Speaking in the latest episode of the The Euro Trip podcast, Eldar Gasimov, host of Eurovision 2012, has revealed he told eventual winner Loreen that he hoped Sweden would triumph in that year’s contest.

The host, who won the previous year’s edition in Dusseldorf alongside fellow singer Nigar Jamal, was one of three presenters the following year with the competition held in Baku’s Crystal Hall.

Discussing preparations for the contest that year, Eldar went into detail about a meeting with the Swedish singer the night before the Grand Final.

“The day before the show I went to her dressing room because we had the same hairdresser… she [Loreen] was sitting there, and I said “I hope you win.””

“The night after one of the organisers came to me and said “I know you want Loreen to win. I know how excited you are about that moment. You shouldn’t show you are so happy, or sad that someone else is winning.””

With no experience of presenting at the time of Eurovision 2012, Eldar also explained how he was apprehensive about taking on the role.

“When I was told they [the organisers] want to see me as a presenter, I’d never done this before. The organisers told me how it was going to work… I was like, I always want to do something new.”

“[In] 2012 I was more nervous, when I sing I lose myself, I get deep into music. But hosting, it took me [a long time] to know it all by heart. I was nervous, and I was like… three and a half hours live, talking, I don’t know, but I loved it.”

Image Credit: EBU