“A true Dream Team”
“Coming back to Switzerland for such a big event is fantastic,” said Michelle Hunziker, who arrived by train from Italy that morning. Aged 47, she grew up in Ostermundigen (BE). She became known as a host of television shows in Germany and Italy. In 2018, she also presented the San Remo festival, the most popular song competition in Italy. She lives in Italy.
Sandra Studer, 55, began her career as a Swiss representative at the ESC in 1991 under the surname Sandra Simo. She then finished in 5th position. Host, actress and singer, she also commented on the competition on television. Hazel Brugger, 31, is a comedian and presenter. Born in the United States, she grew up near Zurich and now lives in Germany. As a comedian, she has received numerous awards, including the Swiss Comedy Award and the German Comedy Award.
The choice of the three presenters “is symbolic of values characteristic of Switzerland: openness, diversity, multilingualism and a spirit of cohesion”, underlines the SSR. The three women “each bring their own talent”, underline the two executive co-producers of the ESC Maritz Stadler and Reto Peritz. They form “a real Dream Team”.
Reach “the whole of Swiss society”
Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney will host the show before the final and the public viewing at the St-Jacques stadium, renamed Arena Plus for the occasion. Basel singer Anna Rossinelli, who represented Switzerland at the ESC, DJ Antoine and Baby Lasagna will perform in the stadium. The names of other artists will be announced soon.
Mélanie Freymond, 47, journalist, hosts numerous cultural and entertainment programs on RTS and on regional radio and television stations in French-speaking Switzerland. She also hosted the election of Mister Switzerland. Sven Epiney, 53, originally from Valais, has commented on ESC for German-speaking television SRF since 2008. He also works for German-speaking radio. He won the Walo Prize in 2004.
ESC 2025 in Basel aims to become “an event that will affect the whole of Swiss society”, underline the organizers. Educational materials on the theme of ESC will be made available to schools in the four national languages. The objective is to raise students’ awareness of cultural and musical diversity in a fun and educational way. Musical creation workshops are also planned.
-Party for over 60s
Other projects were also announced on Monday. A children’s choir will perform in retirement homes, a party for over 60s will be organized and there will also be “an urban Art initiative”, special exhibitions and cultural actions that will “excite all of Switzerland to the rhythm of the ESC.
Various Swiss institutions will be involved, including the Basel University of Design and Art, the Basel School of Design, the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHdK), and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHdK). ZHAW) and the HES of Graubünden. The ADC Young Creatives are the partners of the official ESC creatives.
These collaborations aim to offer young talents a platform “to express their creativity and their capacity for innovation”, underlines the SSR. They will thus have the opportunity to acquire “valuable professional experience and to highlight Switzerland’s creative energy on the international stage”.
ESC 2025 takes place in Switzerland thanks to Nemo’s victory in 2024 in Malmö. The grand finale on May 17 will be watched by more than 160 million viewers worldwide.
