You wait months for some news and it all comes at once! A day after Eurovision: You Decide was announced to the public, the UK’s Head of Delegation Guy Freeman gave a series of interviews to BBC Radio. He gave us the scoop on the selection process…and threw a bit of shade too.
When we can expect to hear the songs: Freeman said that the songs will be revealed live on the Ken Bruce show on BBC Radio 2 on the 22nd of February, just before the actual You Decide show on the 26th. When talking about the songs, Freeman said he was very confident the BBC has a “good list” to put out there. He was also asked what types of artists we could expect: established, charting acts or relative unknowns. Freeman suggested all of the above, stating that “an unknown who’s a brilliant performer can do just as well as a legendary performer. It’s all to play for!”
On the decision to host the show on BBC4: When asked why the show would only be on BBC4 and not BBC1, Freeman gave some cold hard truths. 
Referencing the 60th Anniversary Greatest Hits Show on BBC1, Freeman said that whilst the grand final always gets big ratings, “we’ve done spin off shows and it’s not attracted huge numbers”. On a more positive note, he reiterated that BBC4 is the “home of music on TV” and that the channel hosts footage from Glastonbury, so it’s a “natural home” for both Eurovision: You Decide and the semi-finals. Freeman also pointed out that being on BBC4 was a lot better than the previous launches on the Red Button service.
Why the UK is opting for a National Final: Freeman said that surveys done by the BBC showed that the public wanted to have a say in the decision: “…bearing in mind the competition is 50% public vote, there’s wisdom in the public deciding“. He did, however, concede that the same survey showed that “most people who watch (the Grand Final) don’t care if we do win“, but similarly, the UK was “getting better at seeing it as a competition“.
On last year’s entry, Electro Velvet, and their performance: It wasn’t difficult to read between the lines of Freeman’s statements about Electro Velvet and “Still in Love With You”. Freeman said that to win the contest, you would need “very competent artists” along with a good song and staging. Hardly a big endorsement for poor Alex and Bianca…
We’re also expecting more news still this Friday, when Ken Bruce will announce further details about musical guests for You Decide on his radio show. Keep checking back and on our Twitter for the latest updates!
So far Guy seems to do the same mistake as many other HOD: Think it’s a stage show that happens to be televised while it’s actually the other way around. Many of the previous artists might have had stage experience but lacking TV-experience, looking absolutely nervous when the cameras were on. The camera work is important and you have to work with it. Hopefully they have fixed that problem..
As for the logo, it could just be that they put all the money on the artists, songs and presentation that they re-used the logo.
It’s easy. Let them forget their notion about what Eurovision is and winning the contest and start anew with an idea that’s comparable to singing competitions and festivals from their home country.
Also, BBC needs to stop acting like someone’s negligent parents. They better start waking up an get their act together for once (or more which is even better) by doing what’s appropriate for their entrants on stage, and to help keep their music careers afloat.
@MarioMario
Put your blog url in the “Your Website” section so every time you post, ppl can check you out.
Much love.
“Freeman said he was very confident the BBC has a “good list” to put out there.” Well that’s not exactly “Oh yes, I think we have at least 3 or 4 that could win the whole thing!”, is it. “we’ve done spin off shows and it’s not attracted huge numbers” If he’s referring to that “How to Win at Eurovision” intelligence-insulter, then it’s hardly a surprise, is it. I have to disagree with the posters who are so transfixed on the song and performer. One of the many mistakes the BBC (and some other countries) make is that they think… Read more »
DR,
My mistake. I was actually thinking of the singer David McAlmont – not David Arnold.
I am an idiot.
Not to be negative but it seems that the uk and Ireland traded thier selections. Ireland always had national selections and the U.K. Does internal. It’s a theory Going back guy. I think it was a matter of self sabotage. After Molly guy wanted a national selection but the been said no. So he found an act that was good on paper but was bad in practice. So the BBC were force to reconsider a national selection and here we are. I think the uk should not trying to win but try to be ok. Top ten or left hand… Read more »
@esc1234
Guy has only been around since 2014. He has been involved in the past. He was in the team that gave the UK it’s last win in 1997 and was Producer of the following years Eurovision in Birmingham in ’98.
Quite ironic he helped the UK get it last victory, but then gave us Electro Velvet.
The uk will start to do better once this guy starts to realize that u dont have to sent an 75 year old singer or a bad song with a worst staging in order to gain attention. A FREAKING CURRENT SONG AND A GOOD PERFOMER IS WHAT IS ALL ABOUT AND THE COUNTRY WITH THE BIGGEST MUSIC INDUSTRY CANT GET THAT!
@Jonas I thought David Arnold was a song and film composer. Is he a singer as well. I got the quote as he was one of the talking heads on the 60th anniversary documentary done by BBC. In reference to the staging fiasco of electro velvet, he said (not about E.V., but generally) you shouldn’t try to win it, as you’ll do stupid things like have jet packs and ice rinks in order to attract people’s attention. That is why he said we ,as a nation, should send our best and be proud of it. That is missing from the… Read more »
Maybe I’m just nitpicky or probably focusing on the wrong details… but the fact they’re basically recycling the Eurovision Greatest Hits logo doesn’t give me much confidence, gives me the message that they’re not doing a full effort. Hopefully this just means they’re focusing on the show’s content rather than investing on a new graphic identity.
David Arnold would be a great choice! Now you’ve gotten my hopes up that he’s one of the participants. With his incredible voice and performance style, I’m sure he could make any song sound good.
@Robyn: In other words, last year’s performance was set up to fail miserably, BEFORE they even chose the artists to represent them.
Very dumb! >:-( The stage concept is supposed to be built around the song and the artists singing that song, not the other way around!
@Robyn If that is true, then they don’t seem to understand the ESC at all. I know they wanted to address the staging after mess they gave Molly, and it seemed like the right direction. But to construct the whole act from a gimmick is not how you win Eurovision. It’s a song contest not a staging contest. They need to understand staging aids an amazing song, not construct a song. They should listen to this quote by the UK songwriter David Arnold. “Why don’t we just turn up with something beautiful and amazing and then if we win or… Read more »
Inexplicably bad last year – especially the light up costumes – bianca looked like she had a car engine strapped to her. I don’t think we’ll see any well known artists, I read that statement as preparing us for that.
In Ireland we have all of the bbc so I’ll be able to watch it from my TV than on the Eurovision website!!! I’m expecting a lot after all of the previous ill fated songs
About EV… Then why did he allow BBC to choose them? This reminds me of Björkman shading Anna Bergendahl after ESC2010.
Hopefully the UK will do amazing this year.
Visit my ESC blog please. I just started it a couple of minutes ago. I’ll update it soon. It’s just for fun.
http://eurovisionla.weebly.com/