Eurovision Song Contest 1963

Eurovision Song Contest 1963
Date and venue
Final
  • 23 March 1963
VenueBBC Television Centre
London, United Kingdom
Organisation
OrganiserEuropean Broadcasting Union (EBU)
ScrutineerMiroslav Vilček
Production
Host broadcasterBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
DirectorYvonne Littlewood
Executive producerHarry Carlisle
Musical directorEric Robinson
PresenterKatie Boyle
Participants
Number of entries16
Participation map
  •      Participating countries
Vote
Voting systemEach country awarded 5-1 points to their five favourite songs
Winning song Denmark
"Dansevise"

The Eurovision Song Contest 1963 was the eighth edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on Saturday 23 March 1963 at the BBC Television Centre in London, United Kingdom, and presented by Katie Boyle for a second time. It was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), who staged the event after Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF), which had won the 1962 contest for France, declined hosting responsibilities due to financial shortcomings, and as it had staged the competition in 1959 and 1961.

Broadcasters from sixteen countries participated in the contest, the same countries that had also participated the previous two years.

The winner was Denmark with the song "Dansevise", performed by Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann. This was the first victory for any of the Nordic countries. Switzerland finished second - just two points behind, the closest finish up to this point. Italy, the United Kingdom and France (in joint fifth with Monaco) rounded out the top five. Four countries got nul points, with Finland, Norway and Sweden failing to score any points for the first time and the Netherlands for the second time, becoming the first country to go two years in a row without scoring a single point.