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The 2010 Eurovision Song Contest was held in the capital of Norway, Oslo. 39 countries took part in the contest, which had two Semi-Finals and a Grand Final.

Thirty-nine countries took part in the 2010 contest, which was produced under the slogan Share the Moment. Georgia returned after a one year absence whilst Andorra, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Montenegro all withdrew. Lithuania originally announced its withdrawal from the competition, but was later among the 39 participants confirmed by the EBU. The global financial crisis was affecting many participating broadcasters at the time and many withdrawals were due to budgetary constrains.

The interval act involved a flashmob including participants from across Europe. The outdoor footage was intercut with webcam footage from individual private households - Europe really was sharing the moment.

About the winner

While she had been the main favourite to win for months, still, the victory of Lena for Germany with her song Satellite still came as a total surprise for many. Her simplistic performance gathered votes across Europe and became one of the biggest hits in Europe.

She went on to defend her title the year after and managed to earn another a top 10 position with her entry Taken By A Stranger.

Facts and figures

  • Spain’s entry had to be performed again as the original performance was interrupted by a stage invasion. 
  • The Norwegian broadcaster had decided they wanted to take the contest back to the basics and after the contest in 2009, where LEDs were widely used, they used none. The 2010 was produced on a considerably lower budget than the year before. 
  • Some delegations, including the UK and Ireland travelled to Oslo by boat after the eruptions of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, which caused widespread disruption to air travel across Europe.