Eurovision 2016: BBC bring back X Factor-style selection show to choose UK entry

Eurovision: You Decide will air on the BBC in February.
eurovision-you-decide.jpg

Remember when the UK's Eurovision entry was decided by an X Factor-style selection process? Well, the BBC's is bringing it back to our screens this year.

Eurovision: You Decide will be broadcast live on February 26 on BBC Four and - as if that wasn't enough - it's being hosted by actress/comedian/Great British Bake Off veteran Mel Giedroyc. 

Six acts and songs have been shortlisted following an nationwide talent search last year and will compete to impress a panel of judges and the public, who will vote for their favourite song to represent the UK at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden. The acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

The last time the UK's entry went to a public vote was in 2010 on Eurovision: Your Country Needs You. The winning act was Josh Dubovie's That Sounds Good To Me. Helmed by '80s pop super producers Pete Waterman, Mike Stock and Steve Crosby, the song finished - erm - last place, securing just 10 points. Let's all re-live the performance below: 

"I am a huge fan of the Eurovish and am honoured to be hosting this fantastic event," Mel said. "It’s very exciting that the Great British public will get the chance to choose who will be sent to Sweden and I know it’s going to be an amazing night. I can’t wait to get the party started!”

BBC Four will also broadcast both semi-finals of the Contest live from Stockholm in addition to Eurovision: You Decide, which will also include special guest performances that will be announced on BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce show on January 22.

Other UK entries to be decided by a similar selection process include Jade Ewen's My Time (2009), Scooch's Flying The Flag (2007) and Javine Hylton's Touch My Fire (2005).

QUIZ: How much do you know about the Eurovision Song Contest?

If you want to go along and catch all the action live, tickets for Eurovision: You Decide go on sale on Friday, January 22 at 10am at bbc.co.uk/eurovision

How many UK Eurovision entries can you remember? Click through every performer below: 

Join the conversation by joining the Official Charts community and dropping comment.

Already registered?

Log in

No account?

Register

MF

Mark Ford

0

Well let's hope there are some good songs to choose from, but by putting on BBC4 I don't think that will mean as many viewers will be tuning in. With the investment the BBC put into the contest surely a primetime slot would be more suitable to get more viewers interested and know what song is representing the UK. Also if the record company who release the track promote it correctly so it stands some kind of chart success prior to the contest, as recent winners of Eurovision have usually charted well in a number of countries before the contest has taken place. Of course that depends on the song chosen....