Lee Smithurst has hinted at the progress the BBC has made in the search for the UK’s 2024 Eurovision participant. 

The Executive Producer of the BBC’s Eurovision coverage has revealed proudly that “artists want to talk to us”. 

Smithurst was speaking exclusively to The Euro Trip, and for the first time since the BBC confirmed its participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest earlier this week. 

“I’m not going to tell you anything about 2024,” he said. 

“It’s too early to say anything. We’re focusing on Junior. 

“But it’s exciting that 2024 is in good shape.” 

The BBC confirmed the UK’s involvement in next year’s edition of Eurovision this week, with a press release from the corporation saying that a search for the right performer “has taken place over the summer”. 

Speaking to The Euro Trip, however, Smithurst stopped short of confirming an artist has already been found. 

“When I spoke to you a couple of years ago – before Sam Ryder – we wanted to turn everything around. 

“What TAP did was they opened the doors. We can get into the music industry and artists want to talk to us now. 

“We’ve had two top 10 hits, hosted Eurovision, we’ve come second, Loreen’s had a massive hit this year. It’s in a much better place in the UK now. 

“2024 is going to be exciting.” 

This is the first Eurovision season since 2021 that the BBC hasn’t partnered with music management company TAP Music in the search for an artist. 

In 2022, the partnership yielded the UK’s best result at the contest in a quarter of a century with second place, thanks to Sam Ryder and his song Space Man. 

Earlier this year, Mae Muller was chosen by TAP and the BBC, but she was unable to match Ryder’s scoreboard success. Nevertheless, she still scored a top 10 hit in the UK charts with her song I Wrote A Song.