Having co-hosted BBC Three’s semi-finals coverage in 2007, 2009 and 2010, Sarah Cawood has hit out at the BBC’s treatment of the Eurovision Song Contest.
In a column for Attitude magazine, with this month’s issue out now, she says that this year’s contest would be “monumentally anticlimactic” and claimed the broadcaster doesn’t want to host the competition again. She also complained that the UK was being “represented by a band they don’t know singing a song they didn’t choose”. Electro Velvet and their entry “Still in Love with You” was chosen through the BBC’s song submission process, which took place late last year.
She added:
“You only have to glance across your social media platforms on Eurovision night to see that the UK LOVES THIS S**T and the event itself remains one of the highest rated shows the BBC has each year. I have never understood the arrogance of the Beeb which results in UK public having little or no say in who represents our fine country at Eurovision. Even when we have been given the choice of artist, we still haven’t been given a choice of song. The BBC seem obsessed with either sending faded superstars (Bonnie Tyler and Engelbert Humperdinck) or PWL wannabes woefully out of touch with the times (Josh Dubovie singing a Pete Waterman B side and Scooch).”
Sarah goes on to say that only Blue in 2011 was her real UK contender in recent years, saying they’re a great band with a great song and had a European fan base.
She also says the BBC should look to Sweden, with all 5 winners selected from Melodifestivalen, and supported an X Factor style national selection show to help the British public get behind the song and artist.
Cawood has also dismissed complaints of political voting in the competition, and explained similar cultures and tastes being the real reason between neighbouring countries.
Photo: Getty Images/Jo Hale
Well, she’s … SORT OF got the right idea … The UK has several problems. Boiling it down to just one is a waste of time. For instance, a national selection doesn’t fix anything because (1) the UK general public have proven themselves to be just as inept, if not moreso, at picking entries as the BBC, and (2) a national selection is going to have the same problem as the internal one: Nobody good wants to do it. I’m one of the biggest Electro Velvet bashers around, but I do sincerely believe that it was chosen because the other… Read more »
Eugene, of course she isn’t calling the contest shit. Maybe you’re much more polite than myself, but I always say things like that, doesn’t mean I think the item is shit! Same as saying “its the dogs bollocks”
BBC’s ESC team are lazy not just arrogant. Btw Jemini was chosen by them to compete at the selection show! If they weren’t public wouldn’t vote them in tge 1st place!
Completely disagree. As I said the last time around: there were always better entries during the NF but the British public, as always, treat Eurovision as a joke rather than a serious contest and sent rubbish like Daz Sampson and Scooch. As someone rightfully said about the British NF: ‘They vote for the joke act, the kitsch act – because that unfortunately is what 40 years of Wogan has instilled into the Great British public.’ It’s all well and good people on a Eurovision FANSITE saying the public treat the contest seriously but go on any number of news sites… Read more »
Love the idea. Let’s take second place Melodifestivalen song for our UK entry. Perfect!
@Eugene consider her stance. She’s clearly defending the contest, and attacking the BBC. It would be highly detrimental to her own views were she to be referring to the contest in a derogatory manner. The direction in which she guides her article provides the context from which to interpret the meaning of any vague vocabulary.
@Eugene as a native English speaker, you know that isn’t what Sarah meant. It’s meant as an exclamation, as opposed to a derogatory term.
This is absolutely perfect. Fans who hate the UK for supposedly hating esc, we don’t, we REALLY don’t, the BBC just fuck us over every year, its utterly frustrating. I hope more people say this so Guy Freeman understands our anger.
Finally, someone speaking some sense and/or the honest truth!
There is a rising tide of hate in the UK. I’m so happy it’s against the BBC and not Eurovision. I don’t think the UK fans are elitist. The BBC is. I love the BBC, and I hope to work there one day. But Eurovision is the one thing the BBC can’t do well any more. Hopefully when I send my proposal for the GBMF on May 24th, Guy Freeman will take heed of everyone’s opinions and do the national selection.
A national selection is needed. 2011 and last year were our only good years.
Yep. She’s right. I love it all year round. My family say they hate it but when the time comes they always talk about it and watch it.
I loved the song *I Can* of BLUE ! <3
It was my no1 most favorite song of the Vision of 2011! <3
Really pity that their live performance was not the one that supposed to be or else they would most probably had won..
finally !! she knows what she is talking about
I agree with her. We take the Melodifestivalen runner-up as the UK entry next year. It will be a song with much more public support than all recent internal selections combined.
well said!!!! she is so right.