It has been announced this morning that three expert judges will be added to Junior Eurovision, each having the voting power of one country.

The EBU and Junior Eurovision organisers have announced this morning that alongside the removal of the televote, that three expert judges will now have the voting power of one country. The three judges will each announce their vote individually, meaning that between them they have a 15% say in the overall result.

The Expert judges are:

Mads Grimstad – Universal Music

Christer Bjorkman – Head of Delegation for Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest, producer of Melodifestivalen and represented Sweden at Eurovision 1992

The third member of the expert jury will be announced closer to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

A total of 17 countries are set to compete in the 14th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this November in Malta. Returning to the contest this year are Cyprus, Israel and Poland. Cyprus last competed in 2014, while Israel made their only appearance to date in 2012, Poland is returning to the contest after 12 years away.

The final of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016 takes place on November 20 at the Mediterranean Conference Center in Valletta, Malta. This years contest is open to singers aged between 9 and 14 years old.

Source: JuniorEurovision.tv