As a member of the "Big Four", the United Kingdom automatically qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Performing in position 23, the United Kingdom placed 5th out of the 25 participating countries with 173 points.
Prior to the 2009 contest, the United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-one times.[1] Thus far, the United Kingdom has won the contest five times: in 1967 with the song "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw, in 1969 with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" performed by Lulu, in 1976 with the song "Save Your Kisses for Me" performed by Brotherhood of Man, in 1981 with the song "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz and in 1997 with the song "Love Shine a Light" performed by Katrina and the Waves. To this point, the nation is noted for having finished as the runner-up in a record fifteen contests. Up to and including 1998, the UK had only twice finished outside the top 10, in 1978 and 1987. Since 1999, the year in which the rule was abandoned that songs must be performed in one of the official languages of the country participating, the UK has had less success, thus far only finishing within the top ten once: in 2002 with the song "Come Back" performed by Jessica Garlick. For the 2008 contest, the United Kingdom finished in twenty-fifth place (last) out of twenty-five competing entries with the song "Even If" performed by Andy Abraham.
The British national broadcaster, BBC, broadcasts the event within the United Kingdom and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. Despite calls from the leader of the Conservative PartyDavid Cameron for a withdrawal due to the 2008 South Ossetia war, BBC announced that the United Kingdom would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 on 28 May 2008.[2][3] BBC has traditionally organised a national final featuring a competition among several artists and songs to choose the British entry for Eurovision. For their 2009 entry, the broadcaster announced that a national final involving a public vote would be held to select United Kingdom's entry.
Eurovision: Your Country Needs You 2009 was the national final developed by the BBC in order to select the British entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Six acts competed over four televised shows between 10 and 31 January 2009 held at the BBC Television Centre in London and hosted by Graham Norton.[4][5][6] All shows in the national final were broadcast on BBC One as well as streamed online via the broadcaster's website bbc.co.uk.[7]
Contestants
On 18 October 2008, BBC announced an open submission for interested artists to submit their applications in the form of a video recording of themselves performing a cover version of a popular song or a self-written song. Eligible applicants were those being 17 years old by 1 January 2009 and living in a country within the European Economic Area. The submission period lasted until 21 November 2008. The received applications from the open call were reviewed and a shortlist was compiled BBC producers. [8][9] Additional applicants were provided to the BBC by casting companies through professional organisations including agents, stage schools, vocal teachers, open mic events, regional print press and radio stations. Candidates from both entry methods were included in a final shortlist which was presented to a professional panel, consisting of Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer of the British song), Colin Barlow (Universal Music representative) and BBC producers, that ultimately selected six contestants to compete in the national final following auditions as well as vocal and staging workshops held in London.[10][11][12] The six contestants were announced during an introduction show on 3 January 2009 which covered the background preparation and selection processes of the national final.[13][14][15]
Results summary
Colour key
Contestant received the most public votes
Contestant was in the "danger zone" but saved by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Contestant was in the "danger zone" and eliminated by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Two heats took place on 10 and 17 January 2009. In addition to individual performances, the female contestants together performed the songs "One Rock & Roll Too Many" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Starlight Express in the first heat and "Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge in the second heat, while the male contestants together performed the songs "No Matter What" by Boyzone in the first heat and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship in the second heat. The contestants together also performed the winning song for the United Kingdom in 1976 "Save Your Kisses for Me" by Brotherhood of Man in the second heat. Guest performer in the first heat was Lemar who performed the song "Weight of the World" from his latest album The Reason, while guest performer in the second heat was the group The Saturdays which performed the song "Up" from their latest album.[16][17][18]
A panel of experts provided feedback alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber regarding the contestants during the shows. The panel in the first heat consisted of Lulu (Eurovision Song Contest winner for the United Kingdom in 1969 with "Boom Bang-a-Bang") and Arlene Phillips (choreographer, talent scout and television presenter), while the panel in the second heat consisted of Lulu and Duncan James (singer, actor and member of Blue). In each heat a public televote selected two contestants to be up for elimination ("danger zone") and one of them was eliminated by Lloyd Webber.[19][20]
A panel of experts provided feedback alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber regarding the contestants during the show. The panel consisted of Dixon and Emma Bunton (singer-songwriter and actress).[24] A public televote selected two contestants to be up for elimination ("danger zone") and one of them was eliminated by Lloyd Webber.[25][26]
The three remaining contestants competed in the final on 31 January 2009, performing three songs which included a previously performed song during the preceding three heats and the British Eurovision song "It's My Time".[27][28] In addition to their performances, the contestants performed the winning song for the United Kingdom in 1981 "Making Your Mind Up" by Bucks Fizz in a group. Guest performers included Lulu performing the song "Relight My Fire" by Dan Hartman with the eliminated contestants Damien Flood, Charlotte Finlay and Emperors of Soul, and previous Eurovision Song Contest winner Dima Bilan who won the contest for Russia in 2008 with the song "Believe".[25][29]
A panel of experts provided feedback alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber regarding the contestants during the show. The panel consisted of previous panellists Lulu and Duncan James. A public televote selected Jade Ewen as the winner.
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top nine songs from each semi-final as determined by televoting progress to the final, and a tenth was determined by back-up juries. As a member of the "Big Four", the United Kingdom automatically qualified to compete in the final on 16 May 2009.[44] In addition to their participation in the final, France is also required to broadcast and vote in one of the two semi-finals. During the semi-final allocation draw on 30 January 2009, the United Kingdom was assigned to broadcast and vote in the first semi-final on 12 May 2009.
Jade Ewen took part in technical rehearsals on 9 and 10 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 15 and 16 May. This included the jury final on 15 May where the professional juries of each country watched and voted on the competing entries. The running order for the semi-finals and final was decided by through another draw on 16 March 2009 and the United Kingdom was subsequently placed to perform in position 23, following the entry from Romania and before the entry from Finland.[50][51]
The British performance featured Jade Ewen on stage with the LED screens displaying white chandeliers. Ewen made her entrance on a staircase in the middle of the stage with four violinists dressed in black tailcoats and bow ties, and was later joined by the co-composer of "It's My Time" Andrew Lloyd Webber who played the piano.[52][53] The singer wore a dress designed by designer Amanda Wakeley during the performance, which was choreographed by Arlene Philips.[54] The performance also featured smoke effects.[55][56] The United Kingdom placed fifth in the final, scoring 173 points.[57]
Voting
The voting system for 2009 involved each country awarding points from 1–8, 10 and 12, with the points in the final being decided by a combination of 50% national jury and 50% televoting. Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent. This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.
Following the release of the full split voting by the EBU after the conclusion of the competition, it was revealed that the United Kingdom had placed tenth with the public televote and third with the jury vote in the final. In the public vote, the United Kingdom scored 105 points, while with the jury vote, the United Kingdom scored 223 points.
Below is a breakdown of points awarded to the United Kingdom and awarded by the United Kingdom in the second semi-final and grand final of the contest, and the breakdown of the jury voting and televoting conducted during the two shows:
