United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013

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Eurovision Song Contest 2013
Country  United Kingdom
National selection
Selection process Internal Selection
Selection date(s) 7 March 2013
Selected entrant Bonnie Tyler
Selected song "Believe in Me"
Selected songwriter(s)
Finals performance
Final result 19th, 23 points
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2012 • 2013 • 2014►

The United Kingdom participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. The British entry was selected through an internal selection, organised by the British broadcaster BBC. Bonnie Tyler represented United Kingdom with the song "Believe in Me" composed by Desmond Child, Lauren Christy and Christopher Braide. Tyler finished in 19th place with a score of 23 points in the final.[1]

Background

The first official statement on UK participation in Eurovision 2013 was made on 17 January 2013, with the BBC's Eurovision semi-finals commentator Scott Mills stating that he would be hearing the UK's song "next week" – indicating that the BBC had made an internal selection decision on a UK entrant for Eurovision 2013, rather than heeding demands subsequent to Eurovision 2012 for a return for a national round to select the UK representative for Eurovision - see Eurovision: Your Country Needs You.

In December 2012, the Metro published an unconfirmed report that Girls Aloud would be representing the UK at Eurovison 2013. On 19 January 2013, Aftonbladet, a leading newspaper in the 2013 Eurovision host nation Sweden, reported that Girls Aloud member Kimberly Walsh would be the contest's UK representative with an entry written by Fredrik Kempe, a Swedish composer who'd placed three compositions at previous Eurovision editions. Walsh had indeed cut tracks for her solo debut album with Kempe in Sweden, giving credence to the rumour of her Eurovision involvement.

On 25 February, UK blogger The Kickdrum leaked Bonnie Tyler's identity as the UK representative at Eurovision 2013 as a blind item: "...as rumoured it is a female solo artist. But it’s not who you think it is. In fact, we’d wager that (although you will know the artist) you’d never guess in a million years. But once you get over the shock, you’ll be pleasantly surprised."[2] Social media speculation on The Kickdrum blind item largely hypothesized that the reference was to Bonnie Tyler, who besides having a new album set for release, had just set up a new website, Facebook page and Twitter account, indicating an anticipation of social media interest.

However, spurious identifications of the UK representative at Eurovision 2013 continued to occur. On 1 March 2013, Metro, who previously had incorrectly named Girls Aloud as the act UK was sending to Eurovision 2013, reported that Alesha Dixon would be the UK representative, while the same day the Daily Mail, in an evidently misconstrued leak of Bonnie Tyler's Eurovision participation, identified the UK representative as musical stage actress Bonnie Langford.[3]

Internal selection

The official announcement that Bonnie Tyler would represent the United Kingdom with the song "Believe in Me" was made on 7 March 2013.[4] Tyler is the fifth Welsh-born solo act to represent the UK at Eurovision, following Mary Hopkin (1970), Emma (1990), Jessica Garlick (2002) and James Fox (2004). To date, the only Welsh-born person to sing on a winning Eurovision entrant is Nicky Stevens of Brotherhood of Man, that group having secured Eurovision victory for the UK in 1976 with "Save Your Kisses For Me".

According to Bonnie Tyler, the arrangement for Tyler to represent the UK at Eurovision 2013 with "Believe in Me" was made around Christmas 2012 but kept confidential until the official 7 March 2013 announcement.[5] The song had been written independently of any intent of Eurovision entry being recorded for Tyler's Rocks and Honey album: according to Tyler an advance copy of the album came to the attention of the BBC resulting in an offer being made for her to represent the UK at Eurovision 2013 with "Believe in Me". Tyler has stated the BBC had attempted to recruit her to represent the UK at Eurovision in 1983: "I was in America at the time where I was #1 for four weeks [with "Total Eclipse of the Heart"] so it wasn’t the right time", adding: "But this is the perfect time."[6]

On 11 May, BBC Three aired a two-hour special called "How To Win Eurovision" presented by Greg James and Russell Kane. Former United Kingdom representatives Bucks Fizz, Sonia, Jemini, Javine, Daz Sampson, Scooch and Josh Dubovie appeared on the show.

At Eurovision

Bonnie Tyler at rehearsal in Malmö.

As a member of the "Big Five", United Kingdom automatically qualified for a place in the final, to be held on 18 May 2013. In addition to their participation in the final, United Kingdom was assigned to vote in the first semi-final on 14 May 2013.[7] In the final Bonnie achieved 19th out of 26th and got 23 points, which is the third highest placing for the United Kingdom, since 2006.

During the British delegation's press conference on 15 May, United Kingdom was allocated to perform in the second half of the final.[8] In the final, the producers of the show decided that the United Kingdom would perform 15th, following Romania and preceding Sweden.[9]

Points awarded to United Kingdom

Points Awarded to United Kingdom (Final)[10]
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Points awarded by United Kingdom

References

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