Eurovision 2007 - Helsinki

BBC Resources used to give a lot to the European broadcaster - i.e. the scoreboard and graphics. Don't know if thats still the case.

Terry Wogan quotes (some courtesy of a poster at boards.ie)...
"Here they are Doctor Death and the toothfairy.."
"Come on man, whats wrong with you?"
"That's the same song the French have been singing since they hung the washing up on the Maginot Line"
"It's much more fun to sing along to than listen to" (about the Croatian entry)
"Looks a bit like Roy Wood, that lead singer" (about Lordi)
"Let's hear it for Scandinavia. They'll all vote for each other anyway."
"This song brings suspenders to and entirely new level" (about the Armenian entry)
"I'll be amazed if someone doesn't say this is amazing" (about the presenters over-use of the word "amazing")
"A Britney Spears impersonater" (About the Moldovan girl)
"For goodness sake." (About the Latvian entry)
"I don't think Spain cares anymore"
"If they go for eyebrows this is it" (About the Maltese singer having unnaturally large eyebrows)
"Good old football chant from Lithuania"
"I'm not sure France cares anymore either"
"Not a word about an alien flu though" (about the strange Greek dance at the end which had something to do with birds)
"Nobody voted for them so I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't vote for anyone else" (about Israel)
"We're losing the plot here" (about the presenters, uh, losing the plot)
"You've had a few haven't you?" (Dutch vote reader)
"Who in heavens name picked that eejit?" (Dutch vote reader again)
"You'd be fairly close then would you?" (about some countries votes)
"Your makeups beginning to run, son (about Lordi)
"Have a look at the map and see how close these countries are" (voting again)
"You're wearing that shirt for a bet" (abbout Latvian vote reader)
"It's the old pals act again" (voting tactics)
"We don't want them to close the Andorran border now, do we?" (About Andorra voting for Spain)
"Just give us the points you eejit" (About the Slovenian vote reader rambling on)

Err - except Lithuania came 6th with 162 points - so it wasn't just us who voted for them... We gave them 10, Ireland gave them 12, Latvia (a Baltic Neighbour) also gave them 10, as did Iceland. They got a fair few 8s as well... The song may not have been "a winner" - but it appealed to more than just the Brit "naff Eurosong" crowd.



Or not - depends how they feel about each other. They split for a reason - but the individual performer means a lot. (Željko Joksimoviæ represented Serbia and Montenegro, coming 2nd in 2004, but then wrote the Bosnia & Herzogovina entry in 2006, coming 3rd. You wouldn't expect Bosnia and Serbia to be that friendly...)



Yep - though the presentation is a bit stilted as they wait for the lower scores to animate on before they give the high scores - and it does alter the fun - though I agree something was needed when you had over 40 countries voting when they introduced the semi-final in 2004.

BBC Resources provided the scoreboard, in return for a subtle logo every so often (after all they were trading on the open market by then I believe) for a couple of years after the success of 1998's contest in Birmingham. I'm pretty certain they also did the board for Jerusalem and Stockholm in 1999 and 2000.

Historically the BBC has often helped out - either hosting the contest when other broadcasters were unable to afford it in the early days - or by providing facilities either on-site or for distribution via Eurovision. (The 50 Years of Eurovision show that the BBC didn't take part in as broadcasters still used BBC downlink facilities for distribution ISTR)

That was the brilliant Paddy O'Connell. He has been involved with BBC Eurovision coverage for a number of years, presenting Eurovision a Little Bit More on BBC Three in 2004 and 2005, as well as commentating on all of the semi-finals since they started. He presented Liquid News, Celebdaq and The Seven O'Clock News, all on BBC Three (Celebdaq also popped up on BBC Two now and again)

He is now the main presenter of Radio 4's Broadcasting House, as well as presenting Friday Working Lunch and BBC News 24 business bulletins.

He "gets" Eurovision.

Sir Tel is great, but Paddy is also very good... (Paddy seldom crashes into, or interrupts, the songs, and is witty in a different way. Some of his comments are priceless - and more than one has been "borrowed" by Sir Tel come the final... "A Young Ruby Wax"?)

The situation for the UK is only going to improve if ( a ) we enter a decent song and ( b ) ONLY the countries who have qualified get to vote.

I have to admit liking Teenage Life last year. I think they should try to re-enter " Yodel in the Canyon Of Love " that lost out to Katrina

Scooch's Flying the flag isn't far off from Yodel In the Canyon of love. I think the rest of the songs are very bland this year.

If you listen to the actual performance of Love Shine A Light in 1997, it's far more orchestral - maybe we need a bit of trumpet and piccolo in the background

Do we not have more success putting unknowns into the contest than trying to revive some flagging careers?

Maybe be should enter " Pif Paf Poff " as seen in The High Life

Or "Macadanu" from Look Around You.

Love Shine A Light was a fantastic song. Very church gospel, maybe thats an idea?

Actually, maybe never bring religion into it...

I heard somewhere that Daz Sampson said he was thinking of entering this year as well. Clearly thats not possible or he's given up. Its good to have something different each year I think.

Far more orchestral because until 1998, the host country was obliged to provide a live orchestra. Backing tapes only became the norm in 1999 when Israel claimed that their venue wasn't big enough. Whether or not you think orchestral arrangements of 'pop' tunes work, it certainly changed the contest forever!

Reviving Katrina And The Waves' flagging career worked pretty well in 97.

What about in 1990 when the backing tape didnt seem to work for " Bandido " for Spain even though there was an orchestra there ( they obviously weren't playing )... So maybe tapes were used before 1998?