Israeli singer Imri Ziv kicks off Eurovision final
The final is under way.
Israeli singer Imri Ziv has kicked off the 62nd Eurovision song contest with an energetic performance of his track I Feel Alive.
The musician, who was a backing singer in the competition in 2015 and 2016, was the first of the 26 acts to take to the stage.
Before his performance, each competitor was introduced to the crowd at the finale with a flag procession.
Graham Norton is guiding UK viewers through the grand final on BBC One, which is taking place at the Kiev International Exhibition Centre in Ukraine.
British fans dreaming of a UK victory will have to wait until the 18th act, when former X Factor contestant Lucie Jones graces the stage.
She will be hoping her song Never Give Up On You goes down better than last year’s entry, Joe and Jake, who came a disappointing 24th out of 26 in the contest with their track You’re Not Alone.
This year’s showdown looks to be tougher than ever following this week’s semi-finals – which saw Ireland knocked out, and is the first since the UK voted to leave the EU.
