Julia Sanina will co-host Liverpool's Eurovision Song Contest in May.
She will bump shoulders with three other industry professionals to create "the fab four" - Britain's Got Talent panelist Alesha Dixon, West End superstar actress Hannah Waddingham, and the UK's staple Eurovison commentator, Graham Norton.
Zoe Ball broke the news on her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show with fans quickly rallying around the choices. Julia will inject Ukranian life into the contest, with Eurovison's 2017 presenter, Timur Miroshnychenko, as the Eurovision Correspondent in Liverpool, appearing throughout the shows plus giving live insights from Ukraine’s commentary box in the Liverpool Arena.
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Julia is a household name in Ukraine, frontwomanning the alternative band The HARDKISS and dominating the European music scene. The band were honoured for their work with an MTV European Music Award (EMA) for best act in 2012, the same year they dropped their undisputed bangers Makeup, and October.
In 2016, her band, The HARDKISS, took part in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest and placed second overall. The 32-year-old was later elected by the Ukrainian public to be a judge on Ukraine's Eurovision national selection show, Vidbir, allowing her to pass on support to young hopefuls reaching for musical stardom.
This year she will be at the helm of the contest's main shows but admitted she can't help but get excited about meeting her new Scouse family. Discussing her part, she said: "I am thrilled to present the Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals and Grand Final. I’m so excited to showcase Ukrainian culture and creativity, and to help put on a show to make my country proud. I can’t wait to get to Liverpool and meet the fans and the rest of the Eurovision family.
"This year all of us will witness the unique show that UK will host on behalf of Ukraine. For me it is a joy and a huge responsibility to become the part of Eurovision family. I feel your strong support. And I am sure that even during the war we will show our beautiful culture at the highest level."
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