In memoriam: Patricia Bredin, the UK’s first Eurovision singer, passes away aged 88

Patricia Bredin, who was the UK’s first ever Eurovision singer, has died at the age of 88. Her family confirmed the star passed away on Sunday.

Patricia began a singing career in her home town at the Hull Operatic Society. But then, at the age of 22, she was spotted by the BBC whilst performing at the Savoy Hotel in London. She was asked if she would like to appear on television and was offered a place in the UK’s national selection. Patricia beat some strong contenders to ultimately be chosen as the nation’s entrant for the second edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 (the UK did not participate at the inaugural event in 1956). 

Held in Frankfurt, West Germany, ten countries took part. Singing the love song “All”, the first song to be sung in English at Eurovision, Patricia ultimately finished in seventh place for the UK.

Speaking to the BBC in 2016, Patricia noted she loved her time on the Eurovision stage: “Singing in the final in Frankfurt, Germany, it was wonderful, because they had about a 60-piece orchestra and it was like being on clouds.”

It was a relatively brief appearance on stage, as “All” only lasted for one minute and 52 seconds. It held the record for the shortest song in the history of the contest for 58 years, until Finland’s Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät brought the 1:27 minute-long “Aina Mun Pitää” to Eurovision 2015.

Following Eurovision, Bredin had a career on stage and screen.

She appeared in the satirical comedy film Left Right and Centre, after which she was voted as one of the most promising new British stars. In 1961, Patricia had a lead role in the movie The Treasure of Monte Cristo.

The following year, Bredin went stateside and took to Broadway. She succeeded Julie Andrews as Guenevere in the original production of Camelot.

Later in life, the English singer and actor gave up stardom and settled down with Canadian millionaire Charles MacCulloch on a farm in Nova Scotia. The two met whilst Bredin was singing on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. Shortly after their marriage, Charles passed away. But, Patricia Bredin-McCulloch continued at the farm and raised cattle before retiring.