Eurovision Song Contest - Belgrade 2008

But they're just as bad as the rest. Look at Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Norway. Look at Ireland and the UK. Look at Spain, Andorra and Portugal. It's just it's not always as obvious as the former Eastern Bloc vote is.

The last "Traditional" country to win was Finland in 2006. However if you are referring to non Eastern and non Scandinavian, it was the UK who last won in the West with Katrina and the Waves in 1997.

The UK's entries just haven't been very good over the last few years. The British public is tone deaf and better songs never get picked.

and will Scotland get to go it alone next year? which mean that england would have to go it alone aswell. Question if the BBC cover both place do both get straight though?

This years entry was far superior to previous entries. The fact we score poorly every year in recent years is purely a political matter.End of.

Yes the fact that we pissed off so many countries cannot be underestimated.

But even before the war in Iraq and so on we've scored quite badly. I think it's partially due to the fact we're always in it, year on year.

I think we are jumping the gun, I check something at it seem that

back in 2002: we come 3th with jessica Garlick Come Back 111points
back in 1998 we come 2nd with Imaani Where Are You? 166points

yet in between all that we have been in the same place. in 2000 and 2005 we come 16th,

it only been the last few years we have hit rock bottom


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest

It's not really jumping the gun when you compare our performance tonight to others. We've had different styles as well, from rap, to cheesy europop.

Here are the breakdown of each of the semi-finals:

1st: http://www.eurovision.tv/event/scoreboard?event=1468

2nd: http://www.eurovision.tv/event/scoreboard?event=1470

Re:Graphics - Originally I wasn't the biggest fan with the design of them but I thought that they were very functional, quickly animating and more importantly zooming into the winning countries worked well.

Functional is the word.

Boring font, dull animation, lazy overall. I'd have liked a map and more showy effects when we moved to each country (as has happened in previous years).

I also saw this year that when the 12 points was announced the graphic moved in on name of the country awarded this score, then the 'paint effect' transition ran, followed by a couple of seconds back with the country announcer who had just finished their piece. Therefore they had nothing further to say - and were just left sitting there like lemons. Some even decided to take their mics off as they didn't realise they were going back to air for a pointless few seconds as they were thanked.

I expected more on the scoreboard front. I'd like to see some stats and analysis etc. I can't help but think if there was some sort of similar event on US TV we'd get stats all night, glizty and over the top shiny graphics left right and centre. Pure indulgence for pres fans, but I think I'd prefer it to the rather hum drum contest we now have!

It almost doesn't even matter where the host country is - it's all so samey now.

Bad songs and some potential political voting always costs the UK the title. I wouldn't let the general public pick the song anymore.