Brexit? It will have no effect on Eurovision, declares UK hopeful Lucie
IT HAS been a long 20 years since Katrina and the Waves secured Britain’s last victory at the Eurovision Song Contest.
And anyone hoping for a return to glory tonight may be disappointed, judging by the hostility from music fans across the Continent.
Despite claims by UK hopeful Lucie Jones that last year’s Brexit vote will make no difference to her prospects, the mood in Ukraine – where this year’s contest is being held – seems rather different.
Eurovision fan Laura Cumbo, who has travelled to the contest from her home in London, said: ‘I came last year and already I think there’s a definite difference towards the UK.
‘The message I’m getting from speaking to fans from other countries is that the UK doesn’t do well at Eurovision because they think we don’t take it seriously and don’t send our best artists.
‘The consequences of Brexit just compounds that – they think we don’t see ourselves as fully European and being part of Europe doesn’t matters to us.
‘The other fans think that voting out of the EU is “typical of the UK” because they see us as not wanting to be part of the European ideal and valuing more our identity as a lone island.’
Despite the pessimism, bookies have cut the UK’s odds from a miserable 50/1 outsider to a slightly more respectable 28/1.
But one fan from Slovenia, who is part of a Eurovision appreciation group, said: ‘The UK takes the p*** out of Eurovision and voting Brexit is just another example of how Britain thinks they are better than mainland Europe.’ Another fan, from Sweden, said: ‘I’m not surprised Britain voted for Brexit because you always send rubbish Eurovision contestants and you didn’t join the euro. It’s sending a message to Europe that you see yourselves as separate.’
On Tuesday, even the Prime Minister said she doubted the UK’s chances. Theresa May told BBC1’s The One Show: ‘I’m tempted to say in current
‘You send rubbish contestants’
circumstances I’m not sure how many votes we will get.’
The final of the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Kiev tonight and will be shown on BBC1 from 8pm.
Miss Jones, 26, is representing the UK after winning the majority vote in the national selection show, Eurovision: You Decide. Asked by Good Morning Britain’s Richard Arnold if she was worried about the impact of the EU referendum, she said: ‘No, not at all. It’s not brought up, I don’t get the feeling that people are going, “Oh there’s the Brexit chick” behind my back.’
The Welsh singer, who made it to the 2009 live finals of The X Factor, will perform the song Never Give Up On You.
At last year’s Eurovision, the UK’s Joe and Jake finished 24th with 62 points, ahead of only the Czech Republic and Germany.
Results are decided by a combination of viewers and judging panels from each country.
Britain might already be quitting the EU, but a recent YouGov poll showed 56 per cent of those surveyed would be in favour of leaving the song contest as well. This compared with 44 per cent who still wanted to take part.