This year’s Eurovision show was a night unlike any other. It featured musical legends, royalty, and show-stopping performances, as well as political statements, despite the fact that President Zelenskyy had banned him from sharing his message during show.

The hosts of Eurovision, Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian TV star Julia Sanina were Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham and Julia Sanina. They guided Eurovision fans throughout the 26 performances and the long voting process.

You’re at the right place if you missed the four-hour show or just want to remember the highlights. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the evening.

Music royalty

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Rumours of a surprise appeared had been circulating, but it wasn’t pop royalty that made an appearance. It was actual royalty.

In the opening of the show, Princess Diana performed a piano piece pre-recorded against a background of sparkling chandeliers. She wore a blue gown with a single shoulder.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, Queen’s Roger Taylor played the drums with a very sparkling Sam Ryder as he sang his new single Mountain. And Abba’s Bjornulvaeus warned potential Eurovision winners about the “life-changing effects” of winning the competition.

Who the Hell is Edgar?

Austrian duo Teya & Salena opened the competition with a spirited rendition of Who the Hell is Edgar?

They wore black and white jumpsuits and had a group of dancers in black and red behind them. They recalled being possessed by Edgar Allan Poe, the literary giant.

Their song was an ode to the late-19th Century American author, but it also included a shout out to Shakespeare as well as a dig at streaming sites for paying artists so little. The eclectic mix worked.

Get Political

The Grand Final was a political event. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, could not make an address. However, some acts took steps to “politicize” the content.

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The Eurovision Grand Final as it actually happened

Eurovision Song Contest in Pictures

Tvorchi’s song, Heart Of Steel was inspired by Mariupol and the defense of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. Later, it was revealed that the university town of Ternopil, where the duo studied at the time the song was performed, had been under attack by Russian missiles .

Let 3 from Croatia performed Mama SC. Let 3 performed Mama SC!

Vesna, a Czech singer, sang part of her song My Sister’s Crown in Ukrainian. The lyrics translate as: “You’re so brave, strong and the only one. The crown is yours.

Many of the celebrities who spoke for their countries and cast their votes in the jury also expressed solidarity with Ukraine.

The novelty Acts

The bar was raised for the bizarre acts that night after Kaarija’s hyper pop-rap song Cha Cha Cha came close to winning.

Lord Of The Lost, a German pop-metal band, sang Blood And Glitter in a way that Hard Rock Hallelujah from 2006 would have been proud. They finished ninth in the overall rankings.

Croatia’s Let 3 (five mature men dressed in bloodstained coats, military uniforms, and a hat) stripped to their vests and pants midway through the song Mama SC!

Gustaph, a Belgian, hit some high notes with his performance of the 90s inspired hit Because Of You. He wore a bizarre outfit consisting of candy floss pink pants and an oversize cream cowboy cap. Australia gave him a top score of 12, indicating that they were impressed.

Other stage props and devices included a metre-long skirt drop in France, a rave inside a box (Finland), a large neon pink maypole and a shadow (of course), as well as several female acts who writhed around the floor. Welcome to Eurovision.

The History of

They were favorites to win, and Sweden delivered on their promise.

Loreen, the country’s act who won the title in 2012, is now the first woman ever to win the award more than once.

If you’re wondering, Johnny Logan, an Irish singer, won the competition in 1980 and 1987.

With the 39-year old’s dance-pop anthem Tattoo, Sweden is now tied with Ireland in terms of the number of Eurovision victories – both countries have seven.

Why is Australia there?

Australians, despite being on the other side of the world, are honorary Europeans because of Eurovision.

The right to enter was granted because they were members of the European Broadcasting Union.

Danny Estrin, a long-haired lead singer of the voyagers and an immigration lawyer during the day, performed Promise on the bonnet a vintage Toyota MR2 and was well-received by both fans and voters.

It could have even been Australia’s last chance to win the trophy. Their contract with Eurovision expires this year. They will therefore need to re-negotiate before next year’s contest, which takes place in Sweden.

Hannah Waddingham: Eurovision Queen

Hannah Waddingham, a brand new host on the Eurovision stage who has already become a fan favourite in just a few short weeks.

She was impressive with her French and Italian fluency, her unflappability (always willing to add that extra bit of fun), her singing voice (she is also a West End/Broadway star), and two gorgeous outfits.

Ted Lasso’s fans were thrilled to see her playing a different character than the headstrong owner of a football team, Rebecca Welton, in the surprise Apple TV + smash that has won a legion of fans around the globe.

We hope that her friend Graham Norton will be happy to give up his position as UK’s most loved commentator, now that Eurovision has a new winner.

We bid you farewell to Eurovision 2023 and look forward to seeing you in Sweden next summer!