Latest news with #MakingYourMindUp
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Brits name the greatest Eurovision UK entry - and it's an 80s classic
The UK has notched up five Eurovision Song Contest wins over the years, with the most recent victory in 1997, but which of the past entries are the most loved by Brits The British public have had their say on the top UK Eurovision entries of all time. Despite many Brits hoping for Ed Sheeran, Adele or Harry Styles to represent the UK in the annual song contest, there's a wave of optimism this year among Eurovision enthusiasts that Remember Monday could break the UK's 28-year losing streak. A survey revealed that 38% of Brits are devoted Eurovision fans, tuning in every year or most years and with anticipation mounting for Saturday's final, Brits have shared their rankings of past UK entries. Noteworthy mentions in the list of top UK Eurovision songs include Lulu's 'Boom Bang-a-Bang' from 1969, and Sonia's 'Better the Devil You Know', which just missed out on first place in 1993. Cliff Richard's debut Eurovision entry in 1968, 'Congratulations', and Katrina and the Waves' 'Love Shine a Light', which marked the UK's last Eurovision victory in 1997, completed the top five in the poll of 2,000 adults. However, topping the nation's favourite past entries are Bucks Fizz's 'Making Your Mind Up', Sam Ryder's 'Space Man' and Brotherhood of Man's 'Save Your Kisses for Me'. Cheryl Baker, who secured the Eurovision title as part of Bucks Fizz in 1981, expressed her joy at being ranked the favourite of all time: "That's fantastic! It's amazing it was 44 years ago that we won." "My favourite was Sandie Shaw with 'Puppet on a String', and I was so thrilled when I got to meet her. Brotherhood of Man were the biggest selling of the Eurovision entries – I think they sold six million records! But it's an absolute honour and a privilege that people think of our entry as the best of British. "There's been so many great songs which have come from the UK over the years, and it makes me so proud that people think of Bucks Fizz when they think of Eurovision." Chatting at the WhichBingo Awards, Cheryl also shared her thoughts on this year's UK entry, Remember Monday. Cheryl said: "I've never picked a winning song yet. I think the girls are fantastic, and the song is really good. "I know the bookies are only giving it a 1% chance – but you never know. I love what the girls wear, it's almost theatrical, and historical in a way – it could be something from Bridgerton." But she said this might not be enough, especially against Sweden: "They put everything in – it's not just the song and the singing, it's all in the production." "I think they could possibly nick it, which would make them the most successful Eurovision country ever, and they'd love to take that crown – but we'll give them a good run for their money." Hopeful that her song with Bucks Fizz will remain just as popular in years to come she said: "I'd like to think Making Your Mind Up will still be popular in another 44 years. The bit they always show on the telly is when the skirts come off, as simple as that was it made that performance, and that moment is what stuck in people's memories." The study revealed that the key elements to a Eurovision-winning entry include a catchy, memorable chorus (38%), an unforgettable strong hook melody (34%) and an emotional or powerful vocal performance (24%). Other crucial components include a charismatic performer you can root for (20%) and a sense of fun and chaos (19%). Charlie Shakespeare added: "We're backing Remember Monday to go all the way, but how cool would it be if Ed Sheeran stepped out for Britain one year? As our research shows, there's a few different factors which go into a knockout Eurovision performance. If they can stick close to them, there's no reason Britain can't go all the way. "It's been great hosting so many stars at our awards ceremony this week. There's been a real buzz about the place with everyone chatting and having so much fun together." TOP 10 BRIT EUROVISION ENTRIES Bucks Fizz – 'Making Your Mind Up' Sam Ryder – 'Space Man' Brotherhood of Man – 'Save Your Kisses for Me' Cliff Richard – 'Congratulations' Katrina and the Waves – 'Love Shine a Light' Lulu – 'Boom Bang-a-Bang' Sonia – 'Better the Devil You Know' Olivia Newton-John – 'Long Live Love' Bonnie Tyler – 'Believe in Me' Cliff Richard – 'Power to All Our Friends'
Irish Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Bucks Fizz star risked getting kidnapped by the IRA during Eurovision
Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker has revealed she risked being kidnapped while in Dublin during the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1981, the UK were crowned winners of the song contest, which was hosted at the RDS, with their song, Making Your Mind Up. But Cheryl has now revealed the 'stupid move' she and her co-star Mike Nolan made hours before taking the win. In a new interview with Slingo, the singer shares how she and her bandmate Mike Nolan snuck out despite being under strict orders to stay in their hotel rooms as the song contest was under threat from the IRA. She told Slingo: 'The event was threatened by the IRA, as was the British contingent, that's why we were kept separate. We had armed guards for each of us. 'Outside our hotel rooms and when we travelled, we travelled in a coach, just us, no other countries. 'We had outriders, I felt like royalty! You don't think of the danger, you think of excitement. We were going on the wrong side of the road, through red lights, it made you feel special. 'We were in Dublin for a few days, and we had a few hours to spare so Mike, who is from Dublin, said to me, 'should we go shopping?' I said, 'no, we can't, we've been told to stay in our rooms'. 'He said, 'let's sneak out', so we did. I can't remember how we did it, but we sneaked out of the hotel, and went shopping. 'I can remember the dress I bought, walking along the streets of Dublin with Mike feeling really free, but we were stupid, really stupid, we had a price on our heads at the time. 'It was the excitement and the freedom at the time. When we got back, we got such a telling off from our people, our record label and everything, but especially by the Irish police who were looking after us. 'The discovery we'd disappeared, we might have been kidnapped! They didn't know, we were so silly, you're stupid like that when you're young, that was a bit naughty, I have to admit to that.' Cheryl revealed how Bucks Fizz had to return back to their hotel room hours after winning because of the security threat. 'It's weird, after we won, we went back to our hotel, we had a different hotel from all the other contingents because of the IRA, they were very active in those days and they had threatened to disrupt the competition, so they kept us in a completely separate hotel, none of the other countries were there. 'They were all staying in another hotel, and it must have been fun for them. They could all go to the bar and have a bit of a party, whereas we were on our own with our record label and production company. 'They cracked open the champagne and the orange juice obviously, so I went to my room in the hotel and rang home. 'Home for me at the time was a council flat in Bethnal Green. I rang and my sister answered the phone, my real name's Rita, and there were cheers everywhere, music playing in the background and immediately, my eyes filled with tears, and I just thought, I want to be there. 'My sister said, oh Reets, you should have seen it, I get upset talking about it! I was born in that block of flats, there were three blocks of flats, and people then, if they lived there, they lived their most of their lives, so everyone knew me. 'I was like their friend, their daughter, and so when we won, people came out, I'm getting tearful! People came out on the balconies, threw open their windows, it was so moving. I just thought, I want to be there, I want to be back home. 'We flew home the next day, to Heathrow, came home to the arrivals lounge and everyone was there, my family, my friends, they'd made banners, the music was playing and I fell to my knees and cried and my dad forced his way through and took me in his arms and gave me the fatherly hug I needed at the time. It was strange, it really affected me and made me very emotional.' Cheryl says life for them changed 'immediately'. 'It changed for us immediately, after the show had come down, we were all ushered into an area where there was a stage, we stood on the stage and we were completely surrounded by paparazzi, film cameras, photographers, everyone was standing round and calling us. 'I thought, blimey, my life's just changed. We went from being nobody to being everyone worldwide wanted a piece of us, it was crazy. It was absolutely crazy and our lives changed so dramatically because of it.'
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eurovision's Cheryl Baker rules out retirement as she shares huge announcement
EXCLUSIVE: Cheryl Baker won Eurovision with the band Bucks Fizz at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and the 71-year-old singer has no plans on slowing down just yet The Fizz are working on a biopic 44 years after Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision Song Contest, Cheryl Baker has confirmed. Cheryl, Mike Nolan, Jay Aston and Bobby G helped the UK claim their fourth win in the competition with upbeat pop tune Making Your Mind Up back in 1981. Since their victory, the group has had numerous members and around 15 line-up changes as well as evolving into to spin-off act The Fizz due to a dispute between the original members. Cheryl and Jay now perform as The Fizz alongside Nikk Mager and Matthew Pateman after Mike decided to leave the group last year citing personal reasons. Bobby G left Bucks Fizz due to a complex mix of factors, including a desire for a solo career, disagreements over the band's name, and a legal dispute with other members Speaking at the WhichBingo Awards, Cheryl opened up about her future plans and confirmed some exciting news for fans, revealing "Someone is making a documentary of us." She continued: "They have been filming us, including Mike Nolan's last gig, so hopefully in the not to distant future you'll be seeing a biopic of Fizz. How great is that?" Cheryl went on to reveal that the group has a new "lease of life" with Nikk and Matthew joining her and Jay. She explained: "The beauty now I think is we're not chasing the charts because back then everything was about the charts, promoting new singles, promoting a new album plus other people were putting everything together. "We were like four puppets to be honest in the 1980s and now we're in control of our own destiny and we still record but we record what we want, when we want. The gigs we do are so much fun. "I must big up Matthew and Nikk who've joined me and Jay from Bucks Fizz because they are fabulous and their voices are wonderful as well as their energy and enthusiasm, and it ups your game when you're working with people that are so good. It's like a new lease of life with for the band and I'm really enjoying it." Despite being in show business for over four decades, Cheryl, 71, confirmed she has no plans to retire. Sharing the secret behind her successful career, she said: "By keeping working and keeping your name in the frame. "I was very lucky because post-Eurovision I went into television and because of that my face became familiar throughout the nineties and then in the noughties I started working again with The Fizz and doing reality TV shows. "There are peers of mine that have retired but I've got no intension of retiring, I have too much fun."
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eurovision icon Cheryl Baker hits out at criticism over saucy acts 'Part of fun'
Eurovision icon Cheryl Baker, famed for Bucks Fizz, defended the singing competition's increasingly saucy acts in recent years as she revealed it's 'part of the fun' Eurovision icon Cheryl Baker, famed for Bucks Fizz, defended the singing competition's increasingly saucy acts in recent years. Fans of the legendary contest have witnessed sexy milkmaids churn butter on stage, performers in backless chaps and one Finnish entrant, Windows95man, almost exposed himself while rocking a tiny nude thong last year. Things aren't any better this year as Malta's entrant was forced to change the title of their song, Serving Kant, as it sounded too similar to an offensive word. Plus, Finland will be rocking latex hot pants. Former winner Cheryl, who won Eurovision in 1981 with Bucks Fizz, said the smuttiness is 'part of the fun'. Although she believed Finland's performance went a bit 'too far', she still defended the iconic competition. "It is a bit smutty, but life's a bit smutty now, isn't it?" she said. "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," Cheryl told The Sun. The 71-year-old singer and TV presenter won the competition with her band Bucks Fizz back in 1981 with their catchy track Making Your Mind Up. During their iconic performance 44 years ago, the group made show history as the boys ripped the skirts off their female bandmates, revealing cheeky mini-skirts underneath for the girls to continue the performance in. Speaking at the WhichBingo 2025 Awards in Gibraltar, Cheryl explained: "Bucks Fizz wouldn't have won without the skirt rip so thank goodness for that. "You've got to have the skirt rip moment. Something that makes it different from the others. "You can have the best singer and have the best song but you've to have that something that makes everyone think wow, I want to see that again. It might be special effects, it might be lighting, but it's the something that makes it special." Meanwhile, it's rumoured Celine Dion could be performing at tonight's grand final. Her private jet was spotted in Switzerland so fans believed she could be hitting the stage for a knockout performance. Celine, who won for the Swiss in 1988 with Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi, could take to the St Jakobshalle stage, amid her stepping back from touring due to health issues. The It's All Coming Back To Me hitmaker is no stranger to making surprise appearances at big cultural events - famously popping up on top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Olympics last year.
The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Eurovision legend defends ‘smutty' contest a year on from ‘exposed testicle' blunder as she defends raunchy routines
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 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 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 READ MORE ON EUROVISION "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. Most read in Celebrity 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."
