Wooh yeah! I’m so excited about this.
Join Graham Norton at 8pm on BBC1 for the Eurovision Song Contest live from Dusseldorf (or if you prefer Ken Bruce on Radio 2). 25 countries are competing in the grand final, including Ireland with Jedward’s Lipstick (which as song number 6 behind other upbeat numbers from Sweden and Estonia is a really bad draw for them) and the UK’s Blue with I Can who will be the 14th to sing. Hit the red button for singalong lyrics!
This year promises dynamic voting to make things as exciting as possible (although it’s based on the national juries votes taken from yesterday’s dress rehersal, so it may not work all that brilliantly in practice) and in a first, electronic voting from the Bother’s Bar venue of choice (i.e. an iPad with Numbers) so I might be chipping in with some stuff if I can get the wi-fi connected. It’s all VERY EXCITING.
You can see the running order and download a scorecard from the BBC here.
I’ve just been told it’s 14 years since our last win and we are drawn 14th.
GUYS I DON’T WANT TO GET ANYONE OVEREXCITED BUT…
Don’t forget today is the 14th. What does it mean?
As ever, Tom Scott brings something exciting into the mix, so if you’re watching on Twitter: http://www.mattg.co.uk/eurovision/
better post my prediction now incase no-one believes i’ve called it if it happens (or the more likely scenario, so that i can be ridiculed as my choices come 23rd 24th and 25th!) i expect a close three way run in between azerbaijan, germany and uk. if i had to put money on a sole winner, i think lena’s previous form may just give her an edge with the audience.
Azerbaijan always do well. They’d be in the top 5, although the song is a bit uninspiring really.
I’m really hoping that neither UK nor Ireland (sorry!) come anywhere near first. With songs as high quality as France and Lithuania’s songs, and catchy but not annoying songs like Slovenia’s song, it’d be a crime for a 90’s boy band or an X Factor group to win.
I suppose we’re doing the votes this time?
Stefan Raab, a swing band, and Lena: MP3 DO WANT.
Right, just in case people bother with voting:
Finland: I really like this, still. Not gonna win, but anyway. 8.5/10
If you want to know, currently 25/1 with Ladbrokes, 20/1 with William Hill and 16/1 with Paddy Power… 😉
Bosnia: I don’t get it. And that woman has no idea how to play a tambourine properly. 5/10
Denmark: it’s basically what they use for the Coca-Cola ads in Denmark. I think. I like it. 7.5/10
Current odds range from 14/1 to 20/1.
Time for Jedward…
Uh, Alex? What’s the story with the marks? 😉
Denmark now 12/1 with Ladbrokes but still 20/1 with William Hill – Sweden’s and Estonia’s odds ranges are similar.
This is a semi-legitimate question: Do kids in Europe wear Halloween costumes based on Eurovision acts? Because I can totally see a kid taking a cardboard box, painting it red, cutting a couple of holes, and making a Jedward costume.
Only for Ukraine 2007, sorry :/
Now it’s time for France – still the favourites, and currently at just 5/4 with ‘brokes…
Bentornato Italia… 😉
and we waited 13 years for… that? -_-
I really liked that :/
Same, it was the first to get an 8/10 in my votes.
Time for Lee, Duncan, Antony and Simon…
2 of the Big 5 (not France) have been appalling.
Jedward FTW!
And I think Graham might need to clean himself up after that, judging by his elation.
Sorry to be picky here Alex – but you still haven’t answered my question about where your marks have gone… 😉 😉
Oh shiiiiit.
Lena is still 22/1 with Paddy Power – but down to 16/1 with Ladbrokes and WH…
Right, lemme go through from the start:
Finland: 8.5
Bosnia: 5
Denmark: 7.5
Lithuania: 5
Hungary: 7
Ireland: 2.5
Sweden: 8
Estonia: 7.5
Greece: 4
Russia: 6
France: 7.5
Italy: 8.5
Switzerland: 8
UK: 6.5
Moldova: 7.5
Germany: 5.5
Now on to Romania and the former bin man from Tyneside.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan have overtaken the Grimes to be second favourites with all three bookies – even before they’ve performed…
Romania: Cheesily good fun. I really did like this one. Please don’t hate me. 7.5/10
in Italy they set up a live show with commentors to talk about the songs. the Romanian one has been judged the best so far.
Lena, meanwhile, must have done something right because she’s down to just 9/1 with William Hill and 12/1 with ‘brokes – in both cases ahead of Blue…
Austria: When you come back, don’t do a middle-of-the-road ballad. 5/10
Time for the Azeris now… can they justify being second favourites?
Azerbaijan: Best Azeri entry since their amazing first one. Although the two since have been pretty dull, so that’s not a compliment. Still a bit too MoTR to win. 6.5/10
comment from Italian TV about the Azerbaijan song:
“good for a yoghurt commercial”
another panelist just replied “it sucks”
I guess they’re not second favourites with Italian bookmakers, then… 😉
Slovenia: I like this, oddly. If you’re gonna do a ballad, do a rock-based one. That’s how you appeal to me. 7/10
Now it’s Nadine Beiler’s turn to be doing something right – Austria down to 7/1 with William Hill and 9/1 with ‘brokes.
But get this – Moldova and their stupid headwear are suddenly down to 14/1 with WH, the same odds as Blue… 😕
I quite like Slovenia too – but they’re currently 33/1 with WH and Paddy Power… 😕
Iceland: 5.5
Spain: 6
Now it’s Ukraine and the sand artist who looks rather like Mystic Meg…
I’m wondering, going by Mika Newton’s surname, does she have a parent from the UK, the US or some other country where English is the first language?
Ukraine: not brilliant. 5.5/10
Serbia: I kinda like it. OH GOD MY EYES 6.5/10
Azerbaijan must be getting more and more popular – they’ve just overtaken France to become 5/2 favourites with all three bookies…
Georgia: I like this too, although nobody else will. 8/10.
Voting over!
So here’s my last analysis of the odds before the all-important results…
Azerbaijan are still the favourites with all three bookies, at general odds of around 5/2, while France are around 3/1 and Jedward around 7/1.
Nadine Beiler ranges between 9/1 and 12/1, and Lena between 12/1 and 16/1, the same as Sweden. Blue, though, have drifted out to between 16/1 and 20/1 – the same as Moldova.
Slovenia, disappointingly, are between 33/1 and 50/1, and Denmark are still between 12/1 and 20/1, but it’s now Hungary’s turn to shoot up – they’re between 10/1 and 16/1.
the panelists at RAI did cast their predictions:
Germany, Romania, Georgia, UK
not much hope for the local hero here
My top ten:
12 – Romania
10 – Serbia
8 – Germany (These top three are pretty interchangeable in my mind.)
7 – Iceland
6 – Switzerland (These two were really similar acts in my mind, so they’re probably interchangeable also.)
5 – Italy
4 – Spain
3 – Ireland
2 – Hungary
1 – UK (Sorry.)
First blood Azerbaijan…
12 points for Blue from Bulgaria…
And they go in front thanks to 10 points from Italy…
Well, Greece are off to a good start…
Good to see Ruslana again.
Norway giving the big points to their near neighbours…
wow! we got one point!
I’m giving up on this. I hate that heartbeat sound effect so much that I’m not watching any more. Whoever is responsible for that, deserves to die. In agony. RIGHT NOW.
Now here’s Alex Jones with the UK results…
And of course Jedward get the 12.
And it’s followed by 12 more from the Danes…
And from the Swedes too – they’re very much in the running…
Sweden themselves have led for quite a while now – but never by much…
I would not like Azerbaijan winning. It’s just not a brilliant song by any means.