The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 delivered stellar ratings, with 161 million viewers watching the three live shows (the first and second semi final and the grand final) in Turin, Italy just over ten days ago.
According to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which hosts the annual concert, the grand final viewing share on Saturday May 14 rose by three percentage points from 2021, to a total of 43.3% across 34 markets.
The coveted 15-24 year-old demographic was also up by three percentage points for the final, with a total of 56.2%.
Across Europe, individual territories also reported a ratings spike, with the U.K. delivering the largest number of viewers: a total of 8.9 million, which represented a 20% rise on the previous year.
In Spain, that shot up to an 86% rise on the previous year with 6.8 million viewers.
Both countries’ entries to the contest – Sam Ryder and Chanel, respectively – were enormously popular, with Ryder placing second and Chanel placing third. Ukraine, which is in the middle of fighting an invasion from Russia, took the top spot, a win widely regarded as being a vote of support for the country in the ongoing war.
Italy, which was hosting the competition, also saw its biggest audience since 2011, with a 53% increase in viewers from the previous year, for an average audience of 6.6 million.
And in a third of the markets – including Iceland, Norway and Sweden – the contest claimed over 50% of the viewing share.
“We couldn’t be happier to see the success of the Eurovision Song Contest across all our Members’ channels and on our digital platforms this year,” said the ESC’s executive supervisor Martin Österdahl.
“once again, we have seen the enormous popularity of the Contest among young audiences, some of whom are discovering the event for the first time. The Eurovision Song Contest truly has global appeal demonstrated by the millions watching in every territory on earth and millions more interacting on social media.”
