Petra Maria Mede (pronounced [ˈpêːtra ˈmêːdɛ]; born 7 March 1970) is a Swedish comedian, dancer, actress and television presenter.[1] Mede is known for her several roles in comic shows and as a television presenter, and is best known outside of Sweden for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, 2016 and 2024, as well as co-hosting Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits in 2015.

Petra Mede
Mede in 2024
Born
Petra Maria Mede

(1970-03-07) 7 March 1970 (age 54)
Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation(s)Television presenter, comedian
Years active2005–present
Known forHosting Melodifestivalen in 2009, 2016 and the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, 2016 and 2024
PartnerMattias Günther (separated)
Children2
Parent(s)Klas Mede [sv] (father)
Ulla Mede (mother)
Websitewww.petramede.se

Early life

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Petra Maria Mede was born in Stockholm to Ulla Elisabet (née Linnander; born 1940) and entrepreneur Klas Håkan Mede [sv] (born 1939), but was raised in Partille, near Gothenburg. She has a younger sister named Anne Mede Ageling.[2][3] She graduated in Philosophy as well as in the French language.[2]

Career

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Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw (center right) performing the interval act "Love Love Peace Peace" in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

Mede started off as a dancer at Balettakademien [sv], but her career was cut short by a back injury at the age of 20. She worked as a tourist guide in Stockholm before moving to comedy aged around 35, taking part in a contest for emerging comedians in 2005.[2]

Mede began being seen on television, appearing on Extra! Extra! [sv], Dubbat [sv], Musikmaskinen [sv], Parlamentet and Morgonsoffan [sv]. She received an award for best emerging actress in 2007. In 2008, she and Anna Maria Granath wrote the parody book Mer självkänsla än du kan hantera (More Self-Esteem than You Can Handle). She participated in the TV shows Stockholm Live [sv] and Babben & Co [sv].[2]

She appeared in Melodifestivalen 2008 to announce the points from Sundsvall.[2] In 2009, she hosted Melodifestivalen 2009, where the Swedish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was chosen[4] and was voted Sweden's best female comedian the same year. In 2010, she hosted her own program, titled Petra Mede Show [sv], on TV3.[2]

Mede has regularly worked for SVT since 2011, hosting Julvärd [sv], the broadcaster's Christmas Eve special, in 2013,[2] and the Guldbagge Awards in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.[2]

In May 2013, Mede hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, additionally performing an interval act during the final; her hosting was widely acclaimed by critics and journalists around Europe.[5][6] She was the first solo Eurovision presenter in nearly 20 years, after Mary Kennedy in 1995 and the first solo presenter for a contest with semi-finals, only being accompanied by Eric Saade as green room host in the final.[7]

Mede made her film debut in 2014 in Medicinen [sv].[2]

In 2015, Mede, along with Graham Norton, hosted the Eurovision's Greatest Hits EBU/BBC 60th anniversary concert show recorded on 31 March at the Eventim Apollo, in Hammersmith, London and was later broadcast in 27 countries.[8]

Mede dubbed Destiny in the Swedish version of the 2016 film Finding Dory.[2] She co-hosted the first heat of Melodifestivalen 2016 with Gina Dirawi at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg.[9] Mede then hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm alongside previous year's winner Måns Zelmerlöw,[10] joining Katie Boyle and Jacqueline Joubert as the only people to have hosted the contest more than once.

Mede played the role of Katja in the 2017 Netflix series Bonus Family and made an appearance in the 2019 documentary film Hasse & Tage – En kärlekshistoria [sv].[2]

Between 2018 and 2020, Mede hosted reality TV show Stjärnornas stjärna. In 2021 and 2022, she co-hosted Let's Dance alongside David Lindgren. She has since been the presenter of Hjulet [sv] on TV4.[2]

 
Malin Akerman and Mede at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024

Mede hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, with Malin Akerman.[11]

Personal life

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Mede is a polyglot, speaking Swedish, English, Spanish, Italian and French.[2][12] Together with her former partner Mattias Günther, she has a daughter born in 2012.[13] However, in 2015, it was confirmed that she and Günther had split. In 2022, she gave birth to another daughter.[2]

As of March 2024, Mede resides in Bromma, Stockholm.[2]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Stockholm Live Presenter
2007–2008 Extra! Extra!
2007–2009 Parlamentet Team member
2008 Dubbat
Hjälp!
Morgonsoffan
Det sociala spelet
Musikmaskinen
2009 Melodifestivalen 2009 Presenter Final
Snillen snackar
Roast på Berns
2010 Cirkus Möller
Petra Mede Show Presenter
Välkommen åter
2011 46th Guldbagge Awards Presenter
Maestro Participant Swedish version of Maestro
2012 47th Guldbagge Awards Presenter
2013 Maestro
Eurovision Song Contest 2013
2014 Kristallen
2015 50th Guldbagge Awards
En clown till kaffet
Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits Co-presenter with Graham Norton
2016 51st Guldbagge Awards Presenter
Melodifestivalen 2016 Heat 1
Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Co-presenter with Måns Zelmerlöw
2017 52nd Guldbagge Awards Presenter
2017–2019 Bonus Family Katja
2018 53rd Guldbagge Awards Presenter
2018–2020 Stjärnornas stjärna
2021–2022 Let's Dance Co-presenter Seasons 16 and 17, with David Lindgren
2022 Hjulet Presenter Swedish version of The Wheel
2024 Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Co-presenter with Malin Åkerman

Film

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  • Medicinen (2014)

References

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  1. ^ "Hon blir ny programledare | Melodifestivalen | Nöjesbladet | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.se. 18 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Mancheño, José Miguel (20 March 2024). "¿Quién es Petra Mede? Conoce a la presentadora del Festival de Eurovisión 2024". ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Klas Mede (84 år) Bromma". Ratsit (in Swedish). 20 March 2024. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Petra Mede fick ledas av scenen | Melodifestivalen | Nöjesbladet | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.se. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Petra Mede leder schlager-EM | Kultur | SvD". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Svd.se. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  6. ^ Sim, Jarmo. "Petra Mede to host Eurovision Song Contest 2013". EBU. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  7. ^ Bokholm, Mirja (8 May 2013). "Eric Saade blir greenroomvärd under Eurovisionfinalen" [Eric Saade gets green room host the Eurovision finals] (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  8. ^ Martinsson, Anders. "Petra Mede aktuell för Eurovision-jubileum" [Petra Mede current Eurovision anniversary] (in Swedish). Göteborgs Posten. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. ^ Escudero, Victor (30 November 2015). "Sweden: Who will compete in Melodifestivalen 2016?". Eurovision.tv. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  10. ^ "Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw to host in Stockholm!". Eurovision.tv. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Abbatars perform at Eurovision after hosts tease performance from real band". The Independent. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Petra Mede leder schlager-EM | Kultur | SvD". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Svd.se. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  13. ^ "Petra Mede leder schlager-EM". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
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Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest presenter
2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest presenter
2016
With: Måns Zelmerlöw
Succeeded by
Preceded by Eurovision Song Contest presenter
2024
With: Malin Åkerman
Succeeded by
Incumbent