Petra Mede tells us about “We Just Love Eurovision Too Much”

In May, Petra Mede will host the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time. She’s currently busy rehearsing from Stockholm — via Zoom — with her co-host Malin Åkerman, who is in Los Angeles. In between sessions with the Hollywood actress and director and scriptwriter Edward af Sillén, Petra found some time to sit down with me to discuss her plans for Malmö and the incredible career that got her there. We discuss the new show number “We Just Love Eurovision Too Much,” how different co-hosts elicit different energy from her and how tiny mistakes from past editions are giving her even more confidence for Eurovision 2024.

Yet what lingers the most for me isn’t Eurovision. It’s a portrait of a complex woman who, despite the many laughs, understands suffering. A back injury ended her life as a ballerina, leaving her searching for what to do next. Thankfully, and as you’ll see below, Petra knew the solution was in her and found a way to persevere. We’ve been enjoying the results ever since — and we get to do it again in May.

Petra Mede understands that humour is a central part of the song contest, particularly the intervals which, let’s be frank, have dragged at times.

“From 2016 at least, the thing that Måns and I did was making fun of Eurovision in the Eurovision — and the fans really liked that,” she says. “We can be mocking a little bit and at the same time loving the show. And I think it’s fun to do that.”

That, of course, was “Love Love Peace Peace,” perhaps the most iconic Eurovision interval of all time. It highlighted the wackery on show at Eurovision in a loving way and fans went wild. Will we get a sequel?

“Every Eurovision is a new Eurovision. But I can tell you that there will be a show number. I will be singing and dancing a little bit. The show number is called ‘We Just Love Eurovision Too Much.’ The theme, you can guess, is that we Swedes are just too much in love with Eurovision and we apologise for winning all the time. But we want to come out as modest people. Although we are very proud, we love to win of course.”

Winning is one thing — and struggling is something else entirely. Petra understands that too. She devoted much of her early life to ballet, even enrolling in the prestigious Balettakademien in Stockholm. But just as her star was rising she suffered a back injury that forced her to retire early.

She now divides her life into three periods: the one where she was dancing, the one where she was on extended sick leave because of the complications with her back, and the current one, where she lives and thrives as a comedian and presenter.

What’s her advice to people who are struggling to overcome similar challenges?

“Never lose hope. No matter what people tell you — the doctors or the physicians, your friends — nobody should ever take the hope from anybody.”

“I met doctors who said, ‘Your back will never get better and you’ll never work again.’ If I had believed them maybe I wouldn’t have come back. Keep that inner hope.”

“If you don’t have a job or you’re on sick leave, don’t lose the self-esteem no matter how they treat you. Know your own worth. You’re always worth more than you think.”