Terry Wogan quits Eurovision

Well, three things leap to mind:
1) Does anyone here, hand-on-heart, believe that the UK song (chosen in part by a T. Wogan) DESERVED to win? It was pap, and crap pap at that.
2) Thoughts occur that next-door neighbours may have similar musical tastes, which leads in part to...
3) ...that "pinch of salt" remark. Anyone else think he's saying "We don't take it seriously - except to moan about being bottom of the table, or near enough, and slag off other countries, of course - and they shouldn't take it seriously at all"?

For the BBC to leave Eurovision altogether would be foolish, as Eurovision provides a lot of stock footage and other material which is very important. (Eurovision is being used to broadcast CERN's start-up next month.) However, there's no reason why the ECS can't be moved out of the way onto one of the digital channels. It'd give me back three hours of my life each year.

It's sad that whilst Wogan might come across as warm, likeable and chummy on air, in interviews, and in his autobiographies, he comes across as a whinging, conceited know-it-all.

Considering he's one of the highest earning stars at the BBC, he really should keep his opinions of the organisation to himself.

I feel really sorry for those who work extremely hard at the BBC and have a huge amount of pride in their work on a modest wage when they hear that fat git slagging off the corporation and suggesting that thoroughness and commitment has gone by the wayside. Meanwhile he can sit back and enjoy his £800k salary. How offensive.

I can't see your logic? How moving it to another channel would give you back 3 hours of your life I don't know. Unless the only way you are prevented from watching it it is if it were on a digital channel. Perhaps what you need to do it use the remote.

Besides, isn't there some rule that states that the final must be broadcast on the main terrestrial channel, a bit like some sporting events?

Current Eurovision Song Contest rules mean that the final has to be shown on a mainstream channel and can't be shown on a minority channel. Think all the UK digital only channels would still be classed as minority channels.

The semifinals can be shown on digital - less mainstream - channels (hence BBC Three showing them in the UK) - but the final can't (and would have to be on BBC One or Two - but given the high ratings in the UK it will stay on One)

Think this rule stems from France Television trying to shunt the final on to FR4 a couple of years ago (or maybe they did actually do that?)

The EBU know that for Eurovision to continue it has to be on mainstream channels that get high audiences.

The Beeb will never leave the EBU - after all our Olympics coverage rights are negotiated through the EBU (as the EBU owns the rights for the whole of Europe on behalf of its members) Similarly the Eurovision News Exchanges are key resources for the BBC News operation - we get a lot of our news pictures of European events via the EVN feeds.

However we could chose not to enter or show the contest and remain full EBU and EVN members - as RAI of Italy are.

BBC is one of the biggest spender don;t there have any say about how the contest is operated?

I say it should go back to the original format one show.

Terry did lose 1/2 million radio listerns so maybe he getting ready to retire

That's interesting, noggin. I knew there were reasons other than the Eurovision Song Contest that encouraged the BBC's continued membership of the EBU, but I hadn't realised that some TV rights were negotiated on a pan-European basis through them. I had always assumed the main advantage was mutually beneficial sharing of studio or transmission resources in member countries.

However, if RAI are able to extracate themselves from the ESC and still remain full EBU members, then perhaps the BBC should consider that for a while. Would that not cause problems though as the BBC are one of the major funding countries of the contest?

Why should the BBC drop one of it's highest rating events of the year?

People don't watch it desperate for a British victory - they watch it for exactly what it is, in the full knowledge the voting is - and always has been - very questionable.


Perhaps now Wogan has gone the show will get a new lease of live and the song choice on our part will improve. However, if the BBC continue to show the contest the complete lack of respect it's been shown by Wogan and co. in the last few years they can't expect the rest of Europe to take us seriously either.

I've loved Eurovision all my life but I will really have to be forced to watch it again next year as the voting system is a joke.

I shall miss Terry and his ramblings to be honest.

If the role is given to anyone but Ken Bruce or Paddy O'Connel, it will be a big mistake. I fear they will give it to Norton though!

Indeed! Well, 804 islands according to the Ordnance Survey

Thankfully we share a land border with the Republic of Ireland, so at least we have one neighbour to rely on. And Malta being a former UK territory helps too-- that aside nobody loves us. Arguably the substandard songs we've put foward in recent years don't help either...

Ken Bruce would be a good choice, since he's been commentating on BBC R2 for the contest over a number of years. However, as others have commented, I fear Mr Saturday BBC1 will get it