Graham Norton will urge the nation to "raise a glass" to Sir Terry Wogan during the Eurovision song contest.
The 53-year-old presenter took over from the late broadcaster as commentator on the show after 35 years in 2009 and will be remembering the advice his friend – who passed away in January following a "short but brave" battle with cancer – gave him when handing over the microphone.
He said: "I’ll be raising a glass of wine to Sir Terry on song number nine. That was his advice to me when I took over from him – don’t open the bottle until song nine. I will be able encouraging everyone to raise a glass too.
"Terry elevated Eurovision into the thing it is now and it is such a great gig to get. I’m personally indebted to him for what he did to the role."
Graham is still stunned to have landed the job and can’t see himself wanting to leave.
He said: "It’s one of the things I never thought I would ever get to do. And what’s great is I get to sit in Stockholm commentating on it when I would be at home watching it anyway… By the time Terry had finished, you could see he’d had enough. But I’m still madly in love with Eurovision at the moment."
Last year, Australia became the first non-European nation to take part in the competition to mark its 60th birthday, and Graham isn’t happy they have been invited back again this year.
Asked what he’d like to change, he told OK! magazine: "Get rid of Australia! I really don’t understand it. They aren’t in Europe. Australia is on the other side of the world."
Graham Norton to raise a glass to Sir Terry Wogan at Eurovision
