United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
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United Kingdom |
|
|---|---|
| Broadcaster | BBC |
| National selection event | Making Your Mind Up |
| First Entered Eurovision | 1957 |
| Number of Entries | 48 |
| Won | 5 |
| Scoring (since 1975) | |
| Highest Score (1997) | 227 |
| Lowest Score (2003) | 0 |
| Average Score | 94.931 |
This is an overview of the performance of the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest since they first took part in 1957, the competition's second year.
It should be noted that while the Eurovision Song Contest is taken quite seriously in some European countries, and seen as a source of national pride if they score highly, it is seen as more of a joke in the United Kingdom, mainly due to the alleged "political/regional voting patterns" and the country's own long history of successful popular music.
In 1999 the rules changed and the United Kingdom (along with France, Germany and Spain) are automatically qualified to the next year's final irrespective of their recent scores because they are the highest-paying European Broadcasting Union subscribers.
Up to and including 1998 (where the UK came second, following a win the previous year) the UK has almost always been in the top 10. Since then, with the exception of 2002 the record has been much worse, with no entries making it into the top 10, and include the infamous 2003 "nul points" result. As well as the poor standard of entries, this poor performance has perhaps also been attributed by some to unpopularity of the UK due to its relationship with America and most importantly the Iraq War[citation needed]. The United Kingdom have not be awarded 12 points from a country since 2002 (Austria were the last to do so).
[edit] Records
The UK has by far the best cumulative points record of any country in the contest, having won it five times (second only to Ireland's impressive seven), and by coming second fifteen times.
Until 2004, the UK also had the record for the largest number of points scored in a single contest, in 1997 with the runaway winner 'Love Shine A Light' which scored 227 points. It is worth noting however, that in 1997 25 countries voted, but in 2004 when the points record was broken, not less than 36 countries voted. The UK still holds the record for winning by the largest margin, 70 points, which was also in the 1997 contest.
In 1976 the UK received 164 points from 17 countries, which gives them an average of 9.64 points per country. This record has yet to date not been broken.
UK also holds the record for the most times in hosting the event (8 times). Even though they have only won the contest 5 times, they stepped in when other countries turned down the chance to host it. Ireland have hosted the event 7 times due to their 7 wins.
UK holds the record for receiving the most set of 12 points in one show. They received 10 sets of twelve points in 1997, however we share this record with Greece who also received 10 sets of twevlve points in 2005.
| Year | Artist | Song | Place | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Info link | Author | Composer | Conductor | |
| 1957 | Patricia Bredin | All | 7 | 6 |
| UK info | Alan Stranks | Reynell Wreford | Eric Robinson | |
| 1959 | Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson | Sing, Little Birdie | 2 | 16 |
| UK info | Syd Cordell | Stan Butcher | Eric Robinson | |
| 1960 | Bryan Johnson | Looking High, High, High | 2 | 25 |
| UK info | John Watson | John Watson | Eric Robinson | |
| 1961 | The Allisons | Are you Sure? | 2 | 24 |
| UK info | Bob & John Allison | Bob & John Allison | Hank Robinson | |
| 1962 | Ronnie Carroll | Ring-a-ding Girl | 4 | 10 |
| UK info | Stan Butcher | Syd Cordell | Wally Stott | |
| 1963 | Ronnie Carroll | Say Wonderful Things | 4 | 28 |
| UK info | Norman Newell | Philip Green | Eric Robinson | |
| 1964 | Matt Monro | I Love the Little Things | 2 | 17 |
| UK info | Tony Hatch | Tony Hatch | Harry Rabinowitz | |
| 1965 | Kathy Kirby | I Belong | 2 | 26 |
| UK info | Phil Peters | Peter Lee Sterling | Eric Robinson | |
| 1966 | Kenneth McKellar | A Man Without Love | 9 | 8 |
| UK info | Peter Callander | Cyril Ornadel | Harry Rabinowitz | |
| 1967 | Sandie Shaw | Puppet on a String | 1 | 47 |
| UK info | Bill Martin | Phil Coulter | Kenny Woodman | |
| 1968 | Cliff Richard | Congratulations | 2 | 28 |
| UK info | B. Martin & P. Coulter | B. Martin & P. Coulter | Norrie Paramor | |
| 1969 | Lulu | Boom Bang-a-bang | 1 | 18 |
| UK info | Peter Warne | Alan Moorhouse | Johnny Harris | |
| 1970 | Mary Hopkin | Knock Knock - Who's There? | 2 | 26 |
| UK info | J. Carter & G. Stephens | J. Carter & G. Stephens | Johnny Arthey | |
| 1971 | Clodagh Rodgers | Jack in the Box | 4 | 98 |
| UK info | David Myers | John Worsley | Johnny Arthey | |
| 1972 | The New Seekers | Beg, Steal or Borrow | 2 | 114 |
| UK info | T. Cole, G. Hall & S. Wolfe | T. Cole, G. Hall & S. Wolfe | David MacKay | |
| 1973 | Cliff Richard | Power to all our Friends | 3 | 123 |
| UK info | G. Fletcher & D. Flett | G. Fletcher & D. Flett | David MacKay | |
| 1974 | Olivia Newton-John | Long Live Love | 4 | 14 |
| UK info | V. Avon & H. Spiro | V. Avon & H. Spiro | Nick Ingman | |
| 1975 | The Shadows | Let me be the One | 2 | 138 |
| UK info | Paul Curtis | Paul Curtis | Alyn Ainsworth | |
| 1976 | Brotherhood of Man | Save Your Kisses for me | 1 | 164 |
| UK info | T. Hiller, L. Sheridan & M. Lee | T. Hiller, L. Sheridan & M. Lee | Alyn Ainsworth | |
| 1977 | Lynsey De Paul & Mike Moran | Rock Bottom | 2 | 121 |
| UK info | L. De Paul & M. Moran | L. De Paul & M. Moran | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1978 | Co-Co | The Bad Old Days | 11 | 61 |
| UK info | S. de Sykes & S. Slater | S. de Sykes & S. Slater | Alyn Ainsworth | |
| 1979 | Black Lace | Mary Ann | 7 | 73 |
| UK info | Peter Morris | Peter Morris | Ken Jones | |
| 1980 | Prima Donna | Love Enough for Two | 3 | 106 |
| UK info | S. de Sykes & S. Slater | S. de Sykes & S. Slater | Johnny Coleman | |
| 1981 | Bucks Fizz | Making Your Mind Up | 1 | 136 |
| UK info | Andy Hill | John Danter | Johnny Coleman | |
| 1982 | Bardo | One Step Further | 7 | 76 |
| UK info | Simon Jeffries | Simon Jeffries | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1983 | Sweet Dreams | I'm Never Giving Up | 6 | 69 |
| UK info | R. Roker, J. Pulsford & P. Wigger | R. Roker, J. Pulsford & P. Wigger | Johnny Coleman | |
| 1984 | Belle & the Devotions | Love Games | 7 | 63 |
| UK info | P. Curtis & G. Sacher | P. Curtis & G. Sacher | Johnny Coleman | |
| 1985 | Vikki Watson | Love is | 4 | 100 |
| UK info | V. Watson & J. Kaleth | V. Watson & J. Kaleth | Johnny Coleman | |
| 1986 | Ryder | Runner in the Night | 7 | 72 |
| UK info | Maureen Darbyshire | Brian Wade | No Conductor | |
| 1987 | Rikki | Only the Light | 13 | 47 |
| UK info | Richard Peebles | Richard Peebles | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1988 | Scott Fitzgerald | Go | 2 | 136 |
| UK info | Julie Forsyth | Julie Forsyth | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1989 | Live Report | Why do I Always Get it Wrong? | 2 | 130 |
| UK info | Brian Hodgson | John Beeby | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1990 | Emma | Give a Little Love Back to the World | 6 | 87 |
| UK info | Paul Curtis | Paul Curtis | Alyn Ainsworth | |
| 1991 | Samantha Janus | A Message to Your Heart | 10 | 47 |
| UK info | Paul Curtis | Paul Curtis | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1992 | Michael Ball | One Step Out of Time | 2 | 139 |
| UK info | P. Davies, T. Ryan & V. Stratton | P. Davies, T. Ryan & V. Stratton | Ronnie Hazlehurst | |
| 1993 | Sonia | Better the Devil you Know | 2 | 164 |
| UK info | D. Collinson & B. Teasdale | D. Collinson & B. Teasdale | Nigel Wright | |
| 1994 | Frances Ruffelle | We Will be Free (Lonely Symphony) | 10 | 63 |
| UK info | G. de Angelis & M. Dean | G. de Angelis & M. Dean | Michael Reed | |
| 1995 | Love City Groove | Love City Groove | 10 | 76 |
| UK info | S. Rudden, C. Mais, J. Williams, P. Hardy & Y. Charles | S. Rudden, C. Mais, J. Williams, P. Hardy & Y. Charles | Mike Dixon | |
| 1996 | Gina G | Just a Little Bit | 8 | 77 |
| UK info | S. Tauber & S. Rodway | S. Tauber & S. Rodway | Ernie Dunstall | |
| 1997 | Katrina & the Waves | Love Shine a Light | 1 | 227 |
| UK info | Kimberley Rew | Kimberley Rew | Don Airey | |
| 1998 | Imaani | Where are you? | 2 | 166 |
| UK info | S. English, S. Stirling & P. Mankiza | S. English, S. Stirling & P. Mankiza | James McMillan | |
| 1999 | Precious | Say it Again | 12 | 38 |
| UK info | Paul Varney | Paul Varney | No Conductor | |
| 2000 | Nicki French | Don't Play that Song Again | 16 | 28 |
| UK info | J. Springate & G. Shephard | J. Springate & G. Shephard | No Conductor | |
| 2001 | Lindsay D | No Dream Impossible | 15 | 28 |
| UK info | R. Ballard & C. Winter | R. Ballard & C. Winter | No Conductor | |
| 2002 | Jessica Garlick | Come Back | 3 | 111 |
| UK info | Martyn Baylay | Martyn Baylay | No Conductor | |
| 2003 | Jemini | Cry Baby | 26 | 0 |
| UK info | Martin Isherwood | Martin Isherwood | No Conductor | |
| 2004 | James Fox | Hold On To Our Love | 16 | 29 |
| UK info | G. Miller & T. Woodcock | G. Miller & T. Woodcock | No Conductor | |
| 2005 | Javine Hylton | Touch My Fire | 22 | 18 |
| UK info | J. Hylton & J. Themis | J. Hylton & J. Themis | No Conductor | |
| 2006 | Daz Sampson | Teenage Life | 19 | 25 |
| UK info | D. Sampson & J. Matthews | D. Sampson & J. Matthews | No Conductor | |
| 2007 | Scooch | Flying the Flag (for You) | ||
| UK info | R. Spencer, M. Schjolin, A. Hill & P. Tarry | R. Spencer, M. Schjolin, A. Hill & P. Tarry | ||
[edit] Hostings
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