Junior Eurovision 2022: BBC to broadcast Junior Eurovision for the first time - how can I watch the song contest, who is representing the UK and how can I vote?

The Junior Eurovision will take place in Yerevan, Armenia and unlike the main show, people will be able to vote for their own country. Ahead of the live show there will be special programming from Friday, December 9, 2022 on CBBC and there will also be special news reports from the Newsround team on the ground in Yerevan.

Blue Peter will be featuring an interview with the young girl representing the UK in their live show and UK commentators, Lauren Layfield and former Strictly contestant and YouTuber and singer HRVY will also be live in CBBC HQ throughout Friday afternoon. They will be giving viewers the scoop on the BBC One contest and letting them know how they can vote.

The UK is taking part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the first time since 2005 and this year marks the show’s 20th anniversary with 16 countries competing.

Director of BBC Children’s and Education, Patricia Hidalgo, said: “CBBC will be bringing all the excitement of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest to our young viewers as we build up to the competition this weekend.

“The simulcast of the live show on the channel, along with BBC One and iPlayer, also gives viewers of any age the chance to enjoy the show and get involved. We’d like to encourage everyone to register for a BBC account now so they can vote as soon as the window opens this Friday.”

How can I watch the Junior Eurovision Song Contest?

The show will go live on Sunday, December 11 at 3pm.

It can be seen on BBC One and CBBC live and BBC iPlayer for those who are unable to watch it live.

Who is representing the UK in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest?

A 13-year-old girl, Freya Skye, from Buckinghamshire will be representing the UK, which will be the first time in more than 15 years since the UK has participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

She will be performing an original song titled ‘Lose My Head’ and the team working with her have also worked with big named stars such as Pharrell Wiliams, Megan Thee Stallion and Ava Max.

A documentary featuring the Junior Eurovision contestant’s journey to Junior Eurovision will also be shown on the same channel and on BBC iPlayer at 5.30pm on Friday, December 9, 2022.

How can I vote in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest?

Voting will open on Friday, December 9 and is only accessible online at JESC.TV and UK viewers are required to set up or have a BBC account to vote so they will need to make sure they have registered ahead of the show. They will then be directed to log in when casting their votes through the JESC.TV website.

The result of the 2022 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be established by a 50/50 vote and 50 per cent of the votes come from online voting whilst the other half of the votes will come from a professional jury from each of the countries taking part.

Viewers will get the chance to cast a maximum of six votes across two voting windows; the first voting window opens on Friday from 7pm (UK time) and temporarily closes just before the live show starts at 2.59pm on Sunday, December 11.

The second voting window will open after the last song has been performed during the live broadcast and viewers then have roughly 15 minutes to cast their vote before the window closes.