
Eurovision legend defends ‘smutty' contest a year on from ‘exposed testicle' blunder as she defends raunchy routines
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
EUROVISION has seen it all over its 69-year history from catchy Abba anthems to 80s skirt-ripping and men in fox masks.
But in recent years the sexiness has been ramped up with scantily clad milkmaids, cheeky backless chaps and even an exposed testicle blunder when last year's Finnish entrant saw his veg make a bid for freedom from his tiny pants.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
4
Cheryl Baker has defended 'smutty' Eurovision ahead of this year's contest
Credit: Stewart Williams
4
Last year Finland's entry showed more than he expected
Credit: AFP
This year's entrants are looking just as risque with Finland once again leading the charge, this time in latex hotpants, while Malta was forced to change its song title over complaints it sounded a little too similar to a crude word for a woman's privates.
Former winner Cheryl Baker, who took home the gong in 1981 with Bucks Fizz, certainly isn't taking issue with the Contest's 'smutty' side.
She's throwing a viewing party at her home complete with national flag bunting and balloons and can't wait to see the wacky and wonderful performances.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun on behalf of Heart Bingo, she said: "There was the one bloke last year that I thought, 'oh that's a bit going too far because he had one b*****k hanging out, didn't he?' That was a bit unnecessary.
"Yeah, it is a bit smutty but life's a bit smutty now isn't it? Everything a bit more extreme. It's so funny to think that those rip off skirts that Bucks Fizz used was such a jaw-dropping moment and it's nothing compared to what they rip off now.
"It's part of the Eurovision fun isn't it? It's always going to be that colourful, that extreme, that fabulous and joyous, it's such a joyous thing, and it's once a year, it's fantastic."
Last year Finland appeared to quite literally drop the ball, when Windows95man, performed in very small pants.
The visual artist, who's real name is Teemu Keisteri, left fans in shock after his testicles appeared to pop out.
He began dancing to the song No Rules! with a flesh coloured patch over his groin leaving little room for the crown jewels.
While Fizz's Eurovision win in '81 was much more innocent, there was still shock when Cheryl and bandmate Jay Aston had their skirts ripped their skirts off while performing Making Your Mind Up.
Eurovision legend drops huge hint she's in talks for Celebrity Big Brother after previously turning down five-figure offer (1)
It was tame by today's standards, but considered a controversial raunchy gimmick four decades ago.
So it's little surprise Cheryl is all for a bit of cheeky fun on the stage.
She said: "I think that's the fun of Eurovision. They are going to say saucy things, or try and get away with saying saucy things, or suggestive things.
"I mean, they've done it for years. It's going to get you points, or it's going to get you noticed, and of course you're going to do it.
"That's the beauty of Eurovision, it is tongue in cheek. I know it's important, especially for the winning act, well look at me, it changed my life.
"But the whole point of Eurovision is to bring everyone together and just have a wonderful love fest, you know, be happy and make it fun. That's the beauty of it."
4
The Polish milk maidens in 2014 left little to the imagination
Credit: AFP
4
Bucks Fizz performing in 1981
And she'd much rather see a saucy reveal than a divisive political speech that swaps escapism for grim reality.
"I hate it when politics comes into it," she said.
"I know it sometimes does, but, you know, to be there, like when I was in Liverpool, and to feel that joy, and everyone being together and everyone cheering each other on.
"I think that's the beauty of Eurovision. It's a real unity thing, Eurovision, and it's worldwide."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
'I was as famous as Zoe Ball and Sara Cox but then I was cut out of fame for no reason'
Former Top of Pops host and huge 90s presenter Sarah Cawood has a very different life 20 years on after 'TV gave up on here' One of the biggest TV hosts of the 90' s Sarah Cawood was one of the key Top of The Pops presenters as she rose to fame but 20 years after her big break her life looks very different. The former presenter got her first big break in the '90s working on kids TV for Nickelodeon and two years later she landed herself a job presenting Channel 4's The Girlie Show alongside Sara Cox. The show ran for two series and followed a magazine format, floating from features to interviews to live music and stunts. The show took the later 'post-pub' slot of 11pm on a Friday and was branded as being more edgy than its rivals and tried to cash in on the 'ladette' that swept through the decade. She then came aboard the revamped Live and Kicking programme for its final two years on the air. It was then she landed her biggest role on Top of The Pops. After her spell finished she would go on to present various mini-series and one offs including co-commentating the Eurovision semi-finals in 2007, 2009 and 2010. But it was around that time that many of the big presenting gigs dried up with Cawood joining the team for Heart East Anglia's breakfast show for a year in 2014 before leaving to focus on looking after her children. Earlier this year the star shared her health battle on social media after raising concerns about her breast cancer returning. She was initially diagnosed in 2022, received successful treatment and was given the all-clear. But posting to her fans she revealed the nerves of it coming back never left. In a candid Instagram post, she wrote: "This is the reality of anyone who has had any kind of cancer. I never struggled with health anxiety before but post-breast cancer it's all-consuming and it wears me out a bit tbh. "I have been feeling tired since the new year began and although it's probably just life-ing, there's always a niggling worry that it's back. "All I can do is carry on doing healthy things, moving my body, practising mindfulness and living each day with gratitude that I got to breathe again this morning. "So on we go! Batting away those intrusive thoughts and getting on with it. To anyone either going through a cancer diagnosis or anyone who has recovered from cancer and feels like this: I've got you, and my inbox is always open. "And remember, anything that doesn't feel right: get it checked out. Early detection is key." In her Instagram, she also shared with fans how she's made peace with being "unsuccessful" on TV. In another post, she added: "Do I miss telly? I miss the money! And yes, sometimes I wonder what went wrong, but I'm here now so I'm going to make the most of it, however, that looks


Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ed Sheeran reveals secret boozy night out with major sports star as he lifts lid on his huge celeb pals
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AS one of the nicest blokes in the music business, it's no wonder Ed Sheeran's little black book is crammed full of huge celebrities. And in a new chat on The Louis Theroux podcast, he talks about famous friends including Van Morrison, who once woke him up at 6am after a boozy night out with Rory McIlroy, demanding to see him. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 16 Ed Sheeran's little black book is crammed full of huge celebrities Credit: Getty 16 Van Morrison once woke Ed up at 6am after a boozy night out Credit: Getty 'I was doing a gig in Belfast and my grandmother had come down to the gig and she loves golf,' Ed said. 'Rory had come down and she loved being around him. We stayed up super late talking to him, and I'd say we went to bed at like 4am. 'About 6am, I got a call on my hotel phone from the hotel — 'Mr Morrison's in the lobby, he wants to have breakfast with you'. 'I was half asleep and half drunk. So I just hung up and I was like, 'I have no idea who Mr Morrison is.' 'Then I got another call and they said, 'Sorry, Van Morrison is in'. 'I ran downstairs and there he was waiting for me and we had breakfast, which is really surreal. 'I'm a huge fan. We spoke for ages about everything we did. One of the subjects was actually Spotify. 'I had embraced Spotify quite early in my career and I think he was asking me to explain Spotify to him.' Ed also talked about hanging out with Eminem after he worked on the rapper's 2018 song River. 'He loves comic books, Marvel movies and video games,' Ed explained. Ed Sheeran left red-faced after cops in India demand he shut down street performance 'I sent him a Nintendo 64 with Goldeneye on it because he'd never played it.' About his new album Play, which is out on September 12, Ed said it feels like a double-edged sword. He explained: 'The two joys of my life professionally are writing songs and performing. I f***ing hate releasing music. 'You love the songs so much and then suddenly you're putting them out there and that might change your relationship with them if other people don't like them. 'I'm trying my hardest not to let that happen. 'I find releasing it just kind of sucks the joy out of it.' ED ON DAVE... 16 British rapper and producer Dave Credit: AFP 'HE'S done a lot of production on the new record because aside from being a brilliant lyricist, he's also an incredible producer and writer.' ...ON SIR ELTON 16 Ed with fellow Brit Sir Elton John Credit: Rex 'HE still calls me Ed She-ran. I just think that's just programmed in.' ...ON STORMZY 16 Ed counts Brit rapper Stormzy as one of his pals Credit: Rex 'I BOUGHT my first car, a Mini, and I then drove him to the pub. He didn't fit in the back.' ...ON EMINEM 16 Ed in the studio with American rapper Eminem 'HE seems like he'd be quite shy but I don't think he is when you get to know him. His humour is very similar to mine.' ...ON SAM FENDER 16 Ed says he and Sam Fender have 'mutual respect' Credit: Getty 'I MESSAGED him just being like, 'I really like this song'. I still haven't met him, but I at least know that there's a connection somewhere of mutual respect.' PITBULL LEADS BALD E PARTY 16 Pitbull is back at London's O2 Arena Credit: Alamy 16 Pitbull fans love wearing bald caps Credit: Splash 16 The Sun's Jack in his outfit alongside a beaming Pitbull Credit: Supplied PITBULL is back at London's O2 Arena for another two sold out nights after a successful show earlier this year. Delivering possibly the most fun gig i've ever been to, his Party After Dark Tour is a nostalgic trip down memory lane with feel good banger after banger after banger. Everyone there simply wants to have a good time - with the tube to the venue packed with fans in costumes all singing at the top of their lungs. Chancing my luck, I opted to dress as Mr Worldwide himself... and safe to say it went down a treat backstage. After a flurry of possibly the hottest female dancers I've ever seen, Pitbull appeared out of his dressing room - catching my outfit and grinning from ear to ear. "Man I love it" he laughed before giving me a big hug. I quickly launched into a short tale of how I'd ran to Soho that afternoon to buy my baldcap - bumping into three other music lovers doing exactly the same thing. Smiling Pitbull said: "Well next time you see them you make sure you tell them from me thank you. I love all my Bald E's. "We are going to have a great show tonight. I can feel it. "For the first time tonight my band are going to dress as Bald E's too." He added on stage: "I tell you why I call you guys [fans] the bald E's. Because we fly high, and we soar high like bald eagles. So therefore we are the bald E's "And everywhere we go, and anytime you're there, you put on that bald cap and you already know you are going to have the time of your life. In fact new date from QR Code Generator have revealed searches for 'bald cap' have it an all time high in the UK amid Pitbull's tour. It's hard to quite put into words the energy in the O2 - 90% of the sold out 20,000 venue has come dressed as the star. Sure concerts like Taylor Swift have an amazing atmosphere and everyone dresses up but vibe at Pitbull is... different. No one cares about looking sexy or Instagram-ready as they are wearing a rubber bald cap and shirt. They are simply there to have a good time - and boy does he pull it off. You don't need therapy. You just need two hours at a Pitbull gig. By Jack Hardwick MARIAH BACK TO HER GOLD SELF 16 Mariah Carey dazzles in a glittering mini-dress Credit: Getty 16 Jennifer Hudson was also at the event Credit: AP 16 Doechii won Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Credit: Getty GOLDEN girl Mariah Carey turned back the clock and looked remarkably youthful as she performed at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Wearing a glittering mini-dress, she sang her new single, Type Dangerous, before collecting the Ultimate Icon Award. Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart were also at the event celebrating black entertainers, as was breakout rapper Doechii, who used her Best Female Hip-Hop Artist speech to take aim at Donald Trump for his crackdown on people protesting against immigration raids. The star, who will perform at Glastonbury later this month, said: 'Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. 'I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?' PULP HEAD TO GLASTO 16 Jarvis Cocker of Pulp performing on stage Credit: PA GLASTONBURY got fans into a frenzy when organisers announced the full festival line-up, including a mysterious band called Patchwork. Now I can reveal who the band destined for the Saturday Pyramid Stage actually are – as I have been told punters can expect a set from Pulp. Jarvis Cocker and co headlined the festival 30 years ago and last did a surprise set there in 2011. But they are about to return following their comeback with new music. The band are set to top the charts this Friday for the first time in 27 years thanks to their album More, so this will be the perfect way to celebrate. There are also plenty of whispers about surprise Glasto performances from Lewis Capaldi and Haim, so there's lots to look forward to in three weeks' time. But organiser Emily Eavis kept schtum about who Patchwork are when asked about them during the Sidetracked by Glastonbury podcast on BBC Sounds. Speaking to hosts Annie MacManus and Nick Grimshaw, she said: 'I've been working on Patchwork for a long time. I tell you what, pretty much since I saw you this time last year I've been working on Patchwork.' Asked if that meant they took 'a lot of persuading', she added: 'Well, it's more logistical.' Foo Fighters did a set under the name The Churnups in 2023, and this sounds just as exciting. MILEY END TO FAMILY QUARREL 16 Miley Cyrus says she was the one who ended her family fallout Credit: Splash MILEY CYRUS has revealed she was the one to end the family feud following her parents' divorce. On the Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast yesterday, she explained: 'My family and I have had a really difficult, dark decade. 'Half of us weren't speaking to each other at one point. And we cleaned all that up. That was a really important part of my year.' She added: 'I watched what happens when you don't clean things up as they're happening.' Asked if they'd had therapy, Miley said: 'We're so messy. We didn't even do any of that. To get each other in a room to even get to counselling would have been a war. So it was easier to just go, 'white flag'.' Miley, above, has written a song, Secrets, for her next album, about reconnecting with dad Billy Ray. RONNIE'S A PAINT ROLLER 16 Rock great Ronnie Wood shows he's handy with a paintbrush Credit: Getty FANS of Ronnie Wood can get their hands on his new art as he celebrates 50 years as a member of the Rolling Stones. The rock great, who is as handy with a paintbrush as he is with a guitar pick, had his work on display at the band's official store in London's Carnaby Street last week, before putting the items up for sale on his website. The musician's new exhibits include 50 – The Portraits which are hand-finished canvases of Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the band's late, great drummer Charlie Watts. Superfans can also buy an exclusive bundle that includes four portraits and a setlist from Ronnie's first show with the Stones in 1975, along with a limited-edition 7in vinyl single which contains a new recording by Ronnie. MUSE, the best live band I've ever seen in my life, have stepped in at the last minute to replace Kings of Leon as top of the bill for Madrid's Mad Cool Festival. The American rockers were forced to pull out after singer Caleb Followill injured his foot. But British act Muse will headline the opening night on July 10 instead. MICK HUCKNALL will be awarded ASCAP's Golden Note Award as he celebrates Simply Red's 40th anniversary. He will be handed the honour – recognising extraordinary career milestones – at an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ceremony in London on June 17. Previous winners include George Michael, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Sir Elton John. London singer and songwriter Lola Young will pick up the ASCAP Vanguard Award. Mick, you're my hero.


The Courier
19 hours ago
- The Courier
Overgate busker swaps street for stage as he lands Dundee Rep role
Dundee busker Spencer Shek is known for his soulful covers of classic ballads outside the city's Overgate. Shoppers and city centre residents may be familiar with Spencer's crowd-pleasing renditions of everything My Way by Frank Sinatra to Perfect by Ed Sheeran. But this week, the velvet-voiced singer will swap his streetside serenades for a stint on the stage at Dundee Rep in an upcoming Dundee Youth Music Theatre production. 'Chess' is a Cold War musical with music written by Abba's own Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus. Spencer is set to star as Freddie Trumper, a cocky chess grandmaster from the United States whose takes on his Soviet rival in a battle of wills, values and politics. For Dundee University law student Spencer, singing on stage is the dream. But he credits his busking days with giving him the confidence to pursue it. 'I originally started busking in Glasgow when I was 18 and fell in love with it,' says Spencer, 26, who is originally from Kilwinning. 'I was unsure of what busking would be like in Dundee after I moved here for university, but the public here are so lovely and welcoming of me and my music.' The popularity of his city centre performances has secured Spencer several wedding singer gigs, as well as performances at community events and special birthdays. 'My favourite moments are when I get to sing someone down the aisle,' smiles Spencer. 'I'm just in disbelief that someone would want me to sing them down on such as special occasion. I get emotional.' He recently joined the Dundee Youth Music Theatre and has thrown himself into the group. 'I've quickly bonded with everyone,' he says. 'We have such a talented cast and I'm incredibly privileged to be working with everyone there.' Spencer's big plan after university is to make it in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, or perform on the West End or Broadway. But the shrewd soon-to-be graduate is well aware of 'just how hard it is to make it in the music industry', which is why he's been working towards his law diploma since moving to Dundee. 'If it wasn't to work out, at least I still have my degree that I can use for a job that I very much take an interest in,' he says. 'But hopefully the music works out. Fingers crossed – that's the absolute dream for me.'