Hitting the stage in Basel, Switzerland, the Eurovision Song Contest returns for its 69th year of stand-out vocals, heartwarming stories, and hilarious viral moments.
Taking the bedazzled reins for Australia’s coverage on SBS, presenter Tony Armstrong and international drag sensation Courtney Act have teamed up to deliver their trademark wit, sparkle, and razor-sharp commentary for the 2025 show.
As the countdown begins until the globe’s most glittery music extravaganza, WHO sits down with the pair to get the inside scoop on their pre-rehearsal preparations, most memorable moments and signature sing-alongs.
Congratulations on the announcement! Why did you want to be a part of the Eurovision family for 2025?
Courtney: Well, I personally love Eurovision. I got to be there last year as a sidekick, and to get to go back this year as the – what’s the opposite of a sidekick? – the big banana, I’m so excited.
Tony: It just looks so fabulous. Everyone is giving it a good old crack, and it’s going to be weird, wacky and wonderful.
Courtney, you’ve previously competed as a potential Eurovision contestant in Australia Decides. What is it about Eurovision that keeps you coming back?
C: Eurovision is like a big Venn diagram crossover with drag. I love performing, being on stage and music, and being there last year just made it all make sense. It’s all of the parts of me in a competition.
You were Australia’s backstage correspondent last year. What’s one thing you learned from the experience that fans wouldn’t know?
C: Backstage at Eurovision, fans would absolutely froth. It’s like big, low-watt institutional lighting filled with contestants in the wild running everywhere. They’ve got little office cubicles with sliding doors, but that’s all that separates you from the stars of Eurovision.
Tony, you’ve shared previously that you haven’t followed Eurovision before. Has Courtney given you any advice on what to expect?
T: Courtney has been amazing. I did look back at some of Australia’s contestants, but it’s hard for me to go past Jessica Mauboy as a favourite. I do love her and everything she does, not just as a performer, but as an Indigenous woman out there on the global stage. This year’s contestant, Go-Jo, feels like he’s been built in a lab to go and win Eurovision. He’s got the look, the song, the style. Overall, I think I’m getting right across the feeling that’s underneath Eurovision – and I think that’s the most important.
Eurovision has consistently been a platform for inclusivity, diversity and unabashed self-expression. What does it mean to you to be part of the team presenting this platform to Australians?
C: Eurovision is this melting pot of artists, and it’s magical to see all these cultures and different types of expression.
T: It’s great to see difference championed on such a big scale. It’s bigger than the Super Bowl. There are so many eyeballs put on people who have not necessarily felt like they’ve had that much support or spotlight before. It’s nice to be a part of it and facilitate how that feels in the stadium to the people watching back home.
Who is one Australian music icon you think would kill it at Eurovision?
C: For some reason, Jimmy Barnes sprang to my mind, and I don’t really know why.
T: I think Nikki Webster with ‘Strawberry Kisses’. She’s already got the big stadium performance. She could have a renaissance doing it!
There have been so many viral Eurovision moments, but what is your most iconic performance?
C: Mine’s easy. [2014 contestant] Conchita Wurst performing ‘Rise Like a Phoenix’. I think I love the ‘middle finger’ aspect of her as the underdog.
T: I love [2023 contestant] Käärijä’s song ‘Cha Cha Cha’ and the weird Human Centipede thing.
In a battle of Eurovision legends, who would win: ABBA or Céline Dion?
T: I mean, it’s got to be ABBA, right?!
C: I love Céline, but ABBA feels like the heart of Eurovision. There are rumours that Céline is going to be there [this year], because she represented Switzerland back in the day.
You’ll be around so many incredible singers during Eurovision weekend. What song will you be adding to your karaoke list?
T: ’Can’t Take My Eyes off You’ by Frankie Valli, because I’m not a great singer, so I basically rely on crowd involvement, and that’s a good sing-along.
C: I’m going to say ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’ to keep it in the Eurovision theme.
Where to watch Eurovision in Australia
Ready to tune in to the world’s most whimsical song contest? You can catch the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest live from Basel, Switzerland, on SBS and SBS On Demand from 14-18 May 2025.
