The BBC has now confirmed that they will allow the public to play a part in choosing the United Kingdom’s 2016 Eurovision entry. After the news broke yesterday, the broadcaster has now revealed details of the process they will use to choose the song for Stockholm.
The BBC will use an open submission process, inviting anyone over the age of 18 to submit a video of their song. Neither the song nor the video have to be professionally produced, but the video must show the song being sung live by the intended artist. The closing date for submissions is Friday 20 November.
From there a shortlist will be chosen. Helping with this choice will be members of the UK branch of the OGAE fan club, ensuring the competition benefits from fan input. In previous OGAE polls, the UK has favoured Scandinavian acts, giving 12 points to Måns Zelmerlöw, Sanna Nielsen, Margaret Berger and Loreen – predicting winners twice.
The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) will also run a songwriting competition amongst its members. We reported back in June that BASCA were calling for the BBC to hold a national selection competition.
And as we previously mentioned, music executive Hugh Goldsmith will act as a music consultant, working with established record labels, publishers, managers, writers and producers to attract good quality involvement from the music biz.
This isn’t the first time Goldsmith has been involved with choosing UK’s Eurovision selection. In 2006, along with Simon Webbe from Blue, he was part of a panel which selected the winner in BBC Radio 2’s songwriting competition Sold On Song. The idea was that the winning song “I Wanna Man” would go on to be part of the national selection show Making Your Mind Up, but organisers were unable to find a suitable artist to perform it so the song was dropped.
But things are looking up for 2016. The BBC says it “wants to provide as many routes into the selection process as possible, whether amateur, professional or superstar.”
The show (or public presentation)
Once the shortlist of songs has been decided, the songs will be presented to the public and a panel of experts who will vote for a winner. The BBC hasn’t revealed any details of what form this will take, meaning it could range anywhere from Ireland’s austere Eurosong to Sweden’s massive Melodifestivalen to a simple online vote. The official statement never says anything about a televised national final.
The UK’s commentator Graham Norton is excited, saying “I love the fact that the BBC is launching its biggest song search ever. I think it really shows that they take the competition seriously and the fact that the public will get the final say on who is sent to represent the UK in Stockholm next year is the icing on the cake!”
The BBC have more information on entering at their Eurovision website.
Is this a good way for the BBC to select a winner? Would you prefer a big Melfest kind of show or a low-key Eurosong style? Or something in between? Share your thoughts below!
@Briekimchi
I second that! BBC managers and producers over the selections in the 21st century worry me.
The best thing the BBC can do for Eurovision is to not get involved with the selection process at all.
+1 to LucyPercy’s comments. Wiwibloggs needs a rate up/down system :p
Side note, I agree with EVERYTHING Eugene is saying right now, I am PUMPED and obviously there will be a vote! I’ve been so disappointed with our songs, the only ones I’ve loved have been Jade Ewen, Blue and Molly since 2000, the rest I’m just embarrassed of, especially now the contest has moved on so far past the cliches.
I really don’t know how I feel about OGAE having a say…in an OGAE UK member, and on the Facebook group people have previously said “we should send a song in Cornish or Morris dancers”…and it got LIKES. That concerns me a LOT. OGAE UK fb group tends to not have people posting good suggestions on it, like people suggesting Nicki French and stuff…it’s just…no.
Random comment but Sasha Bognivov, if you’re reading, you should try out for the BBC selection. Do a scandipop style song and you’re in! Beg Thomas G:Son to help you out if you can. Bet he’d love to be involved with the biggest British song selection yet!!!
You must obey! I’m bigger than William’s sex drive and Padrig’s forehead!
“Well Mawnck you just always seem to be negative all the time and don’t seem to enjoy the Eurovision.” I do enjoy Eurovision. Just not the UK’s entries. I’m embarrassed for you. “To me this implies that the professional panel and the public will have to vote.” IMPLIES? If there was going to be a vote, I guarantee you the word “vote” would’ve been stuck in there someplace. “Yes the BBC has failed miserably in recent years. They are trying to do something about it.” Writing press releases. You are absolutely correct that it all remains to be seen. But… Read more »
@CookyMonzta
I’m hoping the juries will be like this: 4 regional panels; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. That would be my ideal style of juries for a UK selection.
@Eugene ESC UK “The BBC has done everything the fans have asked them to do and more.” You’re reading a lot of things into that announcement that aren’t there. Turn off the wishful thinking and go over it again, word by word. There’s NOTHING new in place, other than handing over the arduous process of sorting through the entries to the OGAE, who I hope will have enough self-respect to demand payment for their efforts. No televised final was promised. No televised ANYTHING was promised. They said “the public will have a say”, which is meaningless. It doesn’t even promise… Read more »
@Brittany, Calum MacLeod: Did I miss something? Does this mean that the selection procedure will be closer to that of Melodifestivalen? And if they do use jury panels, will it be a national jury (perhaps one or two from England, one or two from Scotland, and so on), or an international jury (such as what Sweden and Malta use)?
RTÉ take notes. Please.
What they should do is have the uk mini eurovision like each region battling it out. It will bring a fun competitive side to it and they could also vote like in eurovision. This would be able to get bigger and bigger very quickly plus we need an international jury and votes…
It will be super fun when they’ll end up with a stupid song and trashy performance, because for someone out there in BBC it sounded “fresh & modern”. NOT.
Hahahahah…
We can rule out superstars, that’s for sure. So no Ed Sheeran or any other current pop.singer.
I’m still casually negative about the whole thing.It’s a good idea and it does show that BBC takes it seriously but I fear the amateur thing of it may become a reality. Ad not in a god way.
A proper final is the only way to go, with both jury and audience voters. That way the chance of sending a proper song is bigger and won’t have any weird novelty songs competing.
Still, this could be a boost
I think it’s great that they want more singer songwriters entering. It gives the contest more credibility and is more reflective of what is considered good music.
I’m glad that juries will get a chance to vote. Now we’ll hopefully get a proper, decent entry for the UK!
We all know what happens when the public gets involved…… Scooch!!!!!!!! So I’m one very happy bunny- a song that i will personally love, but will come nowhere on the night!!!!
Finally a UK rumour that is actually true!
I feel like this process will mean that the UK send their B list talent- established and known artists who have a few hits and are mildly famous in the UK but not superstars. Which is fine
There’s something I don’t understand.. so to enter, you have to send in a video of you singing your song which you would like to sing in Stockholm but they are also holding a song writing competition for British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors ? If all the participants already have their song (because they can’t audition without one) where are the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors songs going?
@CookyMonzta the UK was the first to do that when we had ‘a song for Europe’ we began the regional voting. In fact eurovision copied the voting technique they have now from the selection show ‘a song for europe’
@critcca
‘I love the fact that the submission features the performer singing the song live.’
Just as it did last year.
The biggest problem is still that the only artists who will really enter it are unknowns, with songs the OGAE fanclub may like but the public may not, and relatively little stage experience. This could be an even bigger disaster than Englebert Humperdinck.
No more whinning. Let’s just celebrate the fact that BBC isn’t internally choosing the song or act again. I love the fact that the submission features the performer singing the song live. UK needs a strong perform with a great song. Total package is a must now!! Through this selection show they can then start trialing/practice on how to stage direct the live performance before the act jets off to Stockholm
Unless they have something really exotic in mind, I’d rather they take the Melodifestivalen route (televote plus international jury); or maybe perhaps the Norsk Melodi Grand Prix route (televote, with each region delivering their final tallies the way they do in Norway)..
I’m worried about the UK here. Eurovision isn’t taken seriously enough for public selection in my view for this to be a success. I hope I’m wrong but I think it’s more likely to be some no hoper with a cheesy song than a future star or even worse a has been or z-list celebrity having a joke – maybe Keith Lemon?
@Robyn I really like the Swiss format where they do an online platform. Guy Freeman always goes on about how they do not have enough money to stage a national final in past years. For me, that would be the second best option, and like you say, might attract ESC-Fans only rather than the large audience of millions the BBC usually does. Maybe a red button final wouldn’t be so bad.. Only those interested would watch and it would (hopefully) hide away from those who vote for the joke acts. Then again, Guy is calling it ‘The People’s Eurovision entry… Read more »
I’d rather they selected someone unknown like Molly than a pop-star or has-been who needs a career revival. If anyone is thinking about entering a song and has read this article, PLEASE, don’t do cliche Eurovision songs. The UK has a terrible idea about what it is. Enter a song that is ultimately chart worthy but also appeals to a mass-audience. No more narrow genres like ‘electro swing’ that gave it a 1920’s feel. This is the first chance in six years that we as the public have had a chance to have an in-put, so make the most of… Read more »
Why don’t they just use The Voice UK as a national selection? I mean, the contest is already there, they have the killer jury members, awesome candidates and public interest… What else is missing?
I mean, it’s a good sign that they are organizing a national final, but like Robyn I’m worried that their “final” is going to be like their red button…
Great news! But I think they should have done a process where the singer auditions (like X factor) and is then given a song which suits them. You won’t find a Lena when you have to know or be a songwriter, to enter.
Really great decision of BBC.