Then for a brief moment, pride was restored

My nerves are shot. I don’t normally do Eurovision but this year’s offering was a nailbiting affair, especially when we actually looked like winning.

Like everyone else, I realised Ukraine was down to take the trophy.

But no one expected us Brits to put up such a brilliant fight.

There were times when I thought Spain’s sultry singer Chanel might clinch it and I admit I felt sorry for poor Germany who ended up in our normal slot with nul points.

Their one-man band was pretty good, especially after the Germans and the French, both our historic rivals, awarded us the maximum douze points. But obviously it wasn’t to be.

Our boy Sam Ryder from Essex did us proud. He looked a bit like Jesus and for a while I thought he was poised to walk on water as the votes flooded in.

It was a breath of fresh air to see Britain doing well with a good singer and song and actually taking the contest seriously without the previous camp mockery, unlike

Norway’s ridiculous

Subwoolfer singing

Give That Wolf A

Banana. And best not to mention the handwashing of Serbia.

I even took a photo of the scoreboard when we were in the lead so

I could show it to the grandchildren one day.

I suspected something had gone horrendously wrong with the TV and was concerned normal service would be resumed at any minute.

We were only pipped at the post when the public awarded Ukraine’s effort from the Kalush Orchestra, a sort of Oasis meets East17 mishmash with a flute, 300 points. Did we get to second place on effort alone? I’d like to think so.

But then the trolls started wittering on about the votes being politically motivated because Boris had been backing Ukraine.

Actually, I can live with that. For a brief moment, pride was restored in the UK. I just hope there will still be a Ukraine next year to host the rematch.

‘It was a breath of fresh air to see us doing well with a good singer and song and taking the contest seriously without the previous mockery...’