Former volunteer Annika Mohlin lifts the lid on working behind the scenes at Eurovision, including how host Graham Norton keeps going during the final.
Austria was named 2025’s Eurovision Song Contest winner as JJ triumphed in the competition in Basel with his song Wasted Love.
But what was it really like to work backstage during the Eurovision Song Contest? Annika Mohlin, 53, who has been a fan of the competition since she can remember, jumped at the chance to volunteer when the contest was taking place in her hometown of Malmö, Sweden, in 2024. And the leadership coach reveals she was overjoyed when she landed a place to join the commentator service team last year.
Speaking in an interview with online casino Betway, Annika, who was responsible for making sure the commentators had everything they needed throughout the shows, shares insight into what really happens behind the scenes, including how host Graham Norton keeps going in the final.
She also explains how “tense” it was when the Netherlands were disqualified in 2024, and how working at the live final brought her back to a special someone she lost touch with years ago.
What did your job consist of at Eurovision, and how did you get into it?
The city of Malmö needed volunteers to help in many different parts of the city to support Eurovision. So I sent in an application and said I’d be interested in doing this, and I got selected. I was put on the commentator service team, which was part of the backstage team. I think there were 10 or 12 of us working as commentator hosts, which technically means we were staffing the floor of the arena where the competition was held, where all the commentators sat and did their work. So, there were a lot of booths where each country had their space. They were quite small, so that’s where they sat and commentated on the live shows. Our role was to provide them with anything they needed – so, making sure that there was coffee, refreshments, fruits, biscuits, and that it looked nice and clean.
Another part of the role was to assist at the briefings. Ahead of every show, they all went to a big briefing where the television company went through what was going to happen. So, we organised the area with all the different briefing packs, everything they needed for those.
Are you a fan of the show?
Oh yes. That was the reason why I went for it in the first place. When I discovered it was going to be in my hometown, I was like, “Oh my god, it’s coming to Malmö!” I’ve watched Eurovision for as long as I can remember, so to work on it was my chance to be in the Eurovision bubble. I’m a regular viewer of Eurovision, so to have the opportunity to be a part of the production, and to help out and play a tiny part in it all, was fantastic.
How were you feeling beforehand? Were you nervous at all or just excited?
No, I was just excited to be there and to get started. It didn’t feel like work at all!
What is the atmosphere like backstage on final night – are people excited, nervous, stressed, chaotic etc?
It’s so friendly because everybody wants to be there for one reason or another. People look each other in the eye. They say, “Hello, how are you?”. It’s all very welcoming, kind, inclusive, and nice to be a part of it. None of it felt chaotic. There were a lot of things going on, but my God, the ones who organised everything, they are pure professionals. They know what they need to do, and everything was so clear.
How much preparation goes into the final – do they do rehearsals beforehand?
A lot. We had the privilege to see a lot since we were on the fifth floor, where the commentators were based, and they obviously needed to have a very good view of the stage. So, we saw the rehearsals, and some of the acts competing in the interval that were kept secret from the audience, which was quite cool.
Does the energy backstage change between rehearsals and the actual live broadcast?
The energy did change. When it was live, you could feel the nerves and the excitement a lot more. Everybody was more excited and electrified, especially on the Saturday for the live final – you could tell that it was a special day. Everybody wanted to pull together, make people proud and do a good job.
My role may sound like a boring job, like stapling papers together, but to be there and enjoy the spirit of Eurovision meant a lot to me. Even when you’re walking around and moving in another area or behind the stage to collect some technical equipment. All of a sudden, you’re meeting one of the singers or bands that were going to be on stage.
You worked with Graham Norton – what was he like to work with? Does he keep to himself or is he chatty with the crew?
I wouldn’t say I worked with him closely. I remember him coming in on the Saturday to prepare for the final. I didn’t speak to him, but I got in an elevator with him. But the other people from the BBC were all super nice and friendly and seemed to be big Eurovision fans themselves. I think I saw a commentator from Ireland, and it was his 25th Eurovision Song Contest. I really liked that. Because seeing the commentators there, you could tell they all knew and recognised each other and were all excited to be reuniting again. It’s like when there is a purpose that unites you with people. You could tell everyone wanted to be there and make it a good experience for everyone involved, no matter what part you played. Everyone was all in it together.
The show is on for around 4 hours – how do the hosts/commentators stay fuelled up?
We had to make sure there was plenty of food and drink for everyone. We definitely had a lot of leftovers! There had to be a lot of water and fruits so people could keep going for such a long time. During the actual live shows, they were in those booths, and it was very quiet in there; they didn’t want any disturbance. So they had bottled water in there. Otherwise, it was like one of those machines that you go in during the rehearsals, but when it was show time, it was really time to focus.
Did anyone have any specific requests, or do they just get what they’re given?
We did go away and buy some pillows from IKEA, because apparently some people thought that the chairs weren’t comfy enough. So, some people went to get some cushions. Some of the countries decorated their corners with flags, glitter and fun decorations. I remember Belgium did that and Denmark had some flags too.
Were there any unexpected or memorable moments that happened behind the scenes that viewers might not have seen on TV?
During the live shows, there was always a technician very, very close by. The area was organised in a few different rooms, and in each of the rooms, there were a number of booths. And, of course, the tech always needed to work without any hiccups, right? So, during the broadcast, they had staff from a tech company. If something happened they had a button inside the booth that they could sort of press in case of an emergency. So if needed, a firefighter could come over and sort things out. I thought it was a good thing that there was always someone at arm’s length away in case.
What were some of the most demanding aspects of working backstage during Eurovision?
There wasn’t really anything that was too demanding. You were doing a lot of steps every day without sitting down very much, you were always on your feet. But other than that, everybody on our team was pretty much like, “Let’s get it done. Let’s roll up our sleeves and help with what needs to be done.”
How far away from the venue were you when you were coming into work?
A 10-minute bike ride away! I couldn’t believe how close it was to my home.
Were you in touch with your friends when working on it?
Oh yeah, I was sending them lots of pictures when I could. Since it was in my hometown, I wasn’t far away. So, when I came home or the day after, I could show them pictures and share some stories in person. They all knew how much I love Eurovision, so they were very happy for me. My husband was like, “You go, I’ll take care of everything this week!”
What’s the mood like between the contestants – are they supportive of each other or more competitive?
It was supportive, but everyone was focused on themselves. There were two buildings that they had put together. The big tent and the Bubble were where they got dressed and had their makeup done. Then, the stage was in another building, and it was actually a bit of a distance.
So, after getting ready, they had a country representative who came from the volunteer area to take them over. It was all very organised. It all flowed very well, and there was a tight schedule to keep things going to plan. Without that schedule in place, it would have been very difficult to organise. It just has to work for the whole production. It’s a long show. There are 40-plus countries. It’s a big event, but it’s even bigger when you’re in it, seeing it and breathing it.
Did you witness any last-minute changes or issues before going live?
The only thing that was a bit tense was when the Netherlands were disqualified. I think there were some question marks around that at the time. We weren’t massively involved in it at all. We were just told they weren’t going to be performing. It was more of a fact, and everyone was informed, and everyone moved on and kept going as there was no time to stop.
Have you worked on any other events/shows?
I’ve never done anything on this level of scale before, and it exceeded all expectations. I used to work for IKEA for many years as part of the media relations field and organised events, but they were never anything as big as this. If Sweden won again, I’d definitely be handing in another application to volunteer.
Are you still in touch with the team you worked with?
Yes, one lady on the same commentator team as me was an old colleague from IKEA. After working together years ago, we got out of touch. But after working together on Eurovision, we’re now seeing each other again, going out for lunch every once in a while. It’s really nice that Eurovision meant a lot to me before working on it, but now that it brought us back together again, is another reason why it’s special to me.
On Saturday, there’s another volunteering team that is doing a bit of a reunion for those who took part. With Sweden taking part again, people are getting together to have a catch-up and watch the final together, which is also really nice to be a part of.
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