The final of the contest has been broadcast by BBC One ( previously BBC Television Service and BBC TV ) since the first contest in 1956 , the first live colour transmission of the contest in the United Kingdom was the Eurovision Song Contest 1970 , the first high definition broadcast of the contest began in 2007 when the contest was simulcast on BBC HD . The final is also broadcast on radio , initially on BBC Light Programme until the 1967 contest . From 1968 it was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 , moving to BBC Radio 2 from the 1974 contest where it has remained ever since ( except for 1983 – 1985 ) . Between 1963 and 1976 and from 1980 until 1985 the contest was also broadcast on BFBS Radio . From 2004 to 2015 both semi-finals were broadcast on BBC Three . Since BBC Three became an online only channel in February 2016 , semi-final coverage is now broadcast on BBC Four
Eurovision Song Contest 1970
Eurovision Song Contest 1970
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest