Leslie Roy was due to represent Ireland in Rotterdam tonight. RTÉ RTÉ

THE EUROVISION SONG Contest will mark what should have been the first semi-final of the competition with a virtual ‘song celebration’ tonight.

The contest is one of the many large events that have been cancelled this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two shows will air on the Eurovision’s YouTube channel at 8pm (Irish time) today and Thursday, marking when the contest’s semi-finals were originally due to take place in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The Eurovision Song Celebration 2020 programmes will build up to Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light which will air on Saturday night, the date the final was scheduled to happen.

Tonight’s programme will feature all of the songs that were due to be performed in today’s semi-final including the Irish entry, Lesley Roy’s Story of My Life.

YouTube creators from all over Europe will react to the songs during the shows, and pre-recorded videos of fans dancing and singing to their favourite entries will also feature. 

Marty Whelan will present RTÉ One’s Eurovision broadcast at 8pm on Saturday. This show will be preceded by Marty’s Magical Eurovision Moments at 6.55pm.