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UK: X Factor style selection for Eurovision
The format of the United Kingdom's new selection show is set to follow the successful series such as How do you solve a problem like Maria, Any dream will do and I'd do anything. In the shows, 12 candidates each completed for a lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber stage productions (The sound of music, Joseph and the amazing technocolour dreamcoat and Oliver! respectively). The shows have all been ratings hits and have won several television awards.
In today's Sun and Telegraph newspapers, a BBC insider is said to have stated: "Millions of Brits watch the Eurovision but always leave disappointed that we’ve done so badly...So next year we’re going all out. Graham’s been drafted in to host and Lord Andrew will give his important input, possibly as part of a panel or as a mentor. There is likely to be a public voting element to it as well. Next year really could be the year Britain comes out on top.”
With the newly annouced changes to the Eurovision Song Contest voting, and the return of the juries to form part of the voting process, the BBC will feel that they have a real chance to make an impact on the voting board after years of what has been perceived as underachievement due to the voting patterns across the continent.
Earlier this year, Andrew Lloyd Webber went on record to say that following the success of the first three shows, he will wait until 2010 before doing the next one to select a performer for a stage show. That leaves the spring schedules clear to create a show along the same format that can be used to find the United Kingdom's Eurovision Song Contest entry.
With John Barrowman amongst the Lord Andrew show judges as well as a pundit and judge in recent British national finals, it seems increasingly likely that the BBC are set to take a highly successful show and use it as the basis of selecting their next Eurovision Song Contest representative, perhaps in a show titled How do you solve a problem like Eurovision after recent results in the competition (also touted as the title of the 2008 national final by several newspapers).
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Ok, fair enough Garry, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
these papers dont care, they claim rumours as truth all the time, and when caight out the print an apology thats so small youd miss it if your finger was covering it, , i would love him to have something to do with esc, but as he has so far only previewed a rough performance of the first half of the new musical at his sydmonton festival, im sure that he will be very busy in the next year finishing the second half and making it as perfect as he can, he is very nervous about the new show and knows that he has to provide a sequel that the millions of phantom fans are happy with
I see your point, but then why would all these papers and sites be reporting the same thing? If they're passing this off as fact, then it can't be completely untrue/pure speculation, lest nobody notices or they don't care if they get in trouble.
What do you think about this?
well i think the chance of opening a musical that may run for 20 years like its predecessor, or a song for a camp farce, which do you think he will devote his time to
I think Andrew Lloyd Webber will end up being involved somehow. After all, multiple tabloids can't publish pure speculation off as fact. One tabloid (especially The Sun and others of their nature) I can understand but there's a few different ones talking about this.
Keeping that in mind, it's illogical to believe this really is just pure speculation from the minds of the writers. These details must have come from elsewhere. I'm just not so sure it was a BBC insider, that's all.
i personally doubt he will be involved, he has still to finish the new phantom musical which is due to open in october 2009,so i think he will be very busy casting and making sure that that everything goes smoothly,
sounds good....
he wrote the songs for the joseph V maria section, im sure it was said before the show they did
and also i would hate to have zac efron as our entry... i mean he looks like a ken doll gone wrong (like most americans tbh) and he sings in a stupid way, like all HSM people do. i would refuse to actualy watch the show if he was in it...
ben andrew did not write any of last years eurovision your decision entries!
We should have Zac Efron, singing Bet On It.
HSM is so popular world wide, wed be certain of a win.
London 2010 if we get Zac Efron as our artist.
@ Gareth Forrest:
yes but personally i cant stand musical songs, and that is something that he will put up for the eurovision song.
maybe they should pick a winner, then a month later have a show where the artist sings a range of 4 different songs in different genre's (maybe r&b, rock, ballard and electronic) and then the public vote for whichever one they think best... i have no doubt he will pick a good performer but i just dont want him making the music...
i mean do any of you remember the crap that simona armstrong and that other guy on the selection show last year? that was writtian by a.l.w and they were just terrible..
@ gareth he didnt write bombay dreams either he produced it, the music was written by a. r rahman and the lyrics by don black and the plot was devised by meera syal ( the granny from the kumars at number 42)
as i said before andrew and time rice have entered an song for the u.k selection process in 1969 it was called "try it and see" it didnt get chosen but he changed the lyrics and used the tune for"king herods song" in "jesus christ superstar" and anyone whos seen it will know how that one tune sticks in your head, here is the original
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=0sjm7y6gcrA
@ GARETH FORREST only the first part of my last post is aimed at you , the second part is aimed at those who doubt webbers song writing credentials
@gareth forrest loyyd webber did not write chess and jeeeez he certainly did not write the sound of music unless he was writing at 2 years of age of course.
loyyd webber wrote - gethsemane a stunning song , heaven on their minds a fantastic song, any dream will do an instantly likable song at first listen , i dont know how to love him a haunting ballad , with one look a song full of pathos and song by all the greats , tire tracks a rock song sung by bonnie tyler , love changes everything a brilliantly crafted power ballad sung by micheal ball , memories from cats , the music of the night awesome song , the phantom of the opera great crossover classical rock, when children rule the world a sugar coated instant song sung by donny osmond , only he a song any eastern european country could perhaps be pproud of , the list goes on and on . i dont doubt peoples veiw of loyyd webber as a stuffy older man but you cannot deny his writing ability and to do so is being naive and shows a lack of understanding about song writing . you tube any of these songs and take a good listen then come back and tell me that he cant write songs for eurovision
Francis Peters and John Tompson have both hit the nail on the head about Barrowman.
London Calling-
Webbers songs are matter of taste and opinion, just like everything else
Owen:
I thought you couldn't stand Norton? About a week ago you were yakking how he would be no good? Why the change of heart?
I think the name "How do you slove a problem like Eurovision" might be a little long. Maybe somthing snappier (although that doesn't really matter)
This could be a good idea.
We could hear a variety of songs and styles. The singers could improve over the weeks.
I just hope they don't just have the typical cynical attitude of Eurovision being "cheesy"
you got to be kidding me i want to see dizzy rascal or son of dork for the uk 
MichaelUK, you asked 'how stupid do you think the British public are?'. in a sense you've answered your own question, because you then went on to say 'the uk always goes for the cheesy option , always has'. So evidently, they are pretty stupid. I'd agree with you that the public might well have voted for Scooch even without Barrowman's 'guidance', but it doesn't change the fact that the guidance was completely misguided, and came from someone who was passing himself off as some kind of expert.
For the record, I personally don't think the British public's stupidity extends to voting against someone just because she's French, but I suppose given that this is the country of the Sun and the Daily Mail you can't completely rule it out.
By the way, while I'm thinking of it - please let the new UK Eurovision commentator be Paddy O'Connell and not Graham Norton. I don't dislike Norton, but horses for courses and all that. His over-the-top persona would really start to grate after three hours - whereas O'Connell gets the tone just right.
Why not ask Bjorn and Benny to write a song ?
Yes Gareth, I agree with you there. AL-W has written many fantastic songs 
So what!!!
The point I'm making is that Lord Webber HAS in fact written many modern genre songs. Like one of the member below stated, even Madonna has performed some of his songs, not to forget the likes of Boyzone; Stephen Gately and Tina Arena just to named a few more who also have had worldwide Top 10 hit songs written for them by - you've guessed it Andrew Lloyd-Webber
Gareth Forrest
Sorry, but "I know him so well" is from the musical Chess. ABBA's Björn and Benny composed the music. Tim Rice wrote the lyrics though.
@ ben kalomonto
Have you forgotten that Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber has written many smash hit songs from popular shows such as:
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar
Evita
Cats
Starlight Express
The Phantom of the Opera
Sunset Boulevard
Whistle Down the Wind
Bombay Dreams
The Sound of Music
Did you forget her even wrote the worldwide smash hit "I know him so well" with co-writter Tim Rice; and that song as even been performed by 1974 winners ABBA.
So if his songs are good enough for ABBA to sing, then they are good enough for a descent UK singer to perform at Eurovision 2009.
This is somewhat irrelevant but I liked the Lithuanian song this year...I guess I was the only one..lol
@London Calling,
Lithuania was not Andrew LLoyd Webber, but Les Miserables. Webber wrote some new songs aswell, did he not ? And some of them are very good. "No matter what" from Boyzone out of "Whistle down the wind" was/is a very good popsong. You must love me of Madonna is a very very good popsong. If that would be sang at Eurovision by a good singer, it's a winner. Even now today, and it's over 10 years old.
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