The BBC has announced a schedule of almost six hours' worth of Eurovision programming to air on the night the contest was due to take place.

This year's event was due to be held in Rotterdam on Saturday, May 16 but was cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus, which has killed more than 135,000 people across the continent.

The BBC's Eurovision coverage will begin at 6.30pm with a live BBC One special hosted by Graham Norton, Eurovision: Come Together, which will invite viewers to vote for who they would have liked to see take the crown.

At 8pm BBC One will broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, a live show that will "honour" all 41 acts that should have performed this year but in a non-competitive format.

At 10pm, Rylan Clark-Neal takes a "sideways look" at Eurovision on BBC Two in The A-Z Of Eurovision, followed at 11pm by TOTP2 Goes Eurovision!, originally shown in 2007.

"Eurovision offers a real escapism for people, which is something we need more than ever throughout these times," said Norton. "This year people at home can celebrate the amazing spirit of the event and hopefully get the chance to take their mind off the current situation for a few hours."

Clark-Neal added: "It's so sad that Eurovision 2020 had to be cancelled, but it's understandable and it doesn't mean we can't still escape to the Eurovision bubble. We're so excited to be bringing Eurovision content to Saturday 16th May to keep up the tradition of many years of this amazing event."

Radio 1 and Radio 2 will also broadcast their own Eurovision programmes to mark the occasion.