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Wales Online
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
All the Welsh acts who have performed at the Eurovision Song Contest
All the Welsh acts who have performed at the Eurovision Song Contest Several Welsh performers have taken to the Eurovision stage - but who were they, what did they sing and where did they place, if at all? Welsh legend Bonnie Tyler even took the stage for the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. (Image: Richard Swingler ) Across the nation, folks are eagerly preparing for the Eurovision Song Contest as the grand final is looming. Although, there are people across Wales wondering, why can't we compete separately to the UK? Well, in January of this year, MSs discussed a petition that was created by calling for Wales to compete in the competition. Bakel Walden, from the EBU, wrote: "As the BBC continues to participate, and remains the rights holder in the United Kingdom, this means an entry from the individual nations of the UK is therefore not possible at the Eurovision Song Contest." This is because only one broadcaster in the UK is allowed broadcasting rights and as it stands that is the BBC. In the case of Junior Eurovision in 2018 and 2019, the BBC didn't want the rights and instead S4C took the job, meaning Wales was able to complete singlehandedly with Welsh language songs. That being said, despite not competing as Wales, plenty of Welsh people have competed in the competition. Let's take a look? For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . Mary Hopkin (1970) Place: 7th. Article continues below The first Welsh performer at Eurovision was Mary, who represented the UK in 1970 with her song Knock, Knock Who's There. Born in Pontardawe, Mary is now 75 years old. She continues to create music and released her latest album, Two Hearts with her daughter in May 2023. Nicky Stevens (1976) Place: 1st. In 1976, Nicky brought the Eurovision title home as part of the group Brotherhood of Man. The band scored their first hit in 1974 and entered Eurovision two years later with the song Save Your Kisses For Me. In 2022, Brotherhood of Man - which also includes Martin Lee, Lee Sheriden and Sandra Stevens - announced their retirement from touring. Emma Louise Booth (1990) Place: 6th. Bridgend's own Emma Louise Booth holds the record as the youngest person to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990, when she was just 15. Now 50 and residing in Seattle with her family, Emma secured a respectable sixth place with her song Give a Little Love Back to the World. Jessica Garlick(2002) Place: 3rd In 2002, Jessica Garlick brought the UK its highest score of the noughties with her song Come Back, finishing third. Born in Derbyshire and educated at Glan-y-Mor Comprehensive School in Burry Port, Jessica had previously showcased her talent on ITV's Pop Idol. James Fox (2004) Place:16th Cardiff's James Fox didn't fare as well when he represented the UK at the 2004 Eurovision contest. His song Hold Onto Our Love landed him in 16th place. Now 49, James has since moved into musical theatre and penned the Cardiff City's FA Cup Final song Bluebirds Flying High in 2008. Bonnie Tyler (2013) Place: 19th Neath's Bonnie Tyler was the UK's hopeful in 2013, but despite her fame, she finished in 19th place with her song Believe in Me. Most people will recall Bonnie, now aged 73, for her hit songs Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out For A Hero. Her work has garnered her three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nominations, among other honours. Joe and Jake (2016) Place: 24th Joe and Jake are a British duo which includes Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft. They performed in Stockholm's Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song You're Not Alone, and unfortunately finished in 24th place. Although Jake was born in Stoke on Trent, Joe is very much a Welsh boy who was born and raised in Ruthin in North Wales. The pair met whilst competing in the Voice UK in 2015. Lucie Jones (2017) Position: 15th The most recent Welsh Eurovision star is West End sensation Lucie Jones, who represented the UK at the contest in 2017. She ultimately secured 15th place with her song Never Give Up on You. Lucie gained fame while participating in the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009 where she finished in eighth place. She has also performed as Fantine in the West End production of Les Miserables and has more recently announced she will be performing at this year's Glastonbury. Article continues below This year's Eurovision Song Contest will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 8pm on Saturday, May 17.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What's your Senedd constituency?
On 7 May 2026, voters in Wales will head to the polls for the next Senedd election. It is likely to be one of the most consequential elections to Cardiff Bay since the National Assembly for Wales was established in 1999. A brand new set of constituencies has been created for this election as part of wider changes to the way the Senedd is elected. Here's a brief guide to the new electoral map. What's changing? Currently the Senedd has 60 members. Forty of them are elected to represent individual constituencies. The remaining 20 are regional Members of the Senedd (MS), with four politicians elected from each of the five electoral regions across Wales. But next year the total number of MSs in Cardiff Bay is increasing to 96, and the electoral map is being completely redrawn. The existing constituencies and regions will all go. They'll be replaced with 16 new, larger constituencies and each one will be represented by six MSs. What are the new constituencies? [BBC] Some of the new constituencies are vast, with Gwynedd Maldwyn stretching from the westernmost tip of the Llyn Peninsula all the way to the border with England. Here's the full list of the new constituencies: Bangor Conwy Môn Clwyd Fflint Wrecsam Gwynedd Maldwyn Ceredigion Penfro Sir Gaerfyrddin Gŵyr Abertawe Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Afan Ogwr Rhondda Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni Sir Fynwy Torfaen Casnewydd Islwyn Caerdydd Penarth Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg How were the new seats decided? The new map has been drawn up by Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru. Because of a lack of time ahead of the next Senedd election, the commission was told to take the 32 Welsh constituencies used at the last Westminster election and pair them up to create 16 new super-constituencies. The commission was told the paired-up seats had to be "contiguous", and it interpreted this to mean that there had to be a direct road link between them. The commission will be able to review the map following the election and consider changes ahead of the next vote in 2030. Under the new system there will be 16 constituencies, each represented by six MSs [Getty Images] Why do constituencies only have Welsh language names? The commission was asked to try to come up with a single name for each of the new constituencies. It believes the names chosen "are acceptable and recognisable for people across Wales". However, while language campaigners have welcomed the decision to use Welsh-only names, others have criticised it. Welsh Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies said that because Wales is a bilingual country, the constituency names "should be in both languages".
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
First Minister's Questions from the Senedd
Croeso Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Eluned Morgan's twenty-fifth session of First Minister's Questions. The Siambr (Senedd chamber) has now closed for renovations until March 2026, as work starts on altering the chamber to accommodate the 96 Members who will be chosen in the next Senedd election in May 2026. From today the MSs are meeting in Siambr Hywel, the original debating chamber that housed the then National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2006. The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in Siambr Hywel and others joining by video-conference. You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings from 1.30pm.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Senedd 'sidelined' by Westminster mental health law
Important changes to mental health laws in Westminster are "sidelining" the Senedd, a group of politicians say a Welsh government decision to rely on the UK parliament "undermines" devolution and limits Senedd members' (MSs) influence over going through a crisis will no longer be held in police cells under the UK Labour government's Mental Health Welsh government says it will create "a coherent system of rights across Wales and England". Devolution gives the Senedd powers to legislate, or create laws, for certain policies, including the Welsh government can also ask Westminster to legislate on its Senedd is being asked to approve of the bill applying to Wales by passing a legislative consent motion (LCM).Votes on LCMs happen after a debate in the chamber, but the process is much quicker than passing made-in-Wales bills which can take Senedd's legislation, justice and constitution committee says it "has the effect of sidelining the Senedd as a legislature" and preventing MS from "having an opportunity to scrutinise legislation and seek changes, often based on issues raised by, and the experiences of, their constituents".Westminster bills should only change devolved public health policies in "exceptional circumstances such as an emergency", it says in a report on the LCM."We consider that the Welsh government's decision to use a UK government bill to legislate for Wales in relation to mental health, which excludes the Senedd as a legislature and from engaging with stakeholders in Wales, undermines devolution," it minister Sarah Murphy said the reforms "modernise mental health legislation to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment". 'Cross-border' "There is a significant amount of cross-border provision of mental health services between Wales and England," she said."Not making provisions in this Bill risks increasing divergence between services available in the two countries."Government sources say they worked with the UK government on this "complex" bill to avoid a "fragmented approach", with different policies in Wales and Welsh government said it had received the report and was "considering its contents before responding in due course".In a separate report, the Senedd's health committee says opportunities for MSs to scrutinise the Mental Health Bill are "extremely curtailed", but that it saw no reason to block the votes are largely symbolic because they do not legally tie the hands of the Westminster convention the UK government will "not normally" legislate in devolved areas without the Senedd's the cross-party legislation committee has repeatedly complained about legislation bypassing the Senedd. Relying on UK bills creates a "democratic deficit", it has said Wednesday (9 April) it was confirmed that the Senedd will face an LCM vote on a bill to legalise assisted dying.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Welsh Parliament mace removed as Senedd expands for more politicians
As the refurbishment of the Welsh Parliament's debating chamber continues, the Senedd's ceremonial mace has been has begun on expanding the chamber ahead of an increase in the number of Members of the Senedd (MS) after the next extra 36 MSs will be elected in May 2026, bringing the total to mace will be transferred to the old debating chamber in an adjoining building, where MSs will sit whilst the changes are made. The mace sits in front of the Llywydd - the Senedd's Presiding from gold, silver and brass, it was presented to the Senedd by the Parliament of New South Wales in Australia to mark the opening of the Senedd building in an election the mace is placed in its holder in the debating chamber to signify the official opening of the Senedd. Why is it being moved? The mace is being moved because MSs are having to vacate the debating chamber due to building chamber needs to be extended to make room for the additional 36 politicians that will be elected next May as the number of politicians in Cardiff Bay increases from 60 to costs associated with preparing the Senedd for more members have been put at £6.5m in the next year or so, MSs will sit in the old debating chamber in the Tŷ Hywel office building behind the Senedd which is where the mace will be where Assembly Members - as they were then called - sat between 1999 and five MSs remain from that period: the Llywydd Elin Jones from Plaid Cymru, Labour's Jane Hutt, Lynne Neagle and John Griffiths and Conservative MS Mark Isherwood. What other changes are happening? As well as an increase in the number of MSs, the way politicians are elected to Cardiff Bay is also is being split up into 16 constituencies and each one will be represented by six MSs, elected via proportional changes are happening as a result of a deal between Labour and Plaid of the reforms say more MSs are needed to reflect the extra responsibilities the Senedd now has compared to when devolution began in opponents - including the Conservatives - say the changes are a waste of taxpayers' money.
