BBC Eurovision Song Contest, horse racing on cruise liners
May 1, 2024

BBC Studio’s coverage of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, as well as some of the biggest events in the horse racing calendar, are coming to global cruise liners via the BBC’s maritime channel, BBC HD.
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final will broadcast live on close to 180 global cruise ships including Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, P&O UK, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn and Viking on May 11th, broadcasting to over a quarter of a million cruise guests on board, with commentary from Graham Norton.
The 68th edition of the Contest will be taking place in Sweden, culminating in the Grand Final, broadcast live from Malmö Arena. BBC Studios will once again produce the BBC’s coverage of the song competition following the 67th Eurovision Song Contest which was hosted by the BBC in Liverpool, on behalf of Ukraine in May 2023.
In January 2024, BBC HD aired horse racing for the first time, with The Pegasus World Cup coming live from Florida, and throughout 2024 the channel will continue to broadcast some of the sport’s biggest events. This includes Royal Ascot, the Melbourne Cup from Australia, and the Hong Kong International Races.
The full schedule of horse racing on BBC HD is:
- The Derby – June 1st
- 2024 Royal Ascot – June 18th-22nd
- King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes – July 27th
- The International – August 24th
- British Champions Day – Oct 19th
- 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival – November 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th
- 2024 Hong Kong International – December 8th
BBC HD, which is available exclusively through BBC Studios distribution partner Anuvu, launched in 2017 and is produced specifically for the maritime market.
Zina Neophytou, SVP Out of Home & BBC News Commercial Development, BBC Studios, commented: “There has always been a strong demand for BBC content within the travel and hospitality sectors. BBC HD is now in its eighth year since launch and I am delighted to be investing more into live events on BBC HD to bring audiences the best of real-life broadcasting whilst they cruise around the world. After the success of bringing Eurovision to the BBC HD entertainment channel for the first time last year, we are sure it’s return, alongside some of the most high-profile international events in horse racing, will be welcomed by cruise guests everywhere.”