Serge Jean Karel Quisquater, known professionally as Sergio Quisquater or simply Sergio, is a Belgian singer and television presenter. Together with Sandy Boets, he formed the duo Touch of Joy. As the frontman of the band Sergio & the Ladies, he represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with the song "Sister".
Belgium has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 64 times since making its debut as one of seven countries at the first contest in 1956. The only countries with the same number or more appearances are Germany (66), France (65) and the United Kingdom (65). Belgium have been absent only three times in total, in 1994, 1997 and 2001, due to low scores in the previous contests that relegated them from the contest. Belgium has won the contest once, in 1986.
Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 with the song "Le Grand Soir" written by Alec Mansion and Frédéric Zeitoun. The song was performed by Nuno Resende. The Belgian entry for the 2005 contest in Kyiv, Ukraine was selected through the national final Finale Nationale Concours Eurovision de la Chanson 2005, organised by the Walloon broadcaster Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF). In the final on 20 March 2005 which featured two competing entries, "Le Grand Soir" performed by Nuno Resende was selected as the winner after gaining 50.2% of the public televote.
Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the song "1 Life" written by Dirk Paelinck and Marc Paelinck. The song was performed by Xandee. The Belgian entry for the 2004 contest in Istanbul, Turkey was selected through the national final Eurosong '04, organised by the Flemish broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT). The competition featured twenty-eight competing entries and consisted of five shows. In the final on 15 February 2004, "1 Life" performed by Xandee was selected as the winner via the votes of five voting groups.
Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with the song "Sister" written by Dirk Paelinck and Marc Paelinck. The song was performed by the group Sergio and the Ladies. The Belgian entry for the 2002 contest in Tallinn, Estonia was selected through the national final Eurosong 2002, organised by the Flemish broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT). VRT returned to the Eurovision Song Contest after a one-year absence following their relegation from 2001 as one of the bottom six countries in the 2000 contest. The competition featured twenty-eight competing entries and consisted of five shows. In the final on 17 February 2002, "Sister" performed by Sergio @ the Ladies was selected as the winner via the votes of five voting groups. The group was renamed as Sergio and the Ladies for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Germany competed at the Eurovision Song Contest 1969, held in Madrid, Spain. ARD, the German broadcaster, used a national final to select their entry.
The Netherlands were represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 1957 by Corry Brokken with the song "Net als toen" written by Guus Jansen and Willy van Hemert. The Dutch entry was chosen during a national final called Nationaal Songfestival and the country would go on to win the Eurovision Song Contest.
Belgium participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Me and My Guitar" written by Tom Dice, Jeroen Swinnen and Ashley Hicklin. The song was performed by Tom Dice, who was internally selected by the Flemish broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) in November 2009 to represent the nation at the 2010 contest in Oslo, Norway. The song, "Me and My Guitar", was presented to the public on 7 March 2010 during the television special Eurosong 2010: een song voor Tom Dice!.
Belgium was represented by Nicole and Hugo, with the song "Baby, Baby", at the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place in Luxembourg City on 7 April. "Baby, Baby" was the winner of the Belgian national final for the contest, held at the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels on 25 February. Nicole and Hugo had won the 1971 Belgian preselection with the song "Goeiemorgen, morgen", but days before the contest Nicole had fallen ill and was unable to travel to host city Dublin, so Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel had been drafted in as last-minute replacements.
Belgium was represented by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel, with the song "Goeiemorgen, morgen", at the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 3 April in Dublin. Raymond and Castel had not taken part in the original Belgian final, which was won with Nicole and Hugo performing the song.
Belgium was represented by Louis Neefs, with the song "Jennifer Jennings", at the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 29 March in Madrid. Neefs was chosen internally to be the Belgian representative, and the song was chosen in the national final on 22 February. Neefs had previously represented Belgium in the 1967 contest in Vienna.
Belgium was represented by Jacques Raymond, with the song "Waarom?", at the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 23 March in London. The song was chosen in the national final on 16 February. Raymond had previously finished second in the Belgian final in 1961, and would later represent the country in a duet with Lily Castel in 1971.
Belgium was represented by Lize Marke, with the song "Als het weer lente is", at the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 20 March in Naples. Marke was chosen internally to be the Belgian representative, and the song was chosen in the national final on 13 February. Marke had previously finished second in the Belgian preselection in 1963.
Belgium was represented by Louis Neefs, with the song "Ik heb zorgen", at the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 8 April in Vienna. "Ik heb zorgen" was chosen at the Belgian national final on 25 February. Neefs would represent Belgium again in 1969.
Belgium was represented by Fud Leclerc, with the song "Mon amour pour toi", at the 1960 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 19 March in London. The song was chosen in the Belgian national final on 24 January. This was the third of Leclerc's four appearances for Belgium at Eurovision.
Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song "Love Kills" written by Jukka Immonen and Iain James. The song was performed by Roberto Bellarosa, who was internally selected by the Walloon broadcaster Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) in November 2014 to represent the nation at the 2013 contest in Malmö, Sweden. The song was selected through the national final Eurovision 2013: A vous de choisir la chanson!, which was organised by RTBF and featured three songs. In the final on 16 December 2012, "Love Kills" was selected as the winning song via the votes of an expert jury and a public televote.
Israel participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 with the song "Diva" performed by Dana International. The song was written by Svika Pick and Yoav Ginai.
This is a list of Belgian television related events from 2004.
Belgium originally planned to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Release Me" written by Alex Callier and Luca Chiaravalli. The song was performed by the band Hooverphonic, which was internally selected by the Flemish broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) in October 2019 to represent the nation at the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The song, "Release Me", was presented to the public on 17 February 2020.
Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with "Miss You" performed by Jérémie Makiese. Makiese was internally selected by the Walloon broadcaster Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) in September 2021 to represent the nation at the 2022 contest, while the song, "Miss You", was presented to the public on 10 March 2022.
