In two preview programmes five Swedish experts have been reviewing the 19 songs participating in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. If Europe shares their taste it will be Cyprus and Russia at the top of the first semi-final.
The Swedish preview programme titled Inför Eurovision Song Contest 2012 is hosted by Christer Björkman, who represented his country at the 1992 contest and the past years have been working as their HoD as well as producer on the local national selection; Melodifestivalen.
This year the panel consists of:
– Lena Philipsson, who has participated in the Swedish selection six times; 4 times as a singer and twice as songwriter. She won – and thereby participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 with the song Det Gör Ont or It Hurts as it was called in the English version.
– Måns Zelmerlöw, singer and TV host. He participated in Melodifestivalen twice and hosted it once. Aside from that he has also hosted the popular Swedish summer programme; Allsång på Skansen in 2011.
– Gina Dirawi was host of this year’s Melodifestivalen and then she is also known from her own web-TV programmes.
– Lisette Pagler, actor and singer who has played in shows like Singin’ In The Rain and Romeo & Juliet, where she played together with Måns Zelmerlöw.
– Thomas Lundin is from the Swedish speaking part of Finland. He is Eurovision Song Contest commentator, singer and is in general refered to as a "Eurovision expert". He has been a part of this panel since 2004.
The points given to the first semi-finalists:
| Country: | Lena: | Måns: | Gina: | Lisette: | Thomas: | Total: |
| Montenegro | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Iceland | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
| Greece | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Latvia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Albania | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| Romania | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| Switzerland | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| Belgium | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Finland | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
| Israel | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| San Marino | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cyprus | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 20 |
| Denmark | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| Russia | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 19 |
| Hungary | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| Austria | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Moldova | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Ireland | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
The 10 finalists from first semi-final – if this group was to decide – will be: Cyprus, Russia, Finland, Denmark, Romania, Iceland, Switzerland, Israel, Montenegro and Greece.
Next Monday the panel will judge the first half of the songs from the second semi-final.
