Eurovision 2016

Lena von Zweigbergk was played by Eva Rose, who is a fairly high profile Swedish actress. Although she is completely unknown outside Scandinavia as she's not a Nordic Noir actress. Her most high profile role was in 'Real Humans' on SVT. The show was a huge hit but was remade for local audiences (including the Channel 4 remake in the UK)

In terms of the Lena reference - it's very Swedish humour! It was a reference to Helena, as someone pointed out earlier, rather than the floor manager. Very in joke in Sweden, but they're always happy to do that, which I quite like. (but, I love Sweden, so I get it!)

Babben Larrsson also appears in the sketch as the priest, which instantly made me chuckle. She's much loved in Scandinavia. Think along the lines of Jo Brand. She hosts a TV chat show and is a comedian.

Loads of other great Swedish TV stars appeared as well. When SVT originally revealed details of the sketch, the broadcaster said it was very much aimed at a Swedish audience but accessible for a global audience by 'poking fun at ourselves'.

Good point. Sarah Dawn Finer for example speaks English in an American accent, largely due to her American ancestory. Lynda came about as that's the only English accent she can do!

I was going to say that there are many Scandinavians that have very good British accents despite English not being their first language, Ulrika Jonsson being one of them.

It depends a lot on who taught you English.

And what TV you watch and Radio you listen to. I've noticed that Swedish friends in their 30s and 40s who watched a lot of US TV (Dallas, Dynasty etc.) growing up have quite American accents, but younger Swedes who watch Morse, Lewis, Midsomer Murders etc. have more British accents.

Another reason more Scandinavian and Nordic people have British accents these days is that many of them alslo come to live in London for a year or two (not just as au pairs). I know a couple of Danish people and a Norwegian who spent time here and who have almost perfect London English accents, only occasionally giving their heritage away.

This presenter who presented X Factor in Norway at one point has a remarkably good English accent : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4_1CSoFZcg

(And if you're wondering why early-00s pop band A1 are on X Factor in Norway, one of them is Norwegian and they tried to represent Norway in Eurovision a few years ago. See - I can bring it back on topic )

It's perfectly on topic. Their master of the English language is why SVT and to a lesser extent DR's productions do humour very well. To be that funny in a second language deserves serious kudos.

My sense is that the English taught in schools is mainly in a British accent. But most films and television series tend to be American. And if you've learned English through reading, you can be influenced by how English words are read out in your language.

So people get many influences and may well use a mix of British, American and "local" pronunciation without really being aware of it.

A somewhat on point video (spot the soft T):

I have a few Swedish friends and they have told me they learn British English at an early age at school but this then gets watered down and influenced by the high amount of American TV etc. that is available to them.

Does anyone know if the music played as a bed when they announced the winner (and throughout the contest, such as the host's entrances to the semis) is available anywhere?

The composer is Adam Norden and the music is available to download from his Soundcloud account.

Kicking myself. I watched Äkta Människor and have seen Eva in quite a few other shows (though Niska looked very different to Lena!)... I recognised Babben, and Peter Magnusson who was, I think, singing 'Watergate'...

Adam Norden also wrote the theme and incidental music for the first 13 part series of the TV4 (Swedish) Wallander series starring Krister Henriksson, as well as a lot of other stuff.

Here's his soundcloud page : https://soundcloud.com/adam-nord-n