Fans across Europe have been gearing up for months for the final of the continent’s biggest music competition – the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Grand Final, set to air on Saturday from 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, is taking place in the city of Basel, Switzerland, after Swiss singer Nemo won the competition last year. 

After 37 countries battled at two live semi-finals this week, 26 made it, along with the UK, Spain, Germany, France and Italy, which automatically get a place as the biggest financial contributors, along with Switzerland as last year’s winners. 

Presenter Graham Norton is the iconic voice of Eurovision in Britain, having provided the BBC’s commentary at every contest since 2009. 

The grand finale in Basel itself, though, is set to be hosted by Swiss celebrities Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer. 

But for the uninitiated British Eurovision viewer: who is Hazel Brugger? 

The grand finale in Basel itself, though, is set to be hosted by Swiss celebrities Hazel Brugger (pictured, presenting the first semi-final rehearsal), Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer

The grand finale in Basel itself, though, is set to be hosted by Swiss celebrities Hazel Brugger (pictured, presenting the first semi-final rehearsal), Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer

Hazel, who fans might have spotted presenting the semi-finals this week with one of her Grand Final co-hosts Sandra, is an award-winning Swiss-American comedian, slam poet and presenter. Pictured: Hazel presenting the first semi-final rehearsal

Hazel, who fans might have spotted presenting the semi-finals this week with one of her Grand Final co-hosts Sandra, is an award-winning Swiss-American comedian, slam poet and presenter. Pictured: Hazel presenting the first semi-final rehearsal 

The 31-year-old (pictured at a Eurovision press conference) was born in San Diego, California, to a Swiss father and German mother

The 31-year-old (pictured at a Eurovision press conference) was born in San Diego, California, to a Swiss father and German mother

Hazel, who fans might have spotted presenting the semi-finals this week with one of her Grand Final co-hosts Sandra, is an award-winning Swiss-American comedian, slam poet and presenter. 

The 31 year old was born in San Diego, California, to a Swiss father and German mother. 

She grew up near Zurich in Switzerland and started out by doing slam poetry from the age of 17, before rising to mainstream prominence on German late-night satirical news programme heute-show. 

Now a star of the German-speaking comedy scene, she has toured widely to do stand-up, with her show Tropical premiering on Netflix in December 2020. 

The streamer’s programme description reads: ‘In this stand-up special, comedian Hazel Brugger offers her breezy takes on unruly geese, chatty gynaecologists, German bank loans and more.’  

This year, she is set to tour with her fourth comedy stage show, Still Awake. 

Hazel has also often taken part in Wetten, dass…?, a German Saturday-night TV show which British game show You Bet! was based on. 

Airing around six times a year with long, extravaganza episodes, the show sees members of the public attempt to complete unusual challenges, with celebrities made to bet on their success – and carry out a forfeit if they are wrong. 

She grew up near Zurich in Switzerland and started out by doing slam poetry from the age of 17, before rising to mainstream prominence on German late-night satirical news programme heute-show. Pictured: Hazel with Eurovision co-host Sandra

She grew up near Zurich in Switzerland and started out by doing slam poetry from the age of 17, before rising to mainstream prominence on German late-night satirical news programme heute-show. Pictured: Hazel with Eurovision co-host Sandra 

Now a star of the German-speaking comedy scene, she has toured widely to do stand-up, with her show Tropical premiering on Netflix in December 2020. Pictured: Hazel with Eurovision co-host Sandra at a semi-final rehearsal this week

Now a star of the German-speaking comedy scene, she has toured widely to do stand-up, with her show Tropical premiering on Netflix in December 2020. Pictured: Hazel with Eurovision co-host Sandra at a semi-final rehearsal this week 

The show has enjoyed an enormous range of celebrity guests over the years, including Hollywood stars like Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Paris Hilton. 

Hazel is also known for her work on LOL – Last One Laughing, a German game show which sees comedians locked in a room for six hours to see who can stay serious – while also making everyone else laugh. 

She has won various awards throughout her career, most recently the German Kleinkunstpreis for ‘Best Stand-Up Comedy’ last year – the jury of which dubbed her ‘the queen of wit’. 

The TV star has also previously won the German Comedy Award, the Salzburg Bull prize for cabaret artists and satirists and the Swiss Comedy Award. 

Now living in the Darmstadt region of Germany, near Frankfurt, Hazel married German author, comedian and content creator Thomas Spitzer in 2020. They share two daughters. 

After starting and co-hosting a podcast about marriage called Just Married, the two began a second, chattier weekly podcast, relating their experiences in the entertainment industry and anecdotes from their personal lives. 

They also frequently make comedy videos together on their YouTube channel Hazel & Thomas. 

Hazel must be hoping things go more smoothly at the Grand Final than they did at the first semi-final on Tuesday – which was plunged into chaos by tech issues and camera malfunctions.

This year, she is set to tour with her fourth comedy stage show, Still Awake. Pictured: A Eurovision semi-final rehearsal this week

This year, she is set to tour with her fourth comedy stage show, Still Awake. Pictured: A Eurovision semi-final rehearsal this week 

She has won various awards throughout her career, most recently the German Kleinkunstpreis for 'Best Stand-Up Comedy' last year. Pictured: At a Eurovision semi-final earlier this week

She has won various awards throughout her career, most recently the German Kleinkunstpreis for ‘Best Stand-Up Comedy’ last year. Pictured: At a Eurovision semi-final earlier this week 

Now living in the Darmstadt region of Germany, near Frankfurt, Hazel married German author, comedian and content creator Thomas Spitzer (pictured, in 2021) in 2020

Now living in the Darmstadt region of Germany, near Frankfurt, Hazel married German author, comedian and content creator Thomas Spitzer (pictured, in 2021) in 2020

During host Switzerland’s performance, viewers at home struggled to focus on Swiss singer Zoë Më.

As the 24-year-old took to the stage for a special exhibition performance ahead of the final, she was upstaged by camera faults.

The single camera on Zoë dramatically froze and became glitchy, leaving viewers at home confused.

After the song, the semi-finals’ BBC commentary hosts Rylan Clark and Scott Mills addressed the issue, while viewers at home demanded ‘justice’ for the act.

Rylan said: ‘Gorgeous song there from Zoë, she’s like a young Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.

‘We should say there as well, I think there was a couple of little tech problems with that one single shot camera.’

One fan on X fumed: ‘Now how does Switzerland mess up their own camerawork for their own song.. they better fix that for Saturday because that was so beautiful.’ 

Another said: ‘Despite the great performances, tonight was quite a mess with technical errors. 

During host Switzerland's performance, viewers at home struggled to focus on Swiss singer Zoë Më (pictured, at the semi-final earlier this week)

During host Switzerland’s performance, viewers at home struggled to focus on Swiss singer Zoë Më (pictured, at the semi-final earlier this week)

Alongside Hazel as one of the presenters and Graham commentating for UK viewers, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa (pictured) will announce the results of the UK's jury live during the final

Alongside Hazel as one of the presenters and Graham commentating for UK viewers, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa (pictured) will announce the results of the UK’s jury live during the final

The UK will be represented at the grand final by band Remember Monday (pictured last week), performing their original song What The Hell Just Happened?

The UK will be represented at the grand final by band Remember Monday (pictured last week), performing their original song What The Hell Just Happened?

‘Between broken LED cells, faulty lighting beams and camera glitches. it really shouldn’t be happening during the live shows.’ 

Alongside Hazel as one of the presenters and Graham commentating for UK viewers, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa will announce the results of the UK’s jury live during the final. 

His appearance on the programme will come just after an episode of Doctor Who called The Interstellar Song Contest, set to air just before the Eurovision final on Saturday night.  

The UK will be represented at the grand final by band Remember Monday, performing their original song What The Hell Just Happened?. 

It comes after last year’s UK contestant, singer Olly Alexander, finished in a disappointing 18th place – with 46 points from the jury but none from the public vote. 

MailOnline has previously contacted Eurovision for comment about the technical faults during Tuesday’s live show.  

The Eurovision Grand Final will be available to watch at 8pm on BBC One and to stream on BBC iPlayer.  

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