United Kingdom in The Eurovision Song Contest

United Kingdom In The Eurovision Song Contest

The United Kingdom is one of the most successful countries to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. They first participated in the second contest in 1957. The BBC had wanted to take part in the first contest in 1956, but had submitted their entry to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) after the deadline had passed. The UK has entered every year since 1959, and has won the contest a total of five times. Along with Sweden is the only country with Eurovision victories in four different decades. Furthermore, the UK has finished as runner-up on a record fifteen occasions.

Up to and including 1998, the UK had only twice finished outside the top 10 (in 1978 and 1987). Since 1999, the year in which the rule was abandoned that songs must be performed in one of the official languages of the country participating, the UK has had less success, only finishing within the top ten twice. Jessica Garlick in 2002 and Jade Ewen in 2009 have been the only two entrants to have succeeded in earning a top five finish since 1998, and Ewen in particular was praised after her performance of "It's My Time" for ending the run of poor results it had suffered for much of the decade. For the 2011 contest, BBC chose boy band Blue to perform for the United Kingdom, they finished in 11th place with 100 points. For the 2012 contest the United Kingdom selected veteran singer Engelbert Humperdinck as its entrant. He finished in 25th place with only twelve points.

The United Kingdom has finished last in three contests. The infamous 2003 "nul points" result was the first time that the country had come last in the contest, something that was then repeated in 2008 and 2010.