In more recent years, the UK hasn’t had the best record when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest. But we have claimed the title five times in total.
The first ever UK winner of Eurovision was barefoot icon Sandie Shaw who scored 47 points in Vienna with now famous song Puppet on a String. By 1969, artist Lulu secured the UK’s second win in Spain with song Boom Bang-a-Bang.
However, Lulu was part of a four-way tie for winner that year alongside the Netherlands, France, and Spain. After all four countries scored 18 points, the voting and judging system was updated to avoid it happening again.
In 1976, band Brotherhood of Man won the competition for the UK in The Hague, Netherlands. Their popular hit, Save Your Kisses For Me, also became the UK’s biggest-selling single that year.
Perhaps one of the most memorable and catchy songs in Eurovision history came from the UK’s fourth winner, Bucks Fizz. In 1981, the pop quartet won the contest with the much‑loved song Making Your Mind Up.
The UK’s most recent Eurovision Song Contest winner was Katrina and the Waves in 1997, with song Love Shine a Light. But the UK has also hosted the Eurovision Song Contest on numerous occasions.
London hosted the contest in 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1997. Other UK Eurovision hosts include Edinburgh in 1972, Brighton in 1974, Harrogate in 1982 and Birmingham in 1998.
The last time the UK hosted Eurovision was in Liverpool in 2023, after winners Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine could not hold the competition due to the country’s invasion by Russia. The UK had placed second the previous year with Sam Ryder’s song Space Man.