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Graham Norton replaces Terry Wogan for Eurovision

By Carla Bevan on Friday 5 December 2008

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Graham Norton, Celebrity news, Marie Claire

Terry Wogan has confirmed he's retiring as the host of the BBC's Eurovision Song Contest coverage, and passing the baton onto Graham Norton.

From next year, when the competition is due to be held in Moscow, it'll be Norton's cheeky face humming along to the tunes after Wogan decided to call it a day.

'I've had 35 wonderful years commentating on the Eurovision for radio and television,' Wogan said.

'From my first, in a small music-hall in Dublin, to my last, in the huge arena in Belgrade, it has been nothing but laughter and fun.

'The silly songs, the spectacle, the grandiose foolishness of it all.'

Commenting on next year's Your Country Needs You - a show which will chart Andrew Lloyd Webber's search for an individual or band to sing his Eurovision entry - Wogan added: 'Let's hope that between [Norton] and the musical brilliance of Lloyd Webber, Royaume Uni will gather its proper share of 'Douze Points' and bring the Grand Prix home to where it belongs.'

Norton himself was just as charming, telling reporters: 'Sir Terry is nothing less than legend and is an impossible act to follow, but somebody must and I just couldn't say no.

'I can't wait to get to Moscow. With a combination of cheap vodka and a language barrier what could possibly go wrong?'