Contest singer Olly Alexander: My odds are low but don’t count me out
UK Eurovision Song Contest entrant Olly Alexander has admitted that his odds of winning look low ahead of his first performance today.
Betting companies have placed the Years and Years singer and actor, 33, among the top 10 contestants in with a chance of lifting the trophy at the competition in Malmo, Sweden, on Saturday.
Eurovision audiences will first see him deliver a live rendition of his catchy dance track during today’s semi-final.
Alexander is already through to the final competition as the UK is one of the big five countries along with Germany, France, Spain and Italy, which are automatically through to the last bout.
“I saw that one of my odds said that I had like a one per cent chance of winning so I like those odds,” he said. “It’s better than zero?”
On Sunday, he was given 60/1 odds to win Eurovision by Paddy Power along with Greece as Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine have been classed as the favourites and Italy, Netherlands, France,
Ireland and Israel have all been touted as having more chance of storming the competition ahead of the UK.
Alexander also said “there’s not like a clear, clear, clear front runner this year so that is quite exciting”.
He added: “I’m just like not going to focus on where I place in the final because as long as I just do a performance that I’m proud of, do my best, then, like that’s all that matters.”
“Hopefully, it’s already a good result for the UK, just the fact that I’m doing it.”
He also said: “I definitely have nerves … I’m always a bit nervous, and something like this with so many people watching as TV is live, there’s all these elements that are out of your control.
“And like, that does bring nerves and it’s very exposing to be in a competition because you’re literally being pitched against all these other people. When I’m going to be out there waving my flag … at the parade, like it’s for all the good things that have come from growing up in the UK.”