To think the UK should not fund the Eurovision Song Contest?

[NowIsTheSpringOfOurDiscontent]

Or bother entering obviously.

It’s a humiliation and everyone hates us so we hardly get any votes. None this year due to Brexit and the Covid vaccine probably.

Poor James . He certainly didn’t deserve NIL points!

The U.K. has a good Eurovision record. Only Sweden and Ireland have more wins than us. There are 39 countries currently competing. We last won less than 25 years ago.
Our song wasn’t good. There were better songs that didn’t even get through to the final. Humiliating “nul points” finishes sometimes happen. Ann Sophie from Germany got nothing in 2015 with a performance that wasn’t awful, just bland and forgettable.
The U.K. is obsessed with the idea that voting is “political”. With the possible exception of the win for Ukraine, which came at a time of quite strong anti-Russian sentiment in Europe, I just don’t see it. Even then, Russia did well in 2016 and placed third despite being deeply unpopular in huge swathes of Europe at the time. Since 2010 there have been two wins for Sweden and one each for Denmark, Azerbaijan, Germany, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Israel and Ukraine. It’s a fair spread covering Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, Northern Europe and Western Asia.

You can't just give the contest to a commercial channel. The EBU is publicly funded.

I agree that the UK should not buy their place in the final. Even if they don't make it through the semi finals people will still watch it on tv. It's an event once a year and a bit of light entertainment.
Our song hasn't done that well for years anyway! Let them get the final the hard way!

I’m old enough to remember the likes of the New Seekers, Cliff Richard and Lynsey de Paul representing the UK. They would perform 6 songs and the public would vote. The winning song would get lots of airtime before the contest, did well in the charts and would do well at the contest even if it didn’t win.

UK is popular enough for huge numbers of young Polish people, and others to come and work here though..

@Giantrooster

At this rate can you blame not only Europe but everybody for thinking badly of you? Bloody hell will you get over yourselves, we don't give you a second thought. And excuse my not perfect language for not being a brit. Can I suggest you pack away the paranoia and take 20 years singing fluently in a another language.

Are you actually kidding me right now?

Like a number of others, I am sick and tired of our country being bashed, and berated, and even more pissed off that it's slated by so many countries, and yet everyone seems to want to come here!

WTF is THAT about? Hmmmm, I wonder what could POSSIBLY be attracting them?!

If we are that bad, why do SO many people from other countries want to come here? And to the Brits who were born here, who also seem to hate their OWN country... well, feel free to leave at any time. No-one is forcing you to stay. See if any other country is any better.

And please spare me the little englander/gammon/brexity bigot comments. I have heard them all before, from remainers/EU sycophants who have no argument.

@TableFlowerss

I can’t believe people watch it. It’s the biggest pile of shite and completely politically motivated. All the poorer EU countries voting for the richer EU countries.... even when their songs a crap.

The vast majority of songs are absolutely crap from all countries. I know it’s just a bit of fun in reality but it’s also another Britain bashing opportunity. Even if we had the best song, we’d still not win because we left them!

100% THIS! ^ As I said, they're all jealous and bitter. (well most of them!) The countries who aren't jealous and bitter, are a bit envious, and curious to know how THEY can also leave the hideous, controlling, manipulative European Union!!!

I think it's also important to remember that countries vote for their neighbours because they often have similar tastes in music. Claiming it's all political stinks of sour grapes.

I remember one year one year the UK host claiming 'politics' when Sweden gave Norway 12 points. But the Norwegian song was genuinely the favourite here. It was on the radio all the time and number 1 in the charts. They claimed the same over a balkan state giving its neighbour 12 points when the song did seem a bit crap. But my friend from the neighbouring state understood the lyrics and said they were absolutey hilarious and that's why her country voted for it.

[quote littlepattilou]@TableFlowerss

I can’t believe people watch it. It’s the biggest pile of shite and completely politically motivated. All the poorer EU countries voting for the richer EU countries.... even when their songs a crap.

The vast majority of songs are absolutely crap from all countries. I know it’s just a bit of fun in reality but it’s also another Britain bashing opportunity. Even if we had the best song, we’d still not win because we left them!

100% THIS! ^ As I said, they're all jealous and bitter. (well most of them!) The countries who aren't jealous and bitter, are a bit envious, and curious to know how THEY can also leave the hideous, controlling, manipulative European Union!!! [/quote]
Think that's utter rubbish.

@FatCatThinCat

I think it's also important to remember that countries vote for their neighbours because they often have similar tastes in music. Claiming it's all political stinks of sour grapes.

I remember one year one year the UK host claiming 'politics' when Sweden gave Norway 12 points. But the Norwegian song was genuinely the favourite here. It was on the radio all the time and number 1 in the charts. They claimed the same over a balkan state giving its neighbour 12 points when the song did seem a bit crap. But my friend from the neighbouring state understood the lyrics and said they were absolutey hilarious and that's why her country voted for it.

And I bet they never cried 'politics' when Ireland gave the UK high points.

The entitlement from some here is off the charts. If you send a shit song, expect to do shit (and it wasn't even an entertainingly shit song, which could have earned a few points). The UK routinely send weak pieces and then there's dismay when they don't perform well. My own country (Ireland) is doing the same, why would I complain when a forgettable song gets forgotten?

There seems to be an expectation from some that others will vote for you just because you're British.

@AccidentallyOnPurpose

Ireland is the country with most wins. Chew on that .

Not lately 😕. We got a bit up ourselves and sent Dustin the Turkey one year, who was of course booed. I yield to no one in my love for Dustin. But you don't take the piss out of Eurovision and expect to win it. Even if it is silly and camp.

they're all jealous and bitter.

We’re definitely not jealous 😂

And I remember when we won it back in 1997 (or something like that) with Katrina and the Waves. People liked the song and it won because it was actually a really good and catchy song by a likeable and warm act.

Aw, that was such a fab song - and it won by absolutely miles as well!

Exactly. People are acting like we are putting forward Led Zeppelin each year and still getting zero points. Even our terrible songs are worse than the most terrible songs of other countries. The songs we put forward don’t even do well on our own top 40 charts with our own natives.

As I said, they're all jealous and bitter. (well most of them!)

Jesus Christ, just stop, I'm cringing for you.

I stopped watching it when half of the countries had 'stan' on the end of them.

on a separate note, what the hell has happened to Graham Norton's accent!?? He sounds neither English, nor Irish. I also lived in the UK for 14 years so I know that your accent changes over time but he sounds weird now.

@SunflowersAndLavender

We should remove ourselves from the group of funders and just apply to get through the heats like everyone else. I am not sure quite why a handful of countries should being paying for everyone else's benefit anyway. There should be one flat price to apply to be in it and everyone should pay the same.

This. ^ And it was the same with the EU. Half a dozen countries funding the other 23-24 or so. That's why we left! (And why others will follow..............)

If we are that bad, why do SO many people from other countries want to come here? confused And to the Brits who were born here, who also seem to hate their OWN country... well, feel free to leave at any time. No-one is forcing you to stay. See if any other country is any better.

Germany has more immigrants than the UK, and France a similar number. Spain and Italy not far behind. People want to live in a country where they can earn lots of money - eg Western Europe/N.America. The UK has the other selling point of being English speaking, which most immigrants will have learnt at school regardless of where they were born.

@Morgoth

Exactly. People are acting like we are putting forward Led Zeppelin each year and still getting zero points. Even our terrible songs are worse than the most terrible songs of other countries. The songs we put forward don’t even do well on our own top 40 charts with our own natives.

Exactly, we put out bland shite that no one in this country thinks is good, but expect everyone in Europe to vote for us and then call them 'bitter and jealous' when they don't?

Oh, the year Ireland literally entered a Turkey, I thought it was funny myself. Perhaps a bit disrespectful to the whole process but funny.

@supermoonrising

If we are that bad, why do SO many people from other countries want to come here? confused And to the Brits who were born here, who also seem to hate their OWN country... well, feel free to leave at any time. No-one is forcing you to stay. See if any other country is any better.

Germany has more immigrants than the UK, and France a similar number. Spain and Italy not far behind. People want to live in a country where they can earn lots of money - eg Western Europe/N.America. The UK has the other selling point of being English speaking, which most immigrants will have learnt at school regardless of where they were born.

Soooooo, they want to come here, and yet they hate us!

Nice.

@Abhannmor do you think any other country besides the UK understood that ''Turkey'' means failure? Did other countries with English as a second language understand that? We have done worse sending humans though than we did that year we sent Dustin.

Hard to believe that Israel’s presence hardly caused a stir. Imagine Iran murdering dozens of children and then being invited to a singing contest.

If we are that bad, why do SO many people from other countries want to come here? confused And to the Brits who were born here, who also seem to hate their OWN country... well, feel free to leave at any time. No-one is forcing you to stay. See if any other country is any better.

Well apart from the fact that other countries do have lots of immigrants, a big draw to the UK is that it is English speaking and lots of people in other countries speak English and if you are thinking of somewhere to move to, a place where you speak the language is going to be higher on your list.

And the fact that so many other people speak English is why fucking idiots like Amanda Holden have the luxury of making her stupid 'oh my god I can't even tell the difference between French and Dutch but look at my fabulous dress daaaaahlings' remarks.

@Letsgetreadytocrumble

Well apart from the fact that other countries do have lots of immigrants, a big draw to the UK is that it is English speaking and lots of people in other countries speak English and if you are thinking of somewhere to move to, a place where you speak the language is going to be higher on your list.

PMSL, do you actually seriously believe that?