logo
Inside Eurovision's curse from fatal plane crash to drug addiction as string of artists' lives are ruined after contest

Inside Eurovision's curse from fatal plane crash to drug addiction as string of artists' lives are ruined after contest

Scottish Sun17-05-2025

Read on to discover the string of artists whose lives have been ruined after the contest
TRAGIC TUNES Inside Eurovision's curse from fatal plane crash to drug addiction as string of artists' lives are ruined after contest
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
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.
7
Mae Muller is competing for the UK at the Eurovision song contest, held in Liverpool
Credit: PA
Aa girlband Remember Monday prepare to fly the flag for Brits tonight with a song titled What The Hell Just Happened?, we take a look at the bitter band break-ups, financial woes and unexpected tragedies that have hit Eurovision stars.
Sandie Shaw
Singer Sandie, now 76, went down in history as the first act to give Britain a win at Eurovision back in 1967 with her rendition of Puppet on a String.
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.
7
Sandie was the first British act to win Eurovision back in 1967
A year after her victory she married fashion designer Jeff Banks, but the pair divorced just over a decade later in 1978.
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.
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.
"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
Former UK winners Bucks Fizz, whose track Making Your Mind Up was the favourite in 1981, were riding high on success until a horror crash in 1984.
A bus crash in Newcastle broke the spine of band member Cheryl Baker, now 69, and put Mike Nolan, 68, in a three-day coma, causing life-changing injuries.
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.
Jay Aston, 62, and Bobby G, 69, were also injured but less seriously.
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.
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 was broke, leading to fans and former band members offering to help her out.
It comes after she battled mouth cancer and her daughter was hospitalised with meningitis.
Alexander Rybak
7
Alexander struggled with an addiction to sleeping pills and anti-depressants
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Norwegian winner Alexander, 36, set the record for the most points ever awarded in 2009 when he scored 387 for his song Fairytales.
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 sleeping pills and antidepressants.
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.
"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
In 1993, Niamh clenched Ireland's second victory at Eurovision with her rendition of In Your Eyes.
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.
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
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."
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.
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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Near hits: 13 songs performed by artists after being turned down by musicians
Near hits: 13 songs performed by artists after being turned down by musicians

Scotsman

time22 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Near hits: 13 songs performed by artists after being turned down by musicians

Would Kylie's recent smash hit Padam Padam have been quite as successful if it had been sung by Rita Ora? That's the question being asked by Ora herself, after admitting she nearly sang it. The 2023 track, penned by Lostboy, was initially considered for Rita Ora before it ultimately became Kylie Minogue's much-lauded comeback hit. Despite this, the 34-year-old singer has expressed no ill will about not recording the song. Speaking to the Daily Star, the British singer revealed that there were no hard feelings that the Australian pop icon ended up performing the song instead: 'I've always grown up with this saying, 'What's for you won't pass you'. And that's always how I've lived my life. And it's Kylie Minogue - she's the queen of the world, in my opinion. So, of course, Kylie's going to get it and kill it and do a great job. 'And in the pop industry, that happens every day to a lot of big artists - you just don't know about it." But Rita Ora isn't the only musician who either turned down, or was passed over, a song that went on to become a smash hit for another pop culture icon. Check out 13 of the near hits that could have occurred if the butterfly effect had been different. 1 . Baby One More Time (Britney Spears) This iconic track was famously offered to R&B group TLC and Swedish singer Robyn. TLC reportedly passed on it because they felt it didn't fit their image, and Robyn wasn't ready to release it. Instead, it went to Britney Spears and launched her into superstardom, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and topping the charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries globally. | Getty Images Photo Sales 2 . Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepsen) This incredibly catchy pop anthem was reportedly offered to Selena Gomez and even Justin Bieber (before he championed Jepsen's version) who both passed on it. It then became a massive breakthrough hit for Carly Rae Jepsen, spending 9 consecutive weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and topping the charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and numerous other countries worldwide. | Getty Images Photo Sales 3 . Don't Cha (The Pussycat Dolls ft. Busta Rhymes) This catchy track was reportedly offered to socialite Paris Hilton and the British girl group Sugababes before it became a breakout hit for The Pussycat Dolls. Don't Cha was a huge international success, peaking at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the charts in 15 countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Ireland. | Getty Images Photo Sales 4 . Gold Digger (Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx) This massive hit was originally written by Kanye West with a female rapper, Shawnna, in mind, but she decided not to use it. Gold Digger was a colossal hit for Kanye West, spending 10 consecutive weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It also reached number 2 in the UK and was a top 10 hit in Australia, Canada, and Ireland. | Getty Images Photo Sales

Who is Love Island's US star Antonia as fans divided by first bombshell
Who is Love Island's US star Antonia as fans divided by first bombshell

Daily Mirror

time27 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Who is Love Island's US star Antonia as fans divided by first bombshell

Love Island's first bombshell has been revealed as American pool waitress, Antonia Laites, who is bound to cause a stir among the class of 2025 as the new series gets underway on ITV Love Island's first bombshell is already in the villa and has caused a stir among fans as a new series of the ITV dating show gets underway. Fans couldn't wait for the sexy show to start last night and are in for a whole heap of drama as the new arrival was told that her entrance would send an 'original' girl packing. Pool waitress, Antonia Laites, from Sin City, Las Vegas, arrived as the end of Monday's launch episode to cause a stir among the saucy singletons. While the boys looked thrilled to see a new female in the house, not everyone was impressed. ‌ "Oh I can't be doing with the 'dramatic' twists already. Why can't you just see if they get on or not . Bring back the OG style of Love Island and the smoking round the fire pit," complained one fan. ‌ "Dumping someone after 2 days. What's the point in getting them in. Absolutely crazy. Waste of time waste of energy. They'd have prepped and gymed and dieted for weeks for this and told their work or whatever. To then be dumped after a day," fumed another. Other fans moaned about the arrival of the first American star in the villa, with one swiping: "Don't we have enough beautiful people of our own?" Stunning Antonia, 24, who was born in Connecticut, but has also lived n Miami, looks after the swanky VIP cabanas at the lavish Fontainebleau Resort in Vegas, where she waits on the rich and famous, while they soak up the sun. Speaking about bagging her 'coveted' job, she said: "I'm always the number 1 in sales at both hotels I work at. I'm a workaholic. You have to audition to get the job I've got - over 1000 people applied. There's only 10 cabana servers! For the audition they set up a fake pool deck, they tell you to load up trays and zig zag through the chairs. "The trays are heavy with pitchers and our large cocktails are really large! I've definitely dropped drinks on people before, but on the whole I'm really good." ‌ According to The Sun, Antonia has already sashayed into the villa, with a source saying: "Antonia landed as part of a huge first day and everyone is very excited." When asked who she is looking for in the villa, the American quipped: "Someone that can make me laugh - I'm super outgoing. And someone that's quite active. Maybe one day we could start our own family together." ‌ Ahead of her ITV debut, Antonia dubbed the dating scene in the states a 'mess', saying people are there for a 'good time, not a long time'. She also reckons she loves the British accent, claiming "British men are just more polite". She continued: "I've lived in three different states and I'm still single. It's time to try something new! I have some British friends and they're pretty charming. I think all Americans love a good accent. British men are just more polite, with better manners." However, she does have some deal breakers. Listing her "icks", she said: "Bad hygiene. Bad breath. Not getting hair cuts. If we're going on a date and you're not dressed for the occasion, then that's a bit of an ick! ‌ "I like to be treated like a lady, going to nice spas in Vegas, being taken to nice restaurants. I'm still waiting to be taken on vacation for a date." Heading into the villa, the brunette said she is looking for someone with "darker hair, definitely muscular but not too muscular. Super fit. Clean hair cut." ‌ Antonia has also revealed that she suffers from ulcerative colitis, which is an inflammatory bowel disease and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. Explaining that she was left hospitalised and needing an infusion when she younger, the bombshell said she almost missed her school prom but was allowed to go as long as she was back in hospital at 11pm "like Cinderella". Love Island host, Maya Jama, teased Antonia's entrance in last night's show as she purred, while sporting a silk dressing gown: "Oh, I've got a text... I've been expecting this one." ‌ She then listened to the message, which teased: "Hey Maya, I heard you want more twists. How about an American bombshell? Get ready, I'm on my way." * Love Island is on ITV at 9pm tonight

Unassuming hobby loved by pensioners now a trend for Gen Z after TikTok boom
Unassuming hobby loved by pensioners now a trend for Gen Z after TikTok boom

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Unassuming hobby loved by pensioners now a trend for Gen Z after TikTok boom

Birdwatching has become a massive trend on social media among younger Brits - meanwhile an increasing number of us are jetting off for wildlife holidays instead of boozy getaways If you thought birdwatching was a sport for retirees, you're mistaken – the newest enthusiasts of the trend are Gen Z. What's more, they're willing to travel to do it. While birdwatching might have a bad rep for being boring, Gen Z are proving that it is anything but. You might be surprised to find that #birdwatching on TikTok has over 374K posts on the app – mainly featuring young TikTokkers exploring the outdoors, showing off their best cottagecore outfits, as well as sharing their most impressive bird sightings. But instead of being seen as nerdy, it has viewers inspired. ‌ In fact, the growing popularity of the activity has even melded into Gen Z's growing interest in 'wildlife holidays'. Based on data gathered by the Travel Republic, searches for 'wildlife holiday' have increased by 336% over the past year. By comparison, searches for 'party holiday' decreased by 34%. ‌ Travel Republic revealed: 'We are seeing more and more young people looking to take part in activities traditionally associated with older generations, especially when it comes to activities centred around wildlife." They added: 'One major reason for this is that many Gen Zers are looking to spend their summer holidays in areas that are peaceful and centred around nature. Wildlife holidays are a great way to do this while also making unforgettable memories.' Some of the most popular destinations they've found Gen Z travelling to on wildlife holidays include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the US and Australia. However, not everyone is travelling to far-off countries to explore this hobby. It's also taking off as a trend in the UK. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! ‌ A British outdoor influencer, @emmy_explores, went viral after revealing her new favourite hobby: birdwatching. 'No words, just my RSPB guide and binoculars!!!' she said in her caption. The video garnered over 270K views and millions of comments. Commenters were quick to share their own growing love for birdwatching. 'I've started at 23 and by far the best part is all the older birders who are so excited to see a young person birdwatching,' one user said. Others added that they had started birdwatching as a teenager. 'It's the best relaxing hobby anyone can join. Sitting down in nature watching nature!' one commenter explained the appeal. Many other comments also added their appreciation for 'dad hobbies'. ‌ In Emmy's videos, she explores some of the UK's most famous beauty spots, like the Lake District. Sam Bentley is another popular UK-based ecologist who regularly posts videos of him performing 'bird surveys' which rack up thousands of views. In the UK especially, this is becoming more important than ever. According to government data , bird species across the UK have declined by 2% between 2018 and 2023. However, when you look at just England, this figure rises to 7%. One of the biggest causes of this are modern farmland practices according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird's (RSPB) State of Nature report 2023. This is largely due to the use of fertilisers and pesticides, which impact bird's food supply. As bird numbers fall hopefully Gen Z's reviving interest in these tiny dinosaurs will also lead to heightened awareness over their safety.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store