ARIA Award winner and Australian Idol star Guy Sebastian has been announced as Australia’s entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in May.

SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said Sebastian was the perfect artist to represent Australia because he was someone “we can all believe in and get behind”.

• Australia’s Eurovision dreams come true
• Our Eurovision obsession

“Guy is an artist that reflects where Australia is now – he is very much a fitting ambassador for our music and our cultural life (and not just because of his love of cricket),” Mr Ebeid said on Thursday morning.

“I’m sure he will fly the flag for us wonderfully.”

Sebastian is a wise choice for the live performance as he was the first winner of the Australian Idol series in 2003.

He said he was taking the opportunity very seriously.

“There is a lot of weight on my shoulders (representing Australia ) and I’m not taking it lightly,” Sebastian said following the announcement.

Last month it was revealed Australia would be performing in this year’s Eurovision contest as a one-off wildcard entry.

It gets better. pic.twitter.com/mWlDB3qTui

— BuzzFeed Australia (@BuzzFeedOz) March 4, 2015

If our entry is a dumb guitar ballad with no pyrotechnics or backup dancers I swear to god. #SBSEurovision — Alexandra Neill (@paper_bag_girl) March 4, 2015

Well there goes our Eurovision invites for the next eleventy zillion years. #SBSEurovision

— Latika Bourke (@latikambourke) March 4, 2015

I actually think Guy is a pretty good choice. i mean, he’s wearing triple denim… How flamboyant do you want? #SBSEurovision

— Hunter Smith (@MrHunterSmith) March 4, 2015

#BREAKING NORTHERN TERRITORY IS SECEDING FROM AUSTRALIA AFTER GUY SEBASTIAN WAS ANNOUNCED AS EUROVISION ENTRANT — The NT News (@TheNTNews) March 4, 2015

presume Guy Sebastian was someone’s captain’s call? — Jonathan Green (@GreenJ) March 4, 2015