Inside Eurovision's curse from fatal plane crash to drug addiction as string of artists' lives are ruined after contest
THE Eurovision song contest is known for its wacky performances, colourful costumes and cheesy song lyrics.
But for some of its memorable contestants, life has taken a darker turn in the years since their big moment on stage.
Advertisement
7
Mae Muller is competing for the UK at the Eurovision song contest, held in Liverpool
Credit: PA
Aa girlband
Sandie Shaw
Singer Sandie, now 76, went down in history as the first act to give Britain
She was already a well-known singer when she entered the competition, with two number one singles under her belt.
But her life hasn't been rosy since her triumph.
Advertisement
READ MORE CELEBRITY NEWS
7
Sandie was the first British act to win Eurovision back in 1967
A year after her victory she married fashion designer
Sandie accused her ex of blowing her fortune on his struggling career, leaving her and their daughter destitute to the point where they had to go and live in a caravan.
The couple didn't speak for years, but in 2020 Sandie revealed she had forgiven Banks and they were talking again.
Advertisement
She told the Person of Interest podcast: "When he was losing all my money without asking I thought that was part of being married. It was a real wake-up call to me that that's not how it is.
Most read in TV
"I was with my mother-in-law, in the caravan, with my daughter, and we used to sit and knit squares in all different colours. Rainbow colours as a sign of our hope, wishing for something to turn out OK."
Sandie retired from music in 2013 and is now married to her third husband, psychologist Tony Bedford.
Bucks Fizz
7
Bucks Fizz won Eurovision in 1981 before a bitter set of breakups years later
Credit: Rex
Advertisement
Former UK winners
A bus crash in Newcastle broke the spine of band member
Both were catapulted through the windscreen, and at one point Mike was given his last rites in hospital due to internal bleeding and head injuries that left him fighting for life.
He pulled through, but developed epilepsy, lost 50 per cent of his vision in both eyes and became withdrawn, showing signs of personality change - though he's since claimed he's back to his old self.
Advertisement
The group split a year later, with Jay announcing she was leaving following an affair with Andy Hill, the husband of the group's creator, Nichola Martin.
In a bid to keep the group going, Shelley Preston was brought in as a replacement - but she left after just a year.
David Van Day was later drafted in, but when he too left it triggered a court case over the name of the band and who could use it - resulting in Bobby G keeping the naming rights.
Advertisement
Since then the group has had numerous members and now exists without a single person from the original line-up.
Last year Jay revealed she
It comes after she battled mouth cancer and her daughter was
Alexander Rybak
7
Alexander struggled with an addiction to sleeping pills and anti-depressants
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Advertisement
Norwegian winner
He made a second entry for the show in 2018 with That's How You Write A Song, but it didn't win.
In 2020 Alexander revealed that behind closed doors, he was struggling with an addiction to
He wrote online: "I've been living with a secret. For 11 years I have been addicted to sleep medications and antidepressants. It started out harmless, but in the end, it almost ruined my life.
Advertisement
"This January I started rehab (with good help from my doctors) and little by little I'm starting to feel like myself again.
"During the past years, the pills made me weak and scared. It affected not only my brain but also my muscles and stomach. It destroyed my relationships to people, but most importantly it almost destroyed my will to live."
He has since enrolled at Columbia College Chicago and is still releasing new music and updating fans about his life on social media.
Niamh Kavanagh
7
Niamh gave up showbusiness following her husband's debilitating stroke in 2018
Advertisement
In 1993,
She returned to compete again in 2010 with It's for You but couldn't replicate her previous success - placing 23rd overall.
Tragically, in 2018, Niamh's husband Paul Megahey suffered a debilitating stroke while she was performing on stage.
It left him unable to speak, but he is slowly recovering, though doctors have warned he'll never regain all of his abilities.
Advertisement
Niamh, 55, decided to quit fame and now works at Tesco as a customer assistant alongside her son.
Speaking about Paul, she told the Irish Sun: "He's doing very well. His speech is still a little hesitant at times but that's part of who he's going to be I think.
"It has taken a lot of his energy to recover from it and to make himself not to feel self-conscious."
Örs Siklósi
7
Örs died from Leukaemia three years after the band appeared on Eurovision
Credit: Getty
Advertisement
Hungarian Örs was the lead singer of Eurovision entry AWS who performed in the 2018 competition.
Tragically, three years later, his bandmates announced he had passed away aged just 29.
They wrote online: "To say the unspeakable, to describe the indescribable. That is what we now have to do. In June, Örs was diagnosed with leukaemia and now we are deeply saddened to inform you that he passed away yesterday.
"He wanted to open up about his illness last month, he had planned to release his fist solo record this spring and we were set to make the fifth AWS record and play shows again this fall. During this period his bravery and dignity were exemplary."
Advertisement
The band is still performing and have a new lead singer.
Alexandrov Ensemble Choir
7
The choir performed during a break with t.A.T.u when the contest was hosted by Russia
Credit: AP
One of the worst tragedies in Eurovision history happened on Christmas Day 2016, when the majority of the Alexandrov choir were killed in a plane crash.
The group had performed Not Gonna Get Us with t.A.T.u during the song contest's interval in 2009, when the event was hosted in Moscow.
Advertisement
The choir was travelling to a Christmas celebration with troops at a military base when the Russian military aircraft they were on crashed off the coast of Sochi while en route to Syria.
All 92 people on board were killed, including around 60 members of the group.
The choir is still going and currently markets itself as The Red Army Choir.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Colm Meaney ‘haunting' as Ian Bailey but mixed reviews emerge for new Jim Sheridan film on tragic Sophie murder
ACTOR Colm Meaney has been hailed for his 'haunting' performance as Ian Bailey in Jim Sheridan's new film about the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Re-Creation premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in Advertisement 5 Colm Meaney stars as Ian Bailey in the new film about Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder Credit: PR Handout image 5 Sophie was murdered in her holiday home in 1996 5 Bailey was investigated by the Gardai for her murder Credit: Sky UK 2021 / Barbara McCarthy Inspired by the The British journalist was investigated by But the Irish He Advertisement READ MORE ON SOPHIE'S CASE Sophie's uncle Undoubtedly there will be much interest in how While the Bailey character appears only in silence, website writes that: 'His presence looms large. His mute performance is haunting — it reflects how Bailey, a man loudly protesting his innocence for decades, was silenced more by public opinion than by any court.' However, reviews of the Advertisement Most read in TV The HoloFiles wrote: 'As the film progresses, a critical error becomes clear. Re- Creation does very little to orient viewers to the case of 'It heavily depends on prior exposure to and familiarity with the murder of Toscan Du Plantier. Sophie Toscan du Plantier's son on RTE's Late Late Show – saying he's 'ready to close chapter' after Bailey death 'If, like us, you approach the film without a rather thorough understanding of the case, there will be more than a few times where you find yourself confused.' 'COMPELLING VIEWING' But the reviewer added: 'Even when the film becomes muddled in confusing details of the case, the interactions between the members of the jury make for compelling viewing.' Advertisement HoloFiles also praised the movie's 'authentic performances'. They include director Jim, who plays Juror 1, who the website lauds for his 'extraordinary naturalism, so much so that one often feels like you're watching an actual person in a documentary'. Contacted by 'Not a likeable character, regardless of whether he was the killer of not.' Advertisement 'As the film progresses, a critical error becomes clear. Re- Creation does very little to orient viewers to the case of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier." HoloFiles Critics also praised Phantom Thread actress Vicky Krieps as Juror 8, who kicks off the story as the lone holdout of the jury. Unlike the others, Krieps' character feels the murder case warrants a not-guilty verdict, much to the utter dismay of the other jurors. The film shows flashbacks to evidence being presented by Aidan Gillen, who plays prosecutor Hamilton Barnes, while Vicky intensely battles over the verdict with But website The HoloFiles said that 'as a film about an investigation, Re-Creation falls short'. Advertisement 'NOT TRYING TO UPSET THEM' Sheridan, a six-time He added: 'I'm not trying to upset them, I'm not trying to do anything to them. 'But if there's a possibility that Ian Bailey didn't do it and he's pursued and hounded for 25 years, you can't cure one crime by committing another.' No release date has yet been given for Re-Creation in Ireland. Advertisement TIMELINE OF SOPHIE CASE December 23, 1996: Sophie's battered body, still in night clothes, is found outside her holiday home near Schull, west Cork, by a neighbour. February 10, 1997: Ian Bailey is arrested at his home for the murder but is later released. April 17, 1997: Inquest hears Sophie died from multiple injuries, including laceration of the brain and skull fracture, caused by a blunt instrument. January 27, 1998: Ian Bailey is arrested and quizzed for a second time, but is again released without charge. January 2002: A review is ordered into the murder investigation after a highly critical report is written by a solicitor. June 2008: A French magistrate orders the exhumation of Sophie's body for a post-mortem and forensic examination. July 2008: An inquiry into the handling of the murder probe recommends no prosecution. June to October 2009: French authorities travel to West Cork to view the crime scene and meet Irish investigators. Two Garda detectives travel to February 19, 2010: A French judge issues a European Arrest Warrant. April 23, 2010: March 18, 2011: High Court orders Bailey to surrender to European arrest warrant but he appeals to Supreme Court. March 1, 2012: The Supreme Court rules in Bailey's favour in his appeal against extradition. May 31, 2019: Bailey is found guilty of Sophie's murder in his absence in France. He is sentenced to 25 years in June 21, 2019: French authorities issue a third October 12, 2020: High Court rules against Bailey being extradited. Later, State decides not to appeal. It ends attempts to extradite Bailey. 5 Jim Sheridan said the film was not intended to cause any distress to Sophie's family Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 No release date has been announced yet for Ireland Credit: PR Handout image
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Legendary band set to receive major gong at Brits next year as bosses ‘kick off Manchester residency with a bang'
THERE'S only one band the whole country is talking about right now, with their sell-out international reunion tour just weeks away. So when the Brit Awards head up to Manchester next year, I've been told we can expect an Oasis extravaganza. 11 Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher are set to receive a major gong at the Brits next year Credit: PA 11 Liam and Noel at the Brit in 1995 Credit: Getty 'The Brits want to kick off their two-year residency in Manchester with a bang,' my Brits mole said. 'Oasis will have not long finished up their sold-out shows and the hope is that 'Along with it being heavy on Oasis, the Brits want to celebrate Manchester's rich music history. 'As well as Oasis, huge bands like The 1975, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Take That all have their roots in Manchester. London might be the music capital of the country, but Manchester is just as important and has given the UK some of our best homegrown talents. READ MORE ON OASIS 'It's a new adventure and the Brits team think they could be onto something very special.' We're expecting a very different vibe from the ceremony this year — and that's no bad thing. The annual event — taking place on at the Co-op Live arena on February 28 next year — has been slammed for now being a little stale, with more influencers and reality stars packed into London's O2 Arena than ever at this year's bash. It's little wonder then that Love Island's Most read in Bizarre All the gossip By taking the ceremony back to focusing on the music, with the stars taking to the stage in the state-of-the-art Co-Op Live Arena, this move could breathe some much-needed life back into the show I love so much. Naturally there will be some whingers who think that Manchester is a bit of a schlep, especially as all of our major music labels have their bases in the capital. Inside Noel & Liam Gallagher's first Oasis show in 16 years at surprise venue where they enraged neighbour But I'm told plenty of cash and creativity is being pumped into the bash by Sony Music, which spearheaded the move to Manchester and have taken on the stewardship of the awards for the next three years. A Brits spokesperson said: 'We are all very excited about the move to Manchester, and we look forward to planning a spectacular event. 'No decisions have been made about the 2026 show, and no meetings have taken place yet to start the planning.' With a deep breath, we've booked our hotel rooms and are scouting out the best celebrity hotspots to get you all the gossip from the event. That Avanti West Coast service back to London Euston is going to be heaving . . . SAM'S LOVIN' IT WITH ROSA 11 Sam Fender in McDonald's with girlfriend Rosa Collier Credit: Click News and Media 11 The pair were seen looking loved up in the fast food chain Credit: Click News and Media 11 Rosa brought the food out for Sam to 'stop him being mobbed by fans' Credit: Click News and Media NOTHING says 'I love you' more than sharing your Big Mac and fries. And it seems I revealed in March that Sam had secretly been seeing Rosa for almost two years and the pair were snapped together in public for the first time when they stopped for food at County Durham services. An onlooker said: 'Sam is a superstar but he keeps his personal life low key. "He was really affectionate towards Rosa and, after he'd ordered their haul, he headed back to the tour bus with Rosa bringing him the food to stop him being mobbed by fans.' Friends told me earlier this year that Sam met Rosa while she was studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. They became more serious in 2023 and she's been on the road with him for his mega People Watching world tour – which saw him playing to 80,000 people at the London's Olympic Stadium on Friday night. They added: 'Sam's career has gone stratospheric but he likes to keep his feet on the ground and Rosa helps him do that. 'They make a lovely couple.' They sure do. ROD'S EXTRA GIG GUESTS 11 Sir Rod Stewart has promised three special guests for his Sunday afternoon legends slot at Glastonbury Credit: Getty 11 His Rolling Stones pal Ronnie Wood will be joining him on stage Credit: Getty SIR ROD STEWART had already let slip that his Rolling Stones pal He has promised three special guests for his Sunday afternoon legends slot at the festival at the end of the month. Admitting he won't nail down the setlist for the 90-minute performance until the night before, Rod said: 'We've been running [through it] because I have two guests coming on. "Three guests actually, so we're doing their songs. But no, it won't be until the night before.' But does that mean he will be on his best behaviour at Worthy Farm? Doesn't sound like it. The Faces legend – who has been forced to cancel a string of gigs in the US this month while recovering from flu – said he will be treating himself to some Bacardi and Coke before going on stage. He added: 'This time, we're all in a hotel in Bath the night before, me and the band, all the road crews, so we're going to have a right old p***-up. 'It's obviously the last time I do it, so I want it to be memorable. 'But I'm just going to go in, have a few drinks before I go on and enjoy myself like I've always done all my life.' It will be his second time at the festival after headlining in 2002, but it sounds as though he had a fair few drinks then, too. Asked what he recalls about last time, he confessed: 'Nothing. 'I think it's the alcohol intake over the years. 'I just cannot remember what happened at Glastonbury.' But while it will be a special moment, it has not come cheap. Speaking on the Sidetracked podcast on BBC Sounds – recorded before his recent illness – he explained: 'It's actually cost me £300,000 to do the show because I've got to bring all the band back from America and I've got to take them all the way back to America. 'Believe it or not, my kids, three of them, all bought their own tickets, because Glastonbury give nothing away. Nothing. 'Everybody asks me for tickets. All the time. Everywhere. People just come out of the woodwork. 'Oh, you haven't spoken to me for 25 years. Any chance I could have a ticket?'' Rod is a busy man, as alongside the Glasto show, he is working on the first Faces album for over 50 years, a solo country album, another solo record, plus documentaries about his life and his time as frontman of the Faces. But the singer said: 'I'm enjoying performing now more than I've ever done in my entire life and I'm in my 80s. 'You'll see it at Glastonbury. 'My energy, enthusiasm is overwhelming, almost. I've got a band that I absolutely adore being with.' And he's so excited to be there on the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday legends slot that he is even looking forward to people chucking their pants at him on stage – despite the fact they may be days-old, unwashed underwear. He added: 'Oh, it doesn't matter. 'They're my people.' Rather him than me . . . JADE'S CRAZY ABOUT HER KESHA COLLAB 11 Jade is lining up her first major collaboration since going solo Credit: Splash 11 The former Little Mix star will be teaming up with Kesha Credit: Getty JADE is lining up her first major collaboration since going solo, by teaming up with We've been told she is set to feature on a remix of the US star's new single Boy Crazy, after they both performed at Mighty Hoopla festival in London earlier this month. They have been leaving clues on each other's Instagram posts in recent days, with former Little Mix star posting a photo of herself in a Boy Crazy T-shirt. Kesha commented: 'U boy crazy too? We should go out…' to which Jade replied: 'Let's party!' It could be the perfect move to introduce her to more fans in the States, where Little Mix never hit the big time. She is being managed by a team in the US who want to make her a star there following the success of her debut solo single Angel Of My Dreams and her Brit Award for Pop Act. Jade's album That's Showbiz Baby! will be out on September 12, followed by a UK tour in October which is almost entirely sold out. She's already moved on to big things, but I have high hopes for what's next. WINNER CARDI IS TWO GOOD 11 Cardi B picked up two gongs at the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards Credit: Getty The I Like It singer was handed the Voice Of Culture gong for her influence on the music industry and picked up an award for her track Enough (Miami). Cardi looked pleased as punch with her haul and later celebrated in at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. It was a flying visit for Cardi, who is seriously loved up with her new man, American Footballer Stefon Diggs. Before flying into LA to pick up her gongs, Cardi spent her weekend at an NFL kids football camp hosted by Stefon in Maryland – with the superstar posing on the side of the pitch with the New England Patriots player. BILLIE HAS HOL LOT OF LOVE 11 Billie Eilish and Nat Wolff on holiday in Italy Credit: supplied They were pictured in a clinch on holiday in Italy at the weekend, almost a year after he played the singer's love interest in the video for song Chihiro. LIOINEL: TOUR IS A PAIN LIONEL RICHIE's Hello To The Hits tour is hitting Manchester for two nights on Thursday, following a mammoth show in Birmingham last night. After the shows at the Co-Op Live arena, the American soul legend will then return to the capital for one final show at London's O2 Arena on Sunday. So it's little surprise Lionel is feeling the burn, joking on stage: 'When you see me jumping and running, sliding, running up stairs, running down stairs, I want you all to know one thing – I'm in pain.' His high-intensity shows are fuelled by early nights and electrolytes, with Lionel performing 22 of his biggest tracks including Dancing On The Ceiling, Endless Love and All Night Long. But while he has the moves of a man half his age, Lionel said his vocals are given a rest – by the audience. He adding: 'When you come to my show, the last person you'll hear singing is me.' We caught Lionel live in London on Friday night and can confirm this is true. And his performance was a masterclass for younger artists. Lionel, never stop. They will join headliners Sam Fender, THE festival set up in memory of TV's Caroline Flack hopes to top £1million in fundraising for mental health support after this year's one-day event. Flackstock has raised over £700,000 in its first three years, with the money split between Choose Love, Mind, Samaritans and the Charlie Waller Trust. This year, another charity, the Flackstock Fund, will also benefit. Stars at this year's event, on August 8 at London's Hope to see you there.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
British author Frederick Forsyth dies aged 86
Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness, his literary agents Curtis Brown said. The best-selling author was surrounded by his family as he died at home this morning, Curtis Brown added. The British novelist is best known for writing thrillers like The Dogs of War, The Fox, The Kill List and The Afghan among others. A former correspondent for Reuters and the BBC, and an informant for Britain's MI6 foreign spy agency, Mr Forsyth made his name by using his experiences as a reporter in Paris to pen the story of a failed assassination plot on Charles de Gaulle depicted in the 1971 novel The Day of The Jackal. His agent Jonathan Lloyd said "We mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers. "Only a few weeks ago I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life - In My Own Words, to be released later this year on BBC One - and was reminded of an extraordinary life, well lived." Mr Lloyd said Mr Forsyth has served as "one of the youngest ever RAF pilots", adding that he then turned to journalism where he used "his gift for languages in German, French and Russian to become a foreign correspondent in Biafra". "Appalled at what he saw and using his experience during a stint as a secret service agent, he wrote his first and perhaps most famous novel, The Day of the Jackal (1972), and instantly became a global bestselling author," he said. Mr Lloyd said the late author wrote "more than 25 books, many of which were made into films, that have sold over 75 million copies". "He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, all of us at Curtis Brown and of course his millions of fans around the world - though his books will of course live on forever," he added.
