Junior Eurovision: Jedward will be expert judges in Valletta

Jedward are to appear in the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. John and Edward, who are identical twins, represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in both 2011 and 2012 and will be part of Junior Eurovision’s first ever expert panel when the contest takes place in Valletta in less than two weeks.

Jedward originally shot to fame after finishing sixth in The X Factor in 2009. The pair have been high profile ambassadors for the Eurovision Song Contest since they first participated in 2011 with Lipstick, which finished a respectable eighth in Düsseldorf. This was Ireland’s best showing in the Eurovision Song Contest for over a decade.

This year, each singer will be judged by one professional music industry jury and one youth jury made up of children from every participating country. These will combine 50/50 to form that country’s vote. Then, in a format change brand new for 2016, the event will also see votes from three expert judges making up the rest of the overall score (with each judge counting for the equivalent of one additional country).

The first ever expert judges panel will comprise of Jedward, Mads Grimstad of Universal Music, and expert show producer, Christer Bjorkman, the man behind the Swedish selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen.