A Song for Europe
Contents |
Host
David Jacobs (1957, 60, 62-66)
Pete Murray (1959)
Katie Boyle (1961)
Rolf Harris (1967)
Cilla Black (1968, 73)
Michael Aspel (1969, 76)
Cliff Richard (1970-2)
Jimmy Savile (1974)
Lulu (1975)
Terry Wogan (1977-96, 98, 2003-present)
Dale Winton (1997)
Ulrika Jonsson (1999)
Katy Hill (1999-2001)
Claire Sweeney and Christopher Price (2002)
Natasha Kaplinsky (2005-2006)
Fearne Cotton (2007)
Broadcast
BBC1, 1957 to present
(1996-99 as The Great British Song Contest, 2004-7 as Making Your Mind Up, 2008 as Eurovision: Your Decision)
Synopsis
The UK qualifying competition for the Eurovision Song Contest.
This has followed various formats over the years. In the nineties having one singer sing six to eight songs for the public to choose from via phone vote was all the rage, then having different acts sing different songs was "in". The conclusion has been reached via different ways over the years, veering between a straight phone in popularity contest, Eurovision-esque regional points scoring and back to straight phone voting again.
After the triumphant 0 points scored by Jemini in 2003, it changed its name to Making Your Mind Up in 2004 in an attempt to look like it was making more of an effort, although it's hardly Melodifest.
Trivia
El Tel had a scary few minutes in 1980 when Happy Everything by Maggie Moone and Love Enough for Two by Prima Donna both ended up on a tie at 131 points, and there was no procedure to sort this out on any form of countback system. Eventually the tie was split by a show of hands from the regional presenters.
In 2007, the contest was decided by a phone vote knocking four of the six acts out, the remaining two going into a "sing-off" (how very X-Factor). Following the sing-off between French singer Cyndi and cheesy-pop-from-1999-group Scooch, the winner was announced by hosts Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton. Unfortunately, Wogan and Cotton both announced different winners, leading to much justified confusion among the singers, the audience, and... well, everyone. Scooch, as announced by Fearne Cotton, were in fact the winners.
Trivia
Under the name 'Making Your Mind Up', the show has mainly been broadcast from BBC Television Centre, but did vacate to The Maidstone Studios for the 2007 final.
Web links
TV & Radio Bits: A Song for Europe results
Apply for audience tickets for the 2008 final (to be held on 1st March) from Standing Room Only
