'It's an honour!' AJ Odudo talks hosting Eurovision

AJ Odudo is "honoured" to be hosting 'The National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome'.

The 35-year-old TV star is a big fan of the annual song contest and is thrilled to be fronting the 90-minute outdoor show on Sunday (07.05.23) alongside Joel Dommett to kick off the celebrations ahead of the main event next Saturday.

She told The Sunday Mail's Seven Days supplement: "I'm buzzing! It's a huge honour. We're hosting on behalf of Ukraine, so we're welcoming our Ukrainian family. Me and Joel go way back and we most recently hosted Comic Relief together, so I know I can squeeze in a word or two with him."

AJ will welcome a number of fellow famous faces onto the stage at the event including the likes of pop group Atomic Kitten and 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, as well as 'Strictly Come Dancing' judge Shirley Ballas, and admitted that she "cannot wait" to see her in a different light, almost two years after she competed on the BBC Latin and ballroom competition.

She added: "I can't wait. Obviously, I won't be judging her or getting out my score paddles but it'll be fun to see her in a different light."

What's more, AJ added that she has not listened to any of the entries for this year's contest because she loves the "suspense" of it all and explained that she has always loved the "mayhem" of the international event.

She said: "No. I love the suspense. I'm like, 'What are you going to whack me with on the night?' because I like to see it all come together. I like to wait.[Growing up, it was] pandemonium! Some people would be shushing, some people would be like, 'I don't know what they're saying!' It was so fun trying to mimic the Spanish acts but not actually knowing a word of Spanish. As a little kid, I can't even believe I stayed up so late. I've always loved the mayhem of it-the costumes, the spectacle!"

Highlights from 'The National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome' will air as 'Eurovision Welcomes the World' on BBC One on Monday at 6:30pm.