Swedish Eurovision blog, ESC Sverige, has revealed that Sweden are currently unlikely to return to the Junior Eurovision, however “the door has not been completely closed for a participation in the future”.
“The show is constantly evolving”
Safa Safiyari, the head of SVT Barn, the children’s channel for the Swedish national broadcaster, has revealed that there are currently no plans to make a return to the junior contest, despite the contest being ever-changing.
After the break that was taken in 2014, we have raised the question [of taking part in JESC] on several occasions and tested whether the break should continue or not, it has basically happened every two years. But as the show is constantly evolving, we have come to the conclusion that JESC does not fix the mix we want on our content.
– Safa Safiyari, head of SVT Barn (translated into English)
Recently, countries such as France and Spain have returned to the contest following breaks of longer than a decade, but it seems as Sweden won’t be returning any time soon. However, Safa did say that “such plans don’t exist right now [to return]” however…
… the door has not been completely closed for a participation in the future.
– Safa Safiyari, head of SVT Barn (translated into English)
Sweden at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Sweden debuted at the very first Junior Eurovision in 2003, with The Honeypies and “Stoppa mig!”. They finished last-but-one, in 15th place with 12 points. Sweden’s best placing in the contest came in 2006, with Molly Sanden’s “Det finaste någon kan få”. Molly finished in 3rd place with 116 points.
Sweden’s last participation in the contest was in 2014, when they finished in 13th place – Julia Kedhammer was the Swedish representative with “Du är inte ensam”.
Would you like to see Sweden return to the Junior Eurovision? Do you think returning to JESC would take a focus off adult Eurovision?
Let us know in the comments below and on social media @ESCXTRA.
