Sweden: Gina Dirawi to host Melodifestivalen 2016

The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet revealed earlier that Gina Dirawi will host all of the six live shows at Melodifestivalen 2016, with various co-hosts to help her. It has now been officially confirmed by the Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Gina Dirawi hosted Melodifestivalen 2012 and 2013 with huge success. Both years she was awarded "Best female TV host" in Sweden. She will get help from some very talented personalities:

• Petra Mede hosted Melodifestivalen 2009, Eurovision Song Contest 2013 and Eurovision Song Contest Greatest Hits 2015 together with Graham Norton. Petra Mede will co-host deltävling 1.
  
  
• Charlotte Perrelli has participated in Melodifestivalen three times:
  1999: "Tusen och en natt" (won Melodifestivalen AND Eurovision 1999 with "Take me to your Heaven")
  2008: " Hero" (won Melodifestivalen, finished 18th in Eurovision 2008)
  2012: "The Girl"
  Hosted Melodifestivalen 2003 and 2004. Charlotte Perrelli will co-host deltävling 2.
  
  
• Henrik Schyffert is a Swedish comedian. He hosted the second deltävling (round) of Melodifestivalen 2005. Henrik will co-host deltävling 3.
  
  
• Sarah Dawn Finer participated in Melodifestivalen 2007 and 2009, and she presented the Swedish votes at Eurovision Song Contest 2009 and 2012. She played a big role during Eurovision 2013 in Malmö in a series of sketches as Lynda Woodruff, EBU spokesperson, and performed the ABBA song "The Winner Takes It All". Sarah will co-host deltävling 4.
  
  
• Ola Salo represented Sweden at Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "The Worrying Kind", together with the band "The Ark". Ola will co-host the "second chance" together with Gina Dirawi and Peter Jöback.
  
  
• Peter Jöback is a very well known singer in Sweden. He has been participating in Melodifestivalen twice: 1990 with "En sensation" and in 2010 with "Hollow". Peter will co-host the "second chance" together with Gina Dirawi and Ola Salo.
  
  
• William Spetz is a 19 year old Swedish comedian. He became known through his YouTube blog and has since made several humor series on SVT. William will co-host the Final of Melodifestivalen 2016.

Melodifestivalen 2016

• 6 February: Melodifestivalen Deltävling 1, Gothenburg (Scandinavium)
• 13 February: Melodifestivalen Deltävling 2, Malmö (Malmö Arena)
• 20 February: Melodifestivalen Deltävling 3, Norrköping (Himmelstalundshallen)
• 27 February: Melodifestivalen Deltävling 4, Gävle (Gavlerinken Arena)
• 5 March: Melodifestivalen Second chance, Halmstad (Halmstad Arena)
• 12 March: Melodifestivalen Final, Stockholm (Friends Arena)

The format for Melodifestivalen 2016 is the same as last year:
Each of the 4 heats qualifies 2 songs directly to the final
Each of the 4 heats qualifies 2 songs to the "second chance"-show
In the "second chance" 4 songs will be selected for the final

Sweden in Eurovision Song Contest

Since 1958 Sweden has participated 55 times in Eurovision Song Contest with great succes. They have won the contest 6 times:

• 1974: Abba - "Waterloo"
• 1984: Herreys - "Diggi-loo Diggy-ley"
• 1991: Carola - "Fångad Av En Stormvind"
• 1999: Charlotte Nilsson - "Take Me To Your Heaven"
• 2012: Loreen - "Euphoria"
• 2015: Måns Zelmerlöw - "Heroes"

They came last two times ( 1963 and 1977), and since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004 Sweden managed to qualify for the Grand Final 11 out of 12 times! (only skipped the qualification in 2010).