Eurovision 2010: Pete Waterman's Your Country Needs You!

Does anyone know how the song will be chosen this year. The contest was already under way this time last year. I'd doubt Lloyd Webber will be involved this year, as his Wizard of Oz show is due soon.

Are we going to go back to the ways of old and undo all last years hard work?

Or are the BBC hoping to find another famous song writer to be involved?

I think the BBC have gone back. We are virtually the last off the blocks again. ALW's illness can't have helped.

Fantastic Norwegian third semi last night of Melodi GP with A1 qualifying (yes that A1). Melodifestivalen starts soon too.

Thanks for reminding me about that, I guess if he was originally supposed to do it this year, that wouldn't have helped. But they could have still done the casting with the option to use someone else to write the song/judge when the show comes about, if ALW wasn't well.

There was talk that the BBC were in negotiations with Gary Barlow about writing the entry.

A1 only qualified for Andra Chansen though didn't they?

And is it only me who's disappointed with both Maria Haukaas Storeng (ESC 2008) and Rolf Lovland (ESC 1985, 1987, 1994, 1995....) and their respective songs?

As far as the BBC's concerned, I also have heard the rumour Gary Baaahlow's been involved at some stage. Last year, though, proved that a crap song but effective marketing of it around Europe led to a considerably better result than would have been normally.

Nope A1 are straight through.

NRK Nett TV

Are we sure that wasn't Benjy Shatliff as joint compare?

I heard a rumour that Gary Barlow had been approached to write the song and that duncan James was going to perform it. According to Twitter an announcement is due shortly from the BBC.

Whilst the first impression makes you think they're 'scraping the bottom of the barrel', I'm sure Blue did OKish, so if the song is good and it's marketed well.......

Well... who knows.

Melodi GP is good this year isn't it? Not quite Melodifestivalen - but they're giving it a good go.

Who is "Ian Wright" by the way - the British reporter who is doing their "interval filler while people are voting" bits entirely in English? Can you imagine a UK primetime show doing the entire interval in a foreign language?

A1 were popular in the hall - but it isn't really harking back to their boyband best is it? I liked the other song that went through last night - but then anything Fredrik Kempe does is usually quite fun. (Who else could do a disco version of the Onedin Line theme - Disco Volante?)

MGP is a complete and total ripoff of Melodifestivalen though, and yes the second qualifier was superb. Actually could see him replace Paul M. in A1 to great effect.

It's significant when you research that he's done an awful lot with Alexander Rybak too.

Hmm - not great news. I think we did well last year, in big part, because we selected early and made sure Jade was featured in many of the other Eurovision national selection shows, or appeared on chat shows etc. - so many countries knew her and the song before the main competition (where the Big 4 have both an advantage - getting to the final - and a disadvantage - people aren't familiar with their song)