Free European Song Contest
{{short description|International song competition}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| editor =
| camera =
| runtime = {{Plainlist|
- ~4 hours (finals)
}}
| company = Brainpool TV
| network = ProSieben
| first_aired = {{Start date|2020|05|15|df=yes}}
| location =
| last_aired =
| related =
| cinematography =
| producer =
| image = Free European Song Contest FreeESC.svg
| director =
| caption =
| alt_name = {{Unbulleted list|{{noitalic|FreeESC}}}}
| genre = Song contest
| creator = Stefan Raab
| based_on = Eurovision Song Contest
| developer =
| writer =
| creative_director =
| executive_producer = Stefan Raab
| presenter =
| theme_music_composer =
| open_theme =
| end_theme =
| composer =
| country = Germany
| language = German
| num_episodes = {{Plainlist|
- 2 contest
}}
| italic_title = no
}}
The Free European Song Contest is an international song competition, organised by the German television network ProSieben and the production company Brainpool TV, with participants representing primarily European countries. The contest is similar in format to the long-running Eurovision Song Contest: each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television, then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner.
The overall winner of the contest is the entry that has received the most points after the scores from every country have been collected and totalled.
History
As the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 could not take place due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Europe, German TV station ProSieben and German entertainer Stefan Raab decided to organise Free European Song Contest as an alternative.{{Cite web|title=Free European Song Contest - Stefan Raab und ProSieben rufen freien europäischen Songwettbewerb aus!|url=https://www.prosieben.de/tv/free-european-song-contest/news/stefan-raab-und-prosieben-rufen-freien-europaeischen-songwettbewerb-aus-108412|date=2020-05-15|website=www.prosieben.de|language=de|access-date=2020-05-25|archive-date=29 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529042249/https://www.prosieben.de/tv/free-european-song-contest/news/stefan-raab-und-prosieben-rufen-freien-europaeischen-songwettbewerb-aus-108412|url-status=dead}} After the success of the first edition, ProSieben has decided to plan the event also for 2021.{{Cite web|title=ProSieben Confirms Free European Song Contest to Return in 2021|url=https://eurovoix-world.com/2020/05/17/prosieben-confirms-free-european-song-contest-to-return-in-2021/|last=Granger|first=Anthony|date=2020-05-17|website=Eurovoix World|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-25}}
The first contest was held in the city of Cologne, Germany, on 16 May 2020. Sixteen countries participated: each participating country submitted an entry. The contest was won by Nico Santos, representing Spain, with the song "Like I Love You".
A third edition was announced for 2022 during the show. However, on 25 June 2022, it was announced that the show would be suspended for a year and would return in 2023 for a third edition.{{cite web |url=https://esc-kompakt.de/ein-jahr-pause-der-freeesc-kehrt-erst-2023-wieder-zurueck/ |title=Ein Jahr Pause: Der #FreeESC kehrt erst 2023 wieder zurück |language=de |trans-title=Paused for a year: The #FreeESC will only return again in 2023 |author=Rick |date=25 June 2022 |website=ESC kompakt |access-date=8 April 2023}} The 2023 contest was cancelled in May of that year.{{cite web |url=https://esc-kompakt.de/freeesc-2023-abgesagt-zukunft-des-prosieben-wettbewerbs-ungewiss/ |title=FreeESC 2023 abgesagt – Zukunft des ProSieben-Wettbewerbs ungewiss |language=de |trans-title=FreeESC 2023 called off – future of the ProSieben competition uncertain |first=Benjamin |last=Hertlein |date=15 May 2023 |website=ESC kompakt |access-date=15 May 2023}}
Participation
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:94%"
! scope="col" style="width:10%;" |Year !Country making its début entry |
| 2020
|{{Flagu|Austria}}, {{Flagu|Bulgaria}}, {{Flagu|Croatia}}, {{Flagu|Denmark}}, {{Flagu|Germany}}, {{Flagu|Ireland}}, {{Flagu|Israel}}, {{Flagu|Italy}}, {{Flagu|Kazakhstan}}, {{Flagu|Netherlands}}, {{Flagu|Poland}}, {{Flagu|Spain}}, {{Flagu|Switzerland}}, File:Noia_64_apps_kmoon.png The Moon, {{Flagu|Turkey}}, {{Flagu|United Kingdom}} |
|---|
| rowspan="6" |2021{{Cite web|title=Countries competing in the Free European Song Contest 2021 Revealed|url=https://eurovoix-world.com/2021/04/29/countries-free-european-song-contest-2021/|last=Granger|first=Anthony|date=2021-04-29|website=Eurovoix World|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-04-29}}
| {{Flagu|Belgium}}, {{Flagu|England}},{{efn|name=Nations|In 2020, England and Scotland participated as separate countries of the United Kingdom.}} {{Flagu|France}}, {{Flagu|Greece}}, {{Flagu|Scotland}},{{efn|name=Nations}} {{Flagu|Slovenia}} |
The following countries have all participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, or are eligible to compete by the standards of the Free European Song Contest, but have not had either public or private broadcasters indicate interest in participating (as of yet):
{{Div col|content=
- {{Esc|Albania}}
- {{Esc|Andorra}}
- {{Esc|Armenia}}
- {{Esc|Australia}}
- {{Esc|Azerbaijan}}
- {{Esc|Belarus}}
- {{Esc|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
- {{Esc|Cyprus}}
- {{Esc|Czech Republic}}
- {{Esc|Estonia}}
- {{Esc|Finland}}
- {{Esc|Georgia}}
- {{Esc|Hungary}}
- {{Esc|Iceland}}
- {{Esc|Latvia}}
- {{Esc|Liechtenstein}}
- {{Esc|Lithuania}}
- {{Esc|Luxembourg}}
- {{Esc|Malta}}
- {{Esc|Moldova}}
- {{Esc|Monaco}}
- {{Esc|Montenegro}}
- {{Esc|Morocco}}
- {{Esc|North Macedonia}}
- {{Esc|Norway}}
- {{Esc|Portugal}}
- {{Esc|Romania}}
- {{Esc|Russia}}
- {{Esc|San Marino}}
- {{Esc|Serbia}}
- {{Esc|Slovakia}}
- {{Esc|Sweden}}
- {{Esc|Ukraine}}
- {{Flagu|United Kingdom}}
- {{Esc|Northern Ireland}}
- {{Esc|Wales}}
|colwidth=
20em
}}
Competition history
=Medal table=
The table below shows the top-three placings from each contest, along with the years that a country won the contest.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-top:0; font-size:90%;" |
| Country
! {{Gold1}} ! {{Silver2}} ! {{Bronze3}} ! Total ! Years won |
|---|
| {{Flag|Ireland}}
|align=center | 1 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 1 | 2021 |
| {{Flag|Spain}}
|align=center | 1 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 1 | 2020 |
| {{Flag|Netherlands}}
|align=center | 0 |align=center | 2 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 2 | {{N/A}} |
| {{Flag|Belgium}}
|align=center | 0 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 1 |align=center | 1 | {{N/A}} |
| |File:Noia 64 apps kmoon.png The Moon
|align=center | 0 |align=center | 0 |align=center | 1 |align=center | 1 | {{N/A}} |
Presenters
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Presenter(s) |
| 2020
|rowspan=2|Steven Gätjen and Conchita Wurst |
| 2021 |
See also
- Bundesvision Song Contest, previous contest organised by ProSieben and held annually between the 16 states of Germany.
- Eurovision Song Contest
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb title|12341002}}
- {{Official website|https://www.prosieben.de/tv/free-european-song-contest}}
- [http://www.brainpool.de/Programme/Shows/Free-European-Song-Contest Production website] at Brainpool TV
Category:2020s German television series
Category:2020 German television series debuts
Category:German-language television shows
Category:ProSieben original programming