United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
The country has won the contest five times: in 1967, with "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw; in 1969 (a four-way tie), with "Boom Bang-a-Bang" by Lulu ; in 1976, with "Save Your Kisses for Me" by Brotherhood of Man; in 1981, with "Making Your Mind Up" by Bucks Fizz; and in 1997, with "Love Shine a Light" by Katrina and the Waves.Its top ten positions in this period are third in 2002 with "Come Back" by Jessica Garlick, fifth in 2009 with "It's My Time" by Jade Ewen, and second in 2022 with "Space Man" by Sam Ryder.[1] However, it's also believed that the United Kingdom had selected Shirley Abicair to perform "Little Ship" at the contest, but withdrew due to her nationality being Australian.[3] At their second attempt in the contest in 1959, the UK achieved the first of its record sixteen runner-up positions, when Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson sang "Sing Little Birdie".The UK would go on to achieve four more second-place finishes with Bryan Johnson in 1960, The Allisons in 1961, Matt Monro in 1964 and Kathy Kirby in 1965, before eventually winning for the first time in 1967.The UK's second victory was provided by the Scottish singer Lulu, who won with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" in 1969, in a four-way tie with France, Spain and the Netherlands.The group was created especially for the UK televised selection contest, A Song for Europe (a programme which in later years would be renamed to Making Your Mind Up).The UK's fifth victory came in 1997, when Katrina and the Waves, famous for their 1980s hit "Walking on Sunshine", comfortably won the contest with the song "Love Shine a Light".In the final, she performed the song "Children of the Universe", which she co-wrote with Anders Hansson and finished in 17th place with 40 points, having been regarded as one of the favourites to win the contest.[9][10] Ultimately, the entry for 2015 came through open submission, with the song "Still in Love with You" performed by the duo Electro Velvet finishing in 24th place with five points.[22] Ahead of the 2020 contest, the BBC stated that it would return to internally selecting its representative, in collaboration with record label BMG.[28] However, they were unable to replicate the previous year's success, with Mae Muller and her entry "I Wrote a Song" finishing in 25th place on home soil in Liverpool, with 24 points in total.[33] On 9 August 2024, it was announced that BBC Studios had retained the tender to produce the live UK coverage for two years starting in May 2026.[34] In 1999, a rule change allowed the United Kingdom, along with France, Germany, and Spain, to automatically qualify for the final (irrespective of their recent scores and without entering a semi-final), due to their participant broadcasters being the largest financial contributors to the EBU.As well as broadcasting the contest each year, the BBC also organises the selection process for the entry, often with a televised national final (historically titled A Song for Europe).This resulted in the national selection process being suspended; however, this returned in 2016, re-titled Eurovision: You Decide, with viewers once again choosing which song to enter into the contest.The programme featured archive footage and highlights of past contests, along with a performance of that year's UK entry by Daz Sampson.Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BBC decided to host Eurovision: Come Together, a competitive special on the night of what would have been the 2020 final.[47] In 2015, London hosted Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits, an event to commemorate the 60th anniversary, which was recorded for television on 31 March 2015 and was shown in 26 countries, starting with the UK and Ireland on 3 April 2015.[58] Additionally, several British conductors have conducted for other countries (not counting instances where a British musical director had to step in for another country that didn't bring their own conductor), including: Each participating broadcaster in the Eurovision Song Contest assigns a head of delegation as the EBU's contact person and the leader of their delegation at the event.The delegation, whose size can greatly vary, includes a head of press, the performers, songwriters, composers, and backing vocalists, among others.Graham Norton performed a similar role in the final of the 2023 contest, hosted in Liverpool, with Mel Giedroyc serving as co-commentator.[293] The 2023 spokesperson was based in the host venue Liverpool Arena, and in 2024, the background of the UK voting presentation was reverted to London's Tower Bridge (despite still broadcasting from Salford).MEP Alyn Smith has said in the European Parliament: "Other small countries have done it [entered the competition] and I will be happy to help any of the broadcasting companies through the progress.However, to date, these proposed changes have not occurred, and the United Kingdom still participates in the Eurovision Song Contest as a single entrant.
British Broadcasting CorporationUK national selection for the Eurovision Song ContestUnited Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024United KingdomEurovision Song Contestsecond contestPuppet on a StringSandie ShawBoom Bang-a-BangSave Your Kisses for MeBrotherhood of ManMaking Your Mind UpBucks FizzLove Shine a LightKatrina and the WavesBig FiveFranceGermanyEuropean Broadcasting Unionnational selection processLondonEdinburghBrightonHarrogateBirminghamLiverpoolCome BackJessica GarlickIt's My TimeJade EwenSpace ManSam Rydersecond editionFestival of British Popular SongsShirley AbicairPatricia BredinPearl CarrTeddy JohnsonSing Little BirdieBryan JohnsonThe AllisonsMatt MonroKathy KirbyViennaCongratulationsCliff RichardMassielBillboard Hot 100To Sir with LoveMary HopkinThe New SeekersThe ShadowsLynsey de PaulMike MoranLena ValaitisScott FitzgeraldCeline DionLive ReportMichael BallLinda MartinYou'll Never Stop Me Loving YouMillstreetNiamh KavanaghGina GOoh Aah... Just a Little BitGrammyBest Dance RecordingWalking on SunshineImaaniWhere Are You?Dana InternationalPreciousJeminiAndy AbrahamJosh DubovieEngelbert HumperdinckBonnie TylerTotal Eclipse of the HeartBelieve in MeMolly Smitten-DownesBBC IntroducingCopenhagenChildren of the Universe2015 contestStill in Love with YouElectro VelvetYou're Not AloneJoe and JakeBBC FourBBC TwoLucie JonesNever Give Up on YouMichael RiceBigger than UsJames NewmanMy Last BreathCOVID-19 pandemicBBC StudiosEmbersMarcel Bezençon AwardMae MullerI Wrote a SongYears & YearsOlly AlexanderBig FourTV licence feeLiberal DemocratRichard Younger-RossmotiontelevotingUK Eurovision Song Contest entries discographyPearl Carr and Teddy JohnsonLooking High, High, HighAre You Sure?Ronnie CarrollRing-A-Ding GirlSay Wonderful ThingsI Love the Little ThingsI BelongKenneth McKellarA Man Without LoveKnock, Knock (Who's There?)Clodagh RodgersJack in the BoxBeg, Steal or BorrowPower to All Our Friends