Three more countries have been confirmed to be sitting out of Junior Eurovision this year including Serbia which last participated in 2022.
Australia
Following their non-participation from 2020-2022, Australia’s SBS (which handled both of the country’s ESC and JESC participations) made the announcement through Australian Eurovision fansite Aussievision that they will not be participating for this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest. As to whether or not ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) would take over when it comes to the Australian JESC entry, the answer is also in the negative according to a statement they gave to Aussievision. No word as to the status of Australia’s Eurovision 2024 participation in relation to this, however.
Azerbaijan
Azerrbaijani Head of Delegation Vasif Mammadov stated that Azerbaijan will not be returning to Junior Eurovision this year according to a report from Azerbaijani Eurovision fansite 12xal. This comes after Azerbaijan sat out of last year’s edition. Azerbaijan’s last participation was in 2021.
Serbia
As one of the participating countries of Junior Eurovision 2022, Serbia is also expected to return this year. However, a Eurovision fansite has reported that Serbia has in fact, withdrawn from Junior Eurovision 2023 although it must be noted that the current editor in chief for RTS’ entertainment program is now Sandra Perović (Olivera Kovačević stepped down from the position last June 30th).
Just to recap, four countries have been confirmed to have withdrawn this year for JESC namely Kazakhstan, Australia, Azerbaijan and Serbia. As for the returning countries, Germany is the only one so far which has returned after an absence in the contest. Apart from Germany, 14 other countries have been confirmed for this year.
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year will take place in Nice, France on 26 November 2023.
Then it’s up to one country I really miss, Norway, to approve of the EBU working to remove stress from Junior Eurovision for the first time since 2005. If so, NRK would select their entrant internally this year since Melodi Grand Prix Junior is undergoing format changes. I’m doing everything I can to get one of the past three winners of the domestic contest to Palais Nikaia this November.
• Hennika Eggum Huuse (born 2009) – winner of Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2020
• Josefine Westgaard (born 2012) and/or Oskar Høgetveit (born 2011) – winners of Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2021
• William Høyem Ribe (born 2009) – winner of Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2022