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Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Remember Monday in crushing Eurovision defeat as final position revealed after 2025 winner announced
The trio racked up a number of points from the juries final score Remember Monday in crushing Eurovision defeat as final position revealed after 2025 winner announced Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE UK has once again suffered a crushing defeat in the Eurovision Song Contest. Girl group Remember Monday came in 19th place after performing What The Hell Just Happened? - landing zero points from the public. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Remember Monday failed to be victorious during the Eurovision Song Contest Credit: AP 3 JJ from Austria was gobsmacked to discover he had won the competition Credit: AP The competition was won by Austria's JJ after 26 acts battled it out on stage in Basel, Switzerland. Friends Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele were the first girl group act from the UK to perform since 1999. Last year's UK entry - Olly Alexander - finished in 18th place with 46 points for his song Dizzy. During tonight's competition Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, an October 7 survivor, sang the heartfelt New Day Will Rise. BBC Eurovision Song Contest commentator Graham Norton said there was a "mixed response" in the arena to Raphael, 24, who he said attracted cheers and boos. Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR said her act also saw a crew member hit with paint, after two people tried to rush on stage through the barrier after Raphael's performance. "They were stopped," a spokesman said. "One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit. "The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police." A spokesman for Basel police said: "The organiser handed the two people over to the police. The police checked the two people and then released them. It is now up to the organiser to decide whether to press charges." The winner was determined by viewer votes in the participating 26 countries and juries made up of the music industry. The rest of the world also had a poll, which counted the same as a country, and the verdict of TV viewers were added to the combination of points from national juries. The UK's national jury votes were announced by singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor after Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa pulled out of being the British Eurovision spokesperson due to "unforeseen circumstances". 3 Remember Monday were gobsmacked when they were given 12 points from one of the juries Credit: BBC
Wales Online
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
When was the last time the Eurovision Song Contest was held in the UK?
When was the last time the Eurovision Song Contest was held in the UK? With the 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest fast approaching, you may be thinking to yourself, when was the last time the United Kingdom hosted the famous singing competition? Sam Ryder came in second place in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022. (Image: AP Photo/Luca Bruno ) There's just a week to go until the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 and the 69th edition will be held in Basel, Switzerland following last year's win in Malmö, Sweden. Nemo won the competition in 2024 with their song The Code, and much to the disappointment of the United Kingdom, our entry Olly Alexander from the band Years and Years placed 18th with their song Dizzy. Over the years the placing of the UK's acts on the leader board has varied, with our last win taking place in 1997 and in 2021 we received nil point. However with this year's contest fast approaching, you may be thinking to yourself when was the last time the United Kingdom hosted the famous singing competition? For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . In 2023, the UK had the honour of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool on behalf of the Ukraine. In 2022 the country won the competition with their act Kalush Orchestra, but due to ongoing conflict with Russia they were unable to host and instead the UK who came second the competition stepped up to help. The UK act that year, Sam Ryder, came second with hit song Space Man and was awarded a massive 466 points becoming the highest scoring UK entrant ever. However, it wasn't enough to beat the Ukraine's 631 points. Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 contest (Image: PA Media ) Article continues below The three live shows were presented by Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina and much loved commentator Graham Norton joined the trio for the grand final. Before this, the last time the UK hosted Eurovision was in 1998, following Katrina and the Waves' win with Love Shine A Light the previous year. That event was held in Birmingham and won by Israeli singer Dana International, with the UK's Imaani coming second. In total, the UK has hosted the contest nine times. There has never been a Eurovision hosted within a Welsh city, despite talks of 2023's contest being hosted in Cardiff before Liverpool was selected. Several UK cities have hosted Eurovision, including London in 1960, 1963, 1968, and 1977, Edinburgh in 1972, Brighton in 1974 and 1998, Harrogate in 1982 and Liverpool in 2023. Katrina and The Waves won the competition in 1997, and then the UK hosted the following year in Brighton (Image: Rebecca Naden/PA Wire ) In fact, ABBA famously won the competition on behalf of Sweden in 1974 in Brighton, with everyone's favourite karaoke song 'Waterloo'. The UK first entered the contest in 1957, and since then has boasted a remarkable Eurovision record, having finished second an unprecedented 16 times, plus holding the longest streak of top five finishes and the most consecutive appearances in the Grand Final. Representing the UK this year is the band Remember Monday, a trio of female singers who met whilst studying at The Sixth Form College Farnborough. The trio consists of best friends Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steel, who have appeared on ITV's The Voice. Read more here. On Saturday, May 17 they will performing their song 'What The Hell Just Happened?' on behalf of the United Kingdom at the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest. You can watch the competition live on BBC and BBC iPlayer from 8pm. Article continues below
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
First look at Remember Monday's Eurovision staging - and it's very different
Last year viewers disliked Olly Alexander's seedy effort on stage, so this year Remember Monday have gone for a fun and frothy look to accompany their super-strong vocal harmonies The UK's Eurovision act Remember Monday are going all-out to banish memories of last year's seedy staging for Olly Alexander, with a 'fun and wholesome' theme for their song, What The Hell Just Happened? After looking as though he was performing his number Dizzy from a gents public toilet, Olly was humiliated during last year's competition after failing to pick up a single point from the public televote. In stark contrast, Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele aim to put on a fun and girly display at Eurovision. The UK delegation revealed that the setting is 'the morning after the night before' and the trio are reflecting on the events of the previous evening from a Regency-style boudoir featuring a padded screen with a central heart cut-out. They explained: 'As the first chorus hits we pull out and the girls progress down the catwalk taking us back to the chaos of the previous evening. On the main stage is a giant chandelier that has crashed down to earth.' During initial rehearsals no pyrotechnics have been used - but they have been promised for the main event. An official blogger for the European Broadcasting Union was granted access to the first rehearsals at the arena in Basel and was impressed by what they saw from Remember Monday. 'The three-part harmonies take the roof off St Jakobshalle, but there's also a really powerful connection between these three singers – at one point they all start to laugh as they sing, and it feels really warm and natural,' the blogger reported. 'Their West End stage experience really shows, but they're also best mates and that shows too. The whole thing is just a huge amount of fun, in the best possible way.' The three-metre high chandelier, complete with scores of candles, dominates the stage and lights up the whole performance - until the very end when the stage is plunged into darkness. When the lights return, the girls re-emerge 'in the safety of the boudoir for a final sweet moment'. The blogger wrote: 'In terms of costumes, it's very much the Bridgerton-meets-Moulin Rouge corseted dress vibe, with lots of flounces and sparkles. There's also a very cute final shot where they sing the closing notes through the heart in the boudoir screen.' The three Remember Monday friends met in sixth form and created the country band 14 years ago, but only quit their day jobs to go full-time 18 months ago. They are seeking a top ten finish in Switzerland on May 17 and are currently sitting in 13th place with the bookies, with odds of 66/1 to win. The hot favourite is Sweden (21/20), followed by Austria (11/4) and France (9/1).
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What is Eurovision bloc voting and who benefits from it?
Eurovision has built its name on frothy pop fun, sparkle and questionable fashion, but over the years there have many whisperings about politics being at play under its glittery surface. The official position on the annual song contest is that it exists outside that sphere, however, despite its protestations the glitzy event has a long history of reflecting the political climate. Whether it's an entry delivering a politically charged song, or a country being expelled from the contest over its actions like Russia in 2022, there is often a bit more going on than just a singing competition. The event's party line on politics hasn't stopped critics slating the voting situation either. Over the years there have been many accusations about some countries voting for 'friends' rather than talent, and others benefitting from like-minded or local nations handing them top marks. With the 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland just days away, we have a look at bloc voting and who tends to vote for who. Eurovision's voting system is a tricky one, made harder to follow by the fact it has undergone a fair few changes. In the current system, a professional jury of experts in each country gives a set of points, with acts desperate to clinch the top mark of 12. Viewers from the competing countries also vote, and since 2023 fans from countries who aren't in the contest can deliver their verdict too. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, one thing countries can't do is vote for themselves. However, while they can't give themselves a pat on the back, Eurovision entries can hope that any neighbours or buddies consider them for the coveted douze points. Cyprus and Greece don't share a land border but they have a lot in common when it comes to tradition and culture and that bond is often on show at Eurovision. Each country gets to give out a 12, a 10, then marks from eight to one. And Cyprus and Greece are known for giving each other their top marks on several occasions. Fans got so used to them lavishing points on each other that it came as a bit of a shock in 2023 when the Greek jury gave Cyprus just four points, with several GIFs and memes about it doing the rounds on social media. The UK and Ireland tend to show each other support in the competition. They don't always hand each other the highest marks, but frequently opt for middling scores that acknowledge each other's efforts whilst not necessarily tipping the balance. Last year, Ireland's jury gave UK entry Olly Alexander four points for his performance of Dizzy, and the UK's panel gave a respectable seven to Ireland's Bambie Thug. Turkey and Azerbaijan have long been unofficial voting partners - so much so, in fact, that when Turkey were unexpectedly knocked out of the contest during the 2011 semi-finals, Azerbaijan's Ell and Nikki who went on to win that year said in an interview that they also considered themselves to be competing on behalf of Turkey. Since 2013, Turkey has abstained from sending an act to Eurovision in protest at both the Big Five system and a change in voting that means only 50% of scores come from public votes now, with a judging panel of music experts for each country brought in to award the other 50% of points. However, while the neighbouring countries might not be able to vote for each other any more, they still have a strong link. One Turkish popstar even announced he hoped to represent Azerbaijan at the 2025 contest, although they eventually chose to go for Azerbaijani band Mamagama. The Nordic bloc spreads its votes a little more thinly as it encompasses Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, but the northern reaches of Europe can always be counted on to support each other. However, some countries benefit more from that support than others, with Sweden notably getting more votes from its allies than some of them receive from each other. Largely, the Nordic bloc works out well for all - as a region, they are the most successful at the contest with seven wins for Sweden, three for Norway and Denmark, and one for Finland. Sweden also boasts the most successful Eurovision winner in ABBA. In fact, the Nordic bloc is so well known for supportive votes that the countries are split between the two semi-finals as countries can only vote for others in their semi-final group. Will the Nordics rack up another win in 2025? The Eurovision 2025 final will be broadcast on BBC One on Saturday, 17 May.
The Guardian
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Olly Alexander review – part night creature, part light entertainer
'I'm all about playful subversion,' declares Olly Alexander with a grin on the final night of his UK tour. Clad in a series of outfits whose shiny buttons nod towards London's pearly kings and queens and the dressing-up box – there's one handily located on the left side of the stage – he is outlining the essence of Polari, the slang once used by the LGBTQ+ community, showfolk and the denizens of London's Soho, as was. Evolving out of the vocabularies of Italian immigrants and Travellers to evade the understanding of law enforcement and mainstream society in the 19th and early-mid 20th centuries, Polari also doubles as the title of Alexander's latest, queer-club pop-themed album. Released two months ago, it was the first under his own name; previously, he had traded as Years & Years, first as a band, then as a solo project. The gravelly tones of Ian McKellen provide a few booming Polari phrases during the show's opening sequence; the great man himself occupies a box up to the right. Aptly, we're in a plush, famous theatre on the fringes of Soho where the khazis may be bijou but in no way manky. Aptly as well: throughout Alexander's set, it sometimes feels a bit like watching a West End theatre show about a national treasure gamely regrouping after some career contretemps, returning to musical theatre as his first love. There really should be a glossy souvenir programme to parse on the tube home. Chart-wise, Polari didn't match Alexander's previous outings, two of which went to No 1 (most recently with 2022's Night Call album). Then there was his rout at last year's Eurovision, his performance garnering the dreaded nul points in the public vote. Postmortems abounded online; many wondered whether the UK should have taken part at all, given the participation of Israel. Gamely, Alexander keeps Dizzy, his Eurovision song, in the set, but performs it at the piano, accompanied by two backing vocalists whose dulcet tones and dance moves flesh out the night's bare bones set-up (a drummer and a multi-instrumentalist are housed behind a strip of feathery pampas grass). The red tights and codpiece from the singer's Eurovision outfit are paraded around with a kind of wistful fondness – 'I wouldn't change a thing,' he says – before he returns them to the dressing-up box, where they stick out 'like the legs of the Wicked Witch of the West'. It's all a far cry from what a Polari tour could have been. On paper, the choice of producer Danny L Harle (also in the house tonight) seemed inspired. An alumnus of the hyperpop incubator PC Music, he has had a hand in critical and commercial successes for artists such as Caroline Polachek and Dua Lipa, as well as his own ear-ringing Harlecore LP of 2021. Harle's fondness for hi-NRG and Eurodance tropes were a good match for Alexander and his desire to pay tribute to the gay club sounds of the past (and fully author his own work – no band members, no external writers, just two people in a room). Had they maxed out these convictions, Alexander the light entertainer might have been reborn as an outre night creature, feted as an auteur alongside Charli xcx. There's a tantalising hint of that alternative outcome in the title track itself, a festival of whacking great Jam and Lewis synth beats last heard on Janet Jackson's 1980s albums, lit by harsh strobes and full of attitude at people who are 'saying nothing'. A song called I Know turns the phrase 'I know what you are' from accusation to come hither on another promising Jackson-meets-2020s cut. The more fluorescent sounds of the Polari album rightly belong in a nightclub, with its livelier production choices turned up to 11, rather than a velvet-seated institution. As it is, this tour seems to be designed not to scare the Lorraine and Michael McIntyre audiences any further, one that merely adds the Polari songs to Alexander's Years & Years back catalogue – King, Desire and Shine, three foundational 2014-15 hits are here, alongside If You're Over Me from 2018's Palo Santo. It's a Sin, the Pet Shop Boys track that lent its title to the Channel 4 drama set amid the 80s Aids crisis, which established Alexander as beloved multi-hyphenate, is also in the mix. It's hard to imagine synth master Chris Lowe voluntarily signing off on the track's electric guitar solo, however, or Harle being OK with the unnecessary axe work on the song Polari. The tour of an album dedicated to the pleasures of the synthetic might be better served as a guitar-free zone. Alexander himself is never less than good company, warm in presence and professionally loose-limbed, but there is something a little self-limiting about even this new batch of songs, tracks that were intended as a candid, authentic reset. Changing into a different capella (hat), he launches into Make Me a Man, a bouncy synth-pop number replete with double entendres. 'When I wake in the morning will you have something for me?' sings Alexander. 'Won't you fill this hole' – he pauses – 'in my heart?' What's Polari for 'missed opportunity'?
