Eurovision 2023 was just three weeks ago, but attention is already turning to who could be participating at next year’s contest in Sweden. One person who we now know is unlikely to be representing the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2024 is Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The singer-songwriter has dismissed rumours that she’s in the running to participate.
Unsubstantiated claims began swirling last week in British tabloids that the BBC was eyeing up the “Murder On The Dancefloor” hitmaker to wave the Union Jack in Sweden.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor on Eurovision 2024 rumours
Whilst making an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Friday morning, Ellis-Bextor was asked by presenter Naga Munchetty about the murmurings. The star clarified that she had not personally had any contact with the BBC about participating at Eurovision and stated she felt it was too much of a risk:
“There’s been no direct conversation with me about it. I feel like this rumour also happened about a decade ago.
“I adore Eurovision. But I feel like at this point, and with what I’m up to, it would be like walking up to a casino and putting all my chips on red. I just don’t feel like I’m up for the gamble. But I will be willing from the wings whoever is doing their thing for the UK.”
Co-host Charlie Stayt later asked Sophie to clarify her points, asking if her apprehension was due to not wanting to finish with a poor result, even if the song was a good one. The British singer responded by saying she was content with her career at the moment and didn’t necessarily think the platform would offer her what it could do for others:
“I think Eurovision has got so much to offer. And I think if you’re at a certain point in your career it’s like one of those things where you’re just put on this huge platform, and I think Mae Muller was absolutely brilliant. But I think just for me, where I’m at, I just feel like I’m quite happy with the things I’m up to and where it’s all headed, and don’t know if I wanna take a big risk.”
But Sophie is not ruling out getting involved with Eurovision in other ways. The star would be up for working on a more behind-the-scenes role:
“You know what I’d really like to do: I’d like to write the song. Wouldn’t that be fun. I’d like to have a go at writing a Eurovision song.”
It is likely to be a long time before we here any official news on who will represent the UK at Eurovision 2024. The BBC has consistently been one of the last broadcasters to reveal any slither of information about their chosen act – both Sam Ryder and Mae Muller were confirmed in March of their respective years.
Whoever is eventually chosen will hope to improve upon Mae Muller’s 25th-place finish at the contest this year in Liverpool.
Are you sad to hear that Sophie Ellis-Bextor doesn’t want to compete at Eurovision 2024? Who do you think should represent the UK in Sweden? Let us know in the comments below.
I don’t want to be rude but we are now in 2023, Sophie E-B, and I gently have to ask you what present career you risk by «gambling» on a ESC-participation? 😉
I’m sick to death of these singers who peaked over 2 decades ago who think they’re above Eurovision.
Millennial gay men, stop giving these has-beens attention when they speak on Eurovision. I don’t care if it’s Steps, Sophie Ellis-Bextor or some other headliner at Mighty Hoopla or Brighton Pride, ignore them when they speak about potentially representing the UK. Stop buying into it.
BBC is simply lazy.
Just out of my head I can think of two names that could help take Britain to its glory days: Florrie, the guys from Xenomania, for example.
Something new, something fresh…
Something like Mini Viva, for instance?
I like I wrote a Song but I can see the issues, because, to be honest, I was expecting them. We have the running joke of the hosts always send a weak song, because no one wants to host twice in a row, and it’s based on the records. I mean, Time? If I were Sorry? they were several steps below the previous winners. So, I was expecting something below Spaceman’s level. I do hope BBC and TAP manage to keep a good level through time, and maybe find a winner someday, in five years or so, when BBC has… Read more »
If I Were Sorry got 5th place however and is one of few host entries that did well. Not to mention it was the biggest ESC song of the year. So you can have a great host entry, you just need to keep the quality up. Italy last year also did well. And Ukraine this year too
If I Were Sorry was criminally overrated – to put it in a few kind words, though
It’s not as difficult as the UK make out. Write a good song and then send a world-class performer to deliver it. They did it with Sam Ryder and look at the result. Then, they sent a weak performer the next year and got a deserved result.
Sounding good in the studio means nothing if you can’t do it live. As the last live performance I’ve seen from Sophie Ellis Bextor was her getting eliminated on episode one of the Masked Singer, she’s probably not really the level of live vocalist you’re really wanting to go with.
But we sent Mae because she actually had quite a few hits and millions of spotify. This year we were chasing Rosa Linn and we succeeded because people I know aren’t into Eurovision were playing “I Wrote a Song” and it got to number 9 in our REGULAR charts, one of the hardest things to do!
You do realize they had to use vocoder in her voice, because it is so well recognizable, right?
And I think she is a great vocalist, she has tons of live performances at youtube
She got eliminated because it’s no fun if you can tell who it is the instant that they open their mouth.
Don’t get me wrong, I love her voice and quite like a couple of her songs, so I don’t mean to disrespect her. But seriously … can anyone tell me what she’d possibly lose in that ‘gamble’?
In continental Europe she’s never been much of a thing at all – and that’s been twenty years ago, too. Really has me wondering whether it’s even any different in the UK.
If you are an established star it is always a gamble going to ESC. Even if she might not be well known she still has a working career. What can ESC offer her that she has not had? I mean unless you have a killer track why take part?
Radio hit? UK top 10 chart?
She had those. Without ESC. And its unlikely she will get any more top 10 hits, ESC or not. She is just not streaming material for a young crowd. And getting top 10 depends on where you end up . Again unless she comes with a song that either wins or reaches top 5 the gamble is not worth it.
Mae Muller had a top 10 hit despite finishing second to last…
The real barometer will be how Mae Muller is doing in 6-12 months time.
Previously, a lot of what you’d hear from UK artists not interested in doing Eurovision is that they’re worried about how a bad result would affect their career afterwards.
Unlike previous UK Eurovision participants, Mae did seem to have somewhat of an upward career trajectory before Eurovision, so, whatever you think of her, I do believe it’s important that her career isn’t impacted by what happened at Eurovision. The UK’s ability to attract up-and-coming talent for ESC might just depend on it.
I think Mae Muller will actually benefit from Eurovision. Plus, look at Sam Ryder. He only improved!
Maybe show continental Europe that she is still making music? Loreen is charting again with Euphoria, what about making a new generation listen to «Murder On the Dancefloor», «Get Over You», etc.?
She has the right mentality towards this. She doesn’t need Eurovision, she gains very little from Eurovision unless she comes up with a winner, and newer talent offer something more, but still respects the contest. It’s a nice change from people who think they’re too good for Eurovision or people who think it’s all a fix against the UK or just a junk contest. I’ve been a fan of hers for like 15 years but I definitely agree she shouldn’t be there.
Agreed!
Personally, I’ve about had it with the “No one likes us” excuse that people use to explain their country’s bad results.
Established acts only work when the song works. Look at Katrina and the Waves or t.A.T.u.
I wouldn’t say Blue flopped.
Blue came top five in the televote!
I was thinking about artists who scored a Top 3 result when I was writing the comment but you are right, Blue were not a flop but they deserved better.
What gamble? If you give good performance, fans will love you, even if you end up low.
Someone told the Mail on Sunday: “At the moment there is only one artist on the BBC’s list for Eurovision 2024, and they don’t intend to add to it. Sophie Ellis-Bextor is seen as the ideal fit for the contest.”
We now know that is completely untrue, as she said she never had any contact about it. Please can this time-wasting source be cancelled!
Unless the source is right and Bextor is WRONG or they will try and convince her at the last minute?!
The Mail also casually claimed the BBC was dropping their affiliation with Tap because they were upset by the result, which doesn’t seem particularly likely and isn’t supported by any other reporting.
Honestly, I’m inclined to doubt there was a source and suspect someone at the Mail just invented a story about a singer they like to reach an article quota.
well she did not lie; it is a gamble for someone with a fanbase and a career (even though she’s a has-been and not widely well known name outside the UK). Eurovision does not need Sophie and Sophie doesn\t need Eurovision. Also, the UK doesn’t need to go this direction (Sophie and her music) for Eurovision. It won’t work. To be honest, all these rumours after ESC are so annoying. Every year someone makes up a rumour. In 2021 after UK came last, we had a rumour about Jessie J. BBC are not going to start working on the UK… Read more »
It’s a little too early thus far to already start speculating who reps what country at this time, right? Usually the first artist announcement is somewhere in September or so, no?
Last year Noa Kirel was announced as Israel’s 2023 entrant in the middle of the summer… even if admittedly KAN got quite a bit ahead of itself. But yes, usually the pre-season kicks off in September.
Mae Muller had a good song but 2023 turned out to be a small but strong field of good songs. Sweden won the jury by a mile as did Finland with the public. Then songs of a similar type for example Israel on performance outshone the UK. Mae vocal performance at the end of the day was weak. This was evident from the pre party tours. Remember as well UK was 23rd at the end of the jury vote. As i said i would sooner lose with a good song than bad and this year this was the case for… Read more »
The problem was that the song did not work for Eurovision, it’s perfect for radio and clubs though.
I have a feeling Tap Music did not have many good options left so they chose Mae’s entry because of her personality and song
On stage, it did not translate well, no energy and dancing plus weak vocals (bad sound mix). Her team really failed her. Compare her performance with the performances of Norway, Israel, France… all of them had a big factor and a wow factor.
But songs written for ESC rarely works. Just look at Ireland. Rather I think what works is a mix. Songs that works both for ESC and outside it. Norway, Sweden, Israel all had it. UK had it last year. Thst kind of mix gives sucees
It has “worked” seven times for Ireland and Sweden respectively.
Yes, but Ireland lost it and can not find it. ” We Are One” is a song that might have worked in ESC a decade ago. Not now
It’s a fine line – countries should take risks, but it still has to relatively accessible.
Try to please everyone and you please no one.
Play to too small a niche and no one will vote for you.
It’d be interesting to see the UK going with some dancehall or Hindustani pop, for example, now that you mention it
Sadly after the disrespectful result given to Mae this year the BBC will find it hard to recruit singers once again. 2022 was most likely a fluke similar to 2009.
As Sophie says, why risk it? You can have a great song, be Top 10 with all the bookies, Top 5 with most of them, and then still finish 25th out of 26th.
In the words of Alexander Lemtov, “She quite good, but everyone hate UK, so… zero points”
The problem with UK 2023 wasn’t the song…
2022 wasn’t a fluke. Tap Music took a risk in 2023 and they selected a basic, yet catchy song but they did not check if Mae could sing live. Personality isn’t all that matters. Also, UK hosting did not help as BBC did not support Mae.
Also to clarify UK was highly tipped to come last with bookies. So they were the 10th in the Winner category but outside the Top 10 for the category ‘a place in Top 10’
Neither 2022 nor 2009 were flukes, they were results of BBC sending a good entry. UK will do well again once they send a good entry again.
Mae Muller was a complete disaster. Boring song performed by a person who just couldn’t sing it and was off key most of the time. There’s nothing “disrespectful” about not putting that in your top 10 (remember, even if a country puts you in their 11th place, you’re getting 0 points from them).
Weak af vocals and hosting country. She should be happy she wasn’t dead last. Probably should be
You’d think that Sam Ryder’s runner-up spot would disabuse people of the idiotic notion that we hate the UK. Apparently not.
We’re not at fault for YOUR broadcaster’s poor choices. Send a song that can actually compete in a modern contest, AND have someone who can sing live, then we’ll vote for it.
I really think it’s too early to tell. She could easily change her mind closer to the date and it’s no longer this career ending thing so I don’t believe what she is saying. It would actually help her as I know NONE of her song and only her name.
Paris Paloma for #UK2024
I like Sophie, but I think it would be a bit of a throwback, like Bonnie Tyler, Blue, Scooch and Englebert to get her to do it. It wouldn’t be progression.
Imagine Oasis reuniting for Eurovision. That would be Supersonic…
I can imagine their reaction if the suggestion was put to them ?
UK does NOT need to send an established act. It won’t work. Sam Ryder wasn’t established and he came second. They need to play safe in 2024 and send a jury-friendly song.
Sam Ryder WAS. He had MILLIONS of supporters on TikTok AND Spotify.
Oasis was a one-hit-wonder band, it wouldn’t be as supersonic as you think
I NEED SEB in Eurovision!
Cool, but I’d rather want to know who are the 2023 Second Chance competitors. When will we hear more about this?
This feels like it should have been the year, with the UK hosting. “Breaking the Circle” had a really classic sound to it.
Absolutely write a song . BBC / tap music need to keep door open to this level of song writing. They then need a live performer at the same level at Sam Ryder