Credits
News
Contest is "good value for money"
United Kingdom will not withdraw
The spokesperson told The Mirror that "as far as the BBC is concerned, the contest represents great value for money for its viewers".
Fears amongst fans that the BBC is more interested in good ratings than good results may seem to have been validated by this response, but it will be interesting to see how the BBC handle the selection of the UK representative for 2009 after the country achieved its second ever last place in Belgrade with Andy Abraham on Saturday.
Related polls
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Melodi Grand Prix
- Azerbaijan: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Milli Seçim Turu
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the final of A Dal
- Iceland: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Songvakeppni Sjonvarpsins
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the second semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the third semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix
- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the semifinal of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Bulgaria: Vote for your favourite act in the Bulgarian national final 2012
- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
- Belarus: Vote for your favourite act in the final of EuroFest 2012
Go directly to the reactions
Recent news about United Kingdom
UK: New Eurovision and europop party in London 11
Charity Show : Interview with Sue Lawrence 1
Special Charity Show on April 11th 9
UK: Scott Mills to present Eurovision semi-finals from Baku 32
Paddy O'Conell's One Man Show: My Semi Heaven 9
Reactions
When reacting to a news item, please stick to the topic. Inappropriate messages (swearing, racism, hate, etc.), messages in other languages than English and spam (which includes URL advertising) will be deleted and you risk your account being removed. Reacting on newsitems is only possible when logged in as a member. Still don't have member account?
Click here to react Click here to become a member (free!)
We asked Andy Bell from Erasure last time the gave concert in Copenhagen last year why they didnt do eurovision and sadly they said it isnt their style.... but you never know. I hope Andy Bell was drunk and didnt know what he was answering to hehe. I would love to see Erasure at Eurovision... I will do whatever I can for Erasure to have douze points from Denmark!!!!!
I would love to see Boy George, Erasure, Marc Almond or the Pet Shop Boys put together a roster of 6 songs as the BBC did back in the 60's and 70's and let the public vote. Let's face it - they all take to camp like ducks to water but they are also phenomenally talented and at this stage of their careers none of them need to be embarassed about the stigma associated with ESC. In fact, they could all fully play up to it with affection and unadulterated fun. Any one of them could bring some major glamour and talent to the BBC's entry - the only possible negative would be the obvious intepration by some misguided people that they are only participating to recover lost CD sales and "faded" careers, but those of us who know the truth realize that they continue to produce work of excellence - the only difference is that it is not heard by as many people because radio shuns their efforts.
_0.jpg)
@Paddy I love TATU but they did not win in 2003 due a bad performance and rubbish singing so your point is VOID.
You are the weakest link goodbye.
Burr
"Mirrir Mirror on the wall...." ........here we have Eastren Europe!
- Paddy D
Aaah but you can't compare 2004 with 2008. For example in 2004, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan or Moldova weren't participating, and they all give high marks to Russia nowadays regardless of the song. I can guarentee that had Julia Sachieva participated this year she would have got a top 10 placing.
what amazes me is that people wonder why average or ok songs don't score highly.
Look at Russian positions in recent years - OK so they've done pretty good but even tatu didn't win in 2003 and they were known all over europe at the time.
Look at 2004 and russia sent a poor song - didn't exactly do well did it??
It's over now and Russia got votes from almost every nation which voted - one country cannot win without the support of the majority - sounds obvious really doesnt it!
I've just e-mailed Mr Stockselius, would urge others to, absolute disgrace !!!
@ sam
what did you say to him ? do you think he cares what we think?
1 Big four all withdraw, 2 Discontinue subsidising eastern Europe, 3 Sack the wet Svante Stocky, 4 Start a new competition that excludes eastern Europe
i think sweden faces same destiny as UK and should withdraw before its too late.....something must be wrong when same countries ends always in the bottom while others are always in top....my opinion is that Dima Bilan shouldnt even been in top 10 the songs is really bad....countries like germany and uk throws money for the competition.....while countries like russia put all their money on the entry....i didint think that u can buy yourself a victory in ESC but it seems like it possible...for russia at least...
What the UK needs to do is split into as many nations as possible - like Yugoslavia and the USSR - and then vote for each other. For example we could have England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland enter. Then the Isle of Man could enter and then the individual Channel Islands as they're not part of the United Kingdom. That would add Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. Then Gibraltar could enter too. Thus points from everyone to everyone else would outweigh the Balkans and Soviets. Also Gibraltar could give points to Spain (if the Spanish pop across the border to vote) and vice versa. Jersey, Alderney, Guernsey and Sark could also give points to France. My money would be on a Scotland victory! Let's see how the East likes that one! LOL
I would like to point out that UK and not England participates in the ESC, and even if we split and send entries for all nations in the union (england, scotland, wales and NI) we would all end up near the bottom. I am afraid that europe are using the ESC for a bit of UK bashing, the same as the nations in the EU do. For this reason, we should pull out and spend the money on something more worthwhile.
I don't really understand the animosity, it is not as if we threaten countries with cutting of power supplies (see Russia) or anything. If we have to participate, the BBC should perhaps leave the selection process to the music industry, and give the public more than 6 songs/artists to choose from. And please leave Terry Wogan alone, whether or not you agree with his comments, he is entitled to his opinions, same as everyone on here who insists on venting their hatred of the UK in their opinions.
It was an allright song from UK this year, I hope for a better next year.
If UK, Germany and France get together and demand change to the voting system - they will be heard. These countries fund Eurovision and when it comes down to it, the EBU is all about money.
Inn 1996, when Germany were knocked out in the preselection, hosts NRK found themselves with a far smaller budger than expected. If the big 4 left now it would be impossible for Eurovision to survive in its current format (it would have to be seriously downsized and cut back).
@ Erkki Kuronen, you spoke my mind!
I also think Terry should go, and he even said he would leave if nothing changes with the voting! Terry Wogan may say he loves the contest but really just loves to laugh at "Johnny Foreigner", they should have someone more respectful but still humourous, I like Paddy O' Connell so I would mind him doing it but then the BBC WILL lose ratings! So really if Terry goes the BBC will go!
Lets hope this year a great singer will come to the rescue with a great song!
UK please withdraw! Europe hates you so why you never do well in ESC again 
i happy for uk not whidraw... because of yhe voting... it is all politcal its so easy to know the votes of each coutry... look at my coutry portugal, he only received 7poists from western... all the 62 points where fom southern... it is like this a county like portugal, spain, france, uk, germany, andorra, switzerland have less opurtunitys to win... portugal had a strong song almost every southern country gave us poists (except uk and ireland dont know why) but the western no points to us! only croacia (3) serbia(1) and ukrain(3)... portugal is thinking in withraw next year and i love eurovision but now i think it should be named as westerneurovison song contest!
@Milan S
You are genius. That idea about formula and quotient is brilliant.
england can withdraw if it want to who cares, its like austria who cares, they always send crap songs, so why bother.
I think Western Europe needs to stand together. My sugguestion is to boycott next years contest. If many countires do this then the EBU will have no choice but to rethink the voting procedure
Ivan, i could not said it better.
Everything is about the politics.When will you understand?
Even you put jury in the final that will be political voting,too.
Do u think that a jury representer from Ukraine will give 12 points to Germany,UK or Sweden? He/she will give 12 to Russia.
Or if jury representer is from Cyprus,12 points will go to Greece and not to Serbia,Macedonia,Switzerland.. .
By the way, where is and what is Azerbaijan???
With the 'Contest' part of the ESC now removed, there's a sour taste at the end of the show. I can understand why people would want to pull out, but there's so much potential for the future of the ESC.
A radical change to the voting structure must come. Possibly with coutries who don't qualify for the final being unable to vote, or at least have all their votes combined for one set of results.
I think I'll sit down with the full results and remove the scores from Belarus, Moldova, FYROM, Slovenia, etc. and see what the result would've been. That is if I ever get through the mountain of work that built up while I was in Blegrade. If anyone wants to voluneer and let me know... :-)
Wake up! Even if be BBC put all the effort, UK still be bottom by East Europe bloc voting!
Time to pull out next year and see what happens!!]/i]
Au contraire, time to make an (even bigger) effort.
I agree, Terry needs to go, and Paddy would be a much better replacement that Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton!
I was listening to Paddy and that girl in the 2nd semi, they were really dull and uncoordinated actually. Paddy was better before on his own.
I'm glad the BBC won't withdraw but I really do wish they'd put more effort into finding us a decent entry. This year was the best since 2002 in my opinion, but still that isn't saying very much. I don't think the BBC actually want to win. They just enjoy whingeing when our rubbish entries do not do well.
And Wogan has got to go. He is no longer funny, is rude and miserable and actually there are are people I know who would watch the contest if he wasn't the commentator. Paddy O Connell and Caroline Flack were great in the semi finals and they clearly actually enjoy the contest, they should commentate for the whole event for the UK in future!
Blue!!!
I agree with you. The Big 4 have to perform in the semis too. The UK had a good song this year and one of the best singers. Andy had my vote.
I think it would be a disaster if the UK withdrew.
The list of 178 reactions is divided into 7 pages. Choose a page:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
React yourself
This news article is older than one week. Reacting to articles is only possible in the first week after publication.
