Eurovision Song Contest....time to leave?

I had not watched the Contest for years but was pleasantly surprised to find it so entertaining. I certainly do not think we should leave because we did not get any points.

The best thing about Eurovision is Graham Norton's commentary as good and funny as Terry Wogan was before. Greece and Cyprus always give each other 12 points and many countries just give a neighbouring country the top mark also. It wouldn't matter whether the song was any good or nonsense. I think we should leave now it's no fun being last every time.

Dinahmo

Didn't like the French song. Far too emotional. I'm not a fan of chansons. I do enjoy Graham Norton's comments though.

I agree with those comments.I liked the simplicity of the set when the French singer was on, but found the song itself faintly ridiculous and over emotional.
I disagree with those who say the UK isn’t liked, that may well be the case by a few and there are always some countries that only ever vote for neighbouring ‘friendly’ countries too, but it doesn't explain the votes from the public in those countries.
They vote for what they like ( and apparently like many weird things!)?
I mean.....Italy? What a load of rubbish.I thought that Tix (Norway) was quite good, and the set and choreography was good too, and yet he didn’t get all that many votes.
Our own song was alright, and the singer had a reasonable voice, but looked a mess in a long black outfit, and the set! Who thought a couple of giant trumpets and a couple of blokes dressed in quasi tennis outfits was a good idea?
We have either got to up our game massively or leave the contest.If we did have a viable song/set and we still did badly, then we could leave the joke groups ( which most of them
were) to get on with it.

Namsnanny

I wonder what the average age of the audience was?

I suspect that the voting audience were young people from most of the countries.....what else explains the many points given for laughable songs?

To be honest I was so sick and tired of hearing Embers played on the radio, I couldn't bring myself to listen to the contest. I don't have live TV so rely on the radio to keep me up to date on news etc. and they were playing the life out of it. I'm all for supporting our acts, but this was overkill.

If I never have to listen to Embers again, it will be too soon.

I don't think our entry was anywhere near the worst, but then I've been hearing it played for weeks (months?) and it's a slow burner - you really need a bit of impact to compete in a Europop competition. I didn't hear all the entries, but didn't like the Italian, French or Swiss songs, so what do I know? I was rooting for the Swedish entry. Graham Norton was amusing, but of course he has to mind his ps and qs more than Terry Wogan ever did, so can't be quite as irreverent.

I daresay we'll keep paying our whack until people stop watching.

It was the first time I had heard Embers.?

Watched most of it as the big screen was up in the Argy Bar.?
Hadn't watched it for 10+ years.

Thought UK song was OK. There were a few much worse.

Miss Terry but Graham Norton held it together for me. Love his quips.

Glad they've dropped the announcement of all the voting numbers ?

Highlight for me was Olaf Yohansson (Iceland) giving the 12 votes.?

Galaxy

It really wasnt a great song.

I don't think that's the point of Eurovision now.

The dafter the song, the more ridiculous the outfits, the more it is Eurovision.

Eurovision has changed and the British just don't get it any more - they are trying to be good, not ridiculous.

But - we saw very little of it so don't mind me.
????

I think the whole thing should be streamlined with only 20 countries or fewer. Perhaps we should retire from it gracefully, after all the rest of Europe only want us for our financial contribution.

I feel we're always slightly behind the European trends - if a ballad wins we do one the following year, if it's a typical Euro-pop song we do that but still somehow miss the target.

I haven't seen it for a few years - the programme is far too long, just like the Oscars which feel like forever. I watched the Eagles in concert on Sky Arts - the music was far better.

Bill Bailey has volunteered to be next year's contestant. Should be interesting.

That’s a good idea, they would vote for Bill. They would have to admit his talent, his multiple instrument playing skills are legendary, and he would make everybody laugh!

Haven't watched for many years but decided to give it a go. Switched off after first two songs. Not my idea of entertainment. Modern music and screaming audience, no thank you.

Remember when the elegant, stylish Italian born Katie Boyle used to present the Eurovision? She could speak half a dozen languages fluently and was so gracious. I think she could charm the birds from the trees and probably helped the UK competitors garner votes along the way!

I once had saved up my housekeeping for weeks to treat myself to a visit to a posh hairdresser in S Ken. I think it was called Olofsen. Anyway who should be next to me but Katie Boyle who was in for her regular appointment. She was absolutely charming but I was aware that I could at best afford to go there every 6 months, she probably went every few days.

The 'Big Five' system is obviously not working. Out of the five, who I believe contribute more to get a guaranteed place in the final, UK, Germany and Spain were in the bottom five. If it had been an even playing field they wouldn't have been in the final at all.
I've no idea how the financial contributions work, but surely it's time for equal contributions and equal chances?

The UK song was pretty poor and the set and performance in general very lacklustre.

nadateturbe

Haven't watched for many years but decided to give it a go. Switched off after first two songs. Not my idea of entertainment. Modern music and screaming audience, no thank you.

I hadn't watched it in years, but recorded it and fast-forwarded to avoid most of it. My personal favourite was the angel from Norway, a beautiful song and fabulous costumes. I give null points to any tarty dancing girl groups who are all the same! The winning entry Italy was so awful it gave me a headache.

What I found interesting was that although they don't like our music they don't mind using our language. It was all in English! I seem to remember the host country always spoke in their own language at one time.

GrandmaKT

The 'Big Five' system is obviously not working. Out of the five, who I believe contribute more to get a guaranteed place in the final, UK, Germany and Spain were in the bottom five. If it had been an even playing field they wouldn't have been in the final at all.
I've no idea how the financial contributions work, but surely it's time for equal contributions and equal chances?

The UK song was pretty poor and the set and performance in general very lacklustre.

Yes, the big five free pass to the final is, in my opinion, unfair, not British fair play, and frankly counterproductive. If the United Kingdom cannot get through to the final then so be it, many other countries are in that situation.

It doesn't happen with football competitions.

Also, back in the 1960s I used to enjoy watching it. However, from the 1970s the sarcastic comments about other people's efforts came in.

In around 2010 just as a man was about to perform, the BBC commentator stated that the contestant had a receding hairline.

I haven't watched it since.

I really do not understand how the BBC has this culture nor why its leadership allows it to happen..

It does not happen at The Promenade Concerts or for the New Year's Day concert from Vienna.

For years in the 1990s when we had Astra analogue television I watched it on ARD, the German Channel. I could not understand the commentary but I avoided listening to BBC putdowns of other people's efforts.

And yes, it is BBC comments, not just the presenter.

BBC management responsibility.

The few I have seen bits of on YouTube, the BBC always seems to have just dancers dancing.

I saw one country once had a song about planting an apricot seed and watching it grow and there was mime of the story and a wonderful effect where a huge model of an apricot tree with white flowers on it rose up at the end as if the seed had grown.

We need a catchy, up tempo song, fast, with a female duet moving around and a stage set that they move through, so that there is visual effect.

Puppet on a string won outright.

Boom bang a bang was equal winner with three other countries.

Congratulations did well.

All before the dismissive sarcastic comments came in.

I really dislike put downs of the efforts of other people.

The BBC really show be better than that.

Absolutely! It’s just a joke now .......

Oh, the halcyon days back in the 60’s and 70’s, when watching Euro was a ‘must’ in the tv calendar.

Along with Miss World, the Boat Race, The Queen’s Christmas Day Broadcast, The RBL Remembrance Service, Last Night Of The Proms.....

I agree CalendarGirl - even once went to a Eurovision dinner party where we each “drew” a country like a sweepstake. Sounds dire, but actually a lovely evening.
Likewise a Boat Race “drinks do” in Putney -now that was posh, full of braying Hooray Henry’s, probably nice enough individually but en masse , well, paw and I chuckled heartily when we got home.
But it was all more fun in those days - oh dear, getting old. ??

Yes Maw, there were far fewer choices of stuff to watch on tv also, but they seemed better back then!

It’s a joke, that aside if we can’t produce a credible entry what’s the point of entering only to be ridiculed .

Long,long ago we used to watch and it those days it was good. Then it became more and more political with groups of countries voting in blocs so the best songs were often voted out because they belonged to countries no one had any sympathy for. The unfairness became more and more obvious,even allowing for different tastes.