The Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest has previewed what will be an “emotional moment” during this week’s Grand Final. 

Andrew Cartmell was appointed Executive Producer of this year’s contest in October last year and heads up the BBC’s production team. 

During the Grand Final an interval act called the Liverpool Songbook will bring together past Eurovision acts performing songs by famous Liverpool artists.

Speaking exclusively to The Euro Trip at the Turquoise Carpet event, Cartmell said: “I’m hoping at one point during one of the rehearsals to get an opportunity to leave the OB van and to go into the arena, if only for a couple of minutes just to soak up the atmosphere.

“I’m hoping to do it during the Liverpool Songbook. I think that’s going to be a really special moment in the live shows. I think what’s wonderful about it is it brings everything together.

“It brings together some recent Eurovision icons with incredible staging that the guys have put together, and also within it there’s a moment which brings Ukraine into it. 

“In those 10 or 11 minutes of the Liverpool Songbook, that will be everything. I will feel quite emotional when I see and hear that.

“Because it’s in the Grand Final, that will be, for me, the moment.” 

Performing in the Liverpool Songbook will be Mahmood, Netta, Daði Freyr, Cornelia Jakobs, Duncan Laurence and Sonia.

The Ukrainian element during the Liverpool Songbook has been kept under wraps and will be seen for the first time during the Grand Final itself.

‘Dream come true’

After taking up the job of Executive Producer in October, Cartmell has worked closely with Head of Show Lee Smithurst and Lead Creative Director Dan Shipton. 

Reflecting on his time in the role, Cartmell said: “It’s been an incredible five months.

“Getting everything ready to come to Liverpool has been the big job. We know what we’ve got now. We know our hosts, we know all our interval acts, we know all the acts, we know all their staging plans. So the last two weeks have just been about making it happen.

“The city of Liverpool has embraced this. The branding’s everywhere. Eurovision Village is huge. There were huge queues to get into the village this morning and I was like, ‘This is quite something’. They’ve really embraced the event with gusto.” 

Cartmell’s first Eurovision experience was in 2002 as a journalist, and when he took the job as Executive Producer he admitted that it didn’t sink in how far he’d come. 

He conceded that it still hasn’t sunk in now. 

“I don’t think it will ever sink in actually. 

“I’ve said to you before, it’s such an honour to be doing this, the best TV show on earth. So to be in that role is an absolute dream come true.”