I think Jedward were the best performers in tonights semi-final

[TheUnMember]

Oh heavens above. I'm not just being unreasonable am I. I need an intervention.

Er... Austria?

Can anyone explain to me the purpose of the semi final and why we weren't in it? Didn't Jedward come higher than UK last year so why are they in the semi final and our entry gets to go in automatically. I don't understand!

They have 2 semi-finals now (2nd is tomorrow) because there are now too many countries wanting to take part, 42 this year. The previous winner automatically goes through to the final because they're hosting it. The UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy also always go through automatically because they're the countries who fund for it.

DSD met Jedward and they were lovely! Spent ages chatting and posing for pics and then made a point of coming to say bye before they left. Very polite normal boys really.

Is it on Saturday? Thank God, I thought I'd missed it. Why is it so late this year?

I love Jedward.

I think there are three or four countries that get automatic entry Mrsscoob, because they fund the greater part of the contest and probably wouldn't bother to do so if they then had to compete to be allowed to take part in it. I think it's the UK, Spain, France and Germany.

Hi, we've moved this thread into Telly Addicts. Thanks.

The UK, Sain, France and Italy are founder members of the European broadcasting Union and thus ge entry without having to qualify (along with the host country).

The semi finals are the result of increased entry numbers since all the Eastern bloc countries were admitted separately.

You can find out after the contest how the voting was ordered, including a separate ranking order of the public vote and the professional jury vote (which takes place during the dress rehearsal).

A bit of trivia: in its history, no song drawn at number 2 in the order has ever won (so that's Hungary buggered this year) and no one has won wearing an outfit of entirely blue or purple.

Johnny Logan is on Loose women this morning I'm going to be soooo disappointed aren't I