TV Tonight that they have not cut ties with Junior Eurovision, despite Australia’s withdrawal from the contest this year.

Australia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Following Australia’s first Eurovision entry in 2015, they made their Junior Eurovision debut later that year in Sofia. Bella Paige represented the country with her song “My Girls” which finished in 8th place with 64 points. Since then, Australia have consistently finished in the top 10 of the contest, finishing in 3rd place on two occasions in 2017 and 2018.

Last year, Jordan Anthony represented Australia in Gliwice with the song “We Will Rise”. Scoring 121 points, they finished in 8th place which, to date, is their joint lowest result in the contest.