The British broadcaster BBC reports that a multi-party MP will examine the UK’s ‘dismal’ Eurovision song choice.
Over the last few years, the UK managed to achieve considerably low scores in the Eurovision Song Contest:
- Ending in the bottom 5 in 7 occasions since 2015: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2026.
- Ending between 15th and 20th in 2017, 2024, and 2025.
- Sam Ryder and his “Spaceman” were the only act to rank higher than 15th place, as he ended as the runner-up in 2022
In the majority of cases, and since 2020, the UK has selected the artist and song internally, behind closed doors. In some cases, record labels were involved as well.
The lack of transparency has led Eurovision fans to raise some questions about how the act is selected and what the main considerations are.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, the chair of chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, explained:
We want to get to the bottom of who chooses our entrant, on what basis and whether our dismal record of achievement in recent years [Sam Ryder to one side] is the result of bad song choice, weak performance… or something else
Dame Caroline Dinenage, has also related to a national selection option:
Clearly, there have been different approaches tried over the years. But who decides who makes it into that shortlist? I think all these things are worth looking at. We need to look at what the process is and what other processes have been tried
She also related to the contrast between the UK’s results in the contest and the fact that it leads one of the most successful music industries:
This application interested us because of the UK’s reputation for scoring ‘nul points’, coming bottom, or close to bottom in recent years at Eurovision, despite having world-class song writers and musicians
Over the coming months, cross-party MPs are expected to question BBC figures and music industry experts at a committee hearing, alongside reviewing relevant written submissions.
The MPs’ hearing will be part of the committee’s State of Play inquiry, where members of the public or others can request an evidence session to be held into a particular subject that interests or concerns them.
It is expected that the committee may produce a short report containing recommendations to the BBC.
Look Mom No Computer represented the UK in Eurovision 2026.
He performed “Eins, Zwei, Drei” and finished in 25th place in the final:
Eurovision 2027 will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria on May 11th, 13th, 15th, 2027
