Dan Shipton will stage the UK’s Junior Eurovision entry in Nice next month having returned to his role as the BBC’s Eurovision Creative Director. 

Shipton has a long history working with the BBC’s Eurovision team as Creative Director, having staged the UK’s entries at the adult contest between 2015 and 2018, and again in 2022. 

Earlier this year he stepped up to be Lead Creative Director of the Eurovision Song Contest as the BBC assumed hosting duties on behalf of Ukraine. 

Speaking exclusively to The Euro Trip just hours after STAND UNIQU3 were announced as this year’s UK entry to Junior Eurovision, the BBC’s Head of Delegation, Lee Smithurst, confirmed Shipton’s return. 

“Dan is doing the staging,” he said. 

“We’ve got an amazing stylist, too, called Jorge [Antonio] who’s worked with the girls on all their looks for the shows. 

“And Kieran [Daley-Ward] our choreographer as well, they’re all across our staging for Nice. 

“We can’t tell you a lot about that but there are a lot of elements from the music video that will be in the Nice performance, but supersized.” 

Shipton’s first involvement in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest came last year on the UK’s return to the competition after a 17 year hiatus. 

Shipton directed Freya Skye’s staging for Junior Eurovision in Yerevan, Armenia last year and included a giant throne in the show. 

Large props are a trademark of Shipton’s artistry, with all four countries’ entries he staged at Eurovision 2022 – United Kingdom, Austria, Cyprus and Armenia – featuring awe-inspiring stage set-ups. 

Asked directly if Shipton’s propensity to include a large prop in the live performances he directs will be used for STAND UNIQU3’s performance in Nice, Smithurst said: “There’s a prop.” 

Shipton also directed the music video for STAND UNIQU3’s song, Back To LIfe, in which Yazmin, Maisie and Hayla had to dance. 

The three girls have different levels of dancing ability. 

“I’m not a dancer at all. I can only do one move,” Hayla laughed. 

Her group mate, Yazmin, disagreed. 

“She got that choreography on point. 

“It didn’t take her that long [to learn the moves].

“It was me and Maisie messing on when she had it mint”