Cheryl Baker - Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz

A few months later, Baker was contacted by Nichola Martin, who was setting up a new group under the name Bucks Fizz, with a view to entering a song "Making Your Mind Up" into the Song For Europe in 1981. Joined by Mike Nolan, Bobby G and Jay Aston, Baker performed the song at the contest and won. On 4 April 1981, Baker represented the UK again at the Eurovision Song Contest. The song went on to win by a margin of four points and Bucks Fizz were catapulted into overnight stardom.

By winning the contest, Baker became only the third singer to represent the UK twice, following in the footsteps of Ronnie Carroll and Cliff Richard. This feat, however, was matched once again the following year, by Sally Ann Triplett. When Bucks Fizz went on to win the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up", Baker thus became one of the few artists to take part in Eurovision to win at their second attempt. According to The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History by John Kennedy O'Connor, Baker also made the second single biggest improvement by any Eurovision competitor in the contest, moving up from eleventh in 1978 to 1st in 1981.

"Making Your Mind Up" became a No.1 hit in many countries, including the UK and began a run of success for the group for the next five years. Baker along with the group toured the world and gained many hit singles and albums, including two more British No.1s; "The Land Of Make Believe" and "My Camera Never Lies". Bucks Fizz became established as one of the biggest groups of the 1980s.

In December 1984, Baker was involved in a serious coach crash while on tour with the group. She was injured and rushed to hospital. Although she broke three vertebrae in her spine, she made a speedy recovery but colleague Mike Nolan suffered serious head wounds and following this, she helped set up the charity 'HeadFirst', which deals with crash victims, specifically relating to head injuries. Baker continues to raise money for this charity today.