Eurovision Song Contest....time to leave?

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.....

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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.

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.
????

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.?

It was the first time I had heard Embers.?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Never mind. Cardiff Singer of the World is coming up soon, and we can hear people who can really sing.

I think our entry was probably from the only person they could persuade to enter. You could have had Adele or Elton John performing and we’d still have been near the bottom. Our entry was c#@p but so were most of the others, at least of the ones I saw as I was bored silly and gave up half way. We only get through to the final every year due to our financial contribution. Time to end the masochism!

Our song was dreadful - why don't we have one of our good group or singers or is it that anyone who is halfway decent would not appear in Eurovision? Whatever you think of the winner - I thought it ok - they are an established band in Italy and fairly well known in Europe.

MayBee70, Lithuania was my favourite too. I think of it is humour related as they were just the right level of bonkers to be entertaining iykwim