FIVE ACTS WHO FOUND FAME THROUGH EUROVISION

CELINE DION

Almost a decade before the Titanic soundtrack catapulted her to stardom, a little known Celine Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision. Her song, Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi (Don’t Leave Without Me) won in Dublin and is, to date, the last French-language song to be crowned Eurovision champion.

OLIVIA NEWTONJOHN

Raised in Australia but born in the UK, Olivia represented us in the 1974 contest in Brighton that ABBA famously won. Olivia came fourth with Long Live Love, a tune she later admitted she couldn’t stand. “I had to go sing it for the country, not liking it, which wasn’t easy,” she said. She had wanted to sing another song called Angel Eyes.

COLM WILKINSON

Now best known as a stage and screen actor, Colm represented Eurovision for Ireland back in 1978, finishing in fifth place. His appearance has long been overshadowed by his roles playing Valjean in both the West End and Broadway productions of Les Misérables.

JOHNNY LOGAN

Logan famously hated the crooner-esque tunes he found so much success with and was into punk rock in the late 1970s. Nonetheless, What’s Another Year and Hold Me Now are still two of the most enduring winning songs Ireland has entered. He’s still the only contestant to win the competition twice.

JULIO IGLESIAS

His son Enrique may have surpassed him in the annals of international fame, but Julio was a big deal for decades and is still one of the biggest selling Latin musicians of all time. His career was already under way back in 1970 but his fourth-place finish for Spain, singing Gwendolyne, did much to further his success in non-Spanish speaking Europe.