United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003

The United Kingdom was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song "Cry Baby", written by Martin Isherwood, and performed by the duo Jemini. The British participating broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), organised a public selection process to determine its entry for the contest, A Song for Europe 2003. Eight acts competed in the national final which consisted of a semi-final and a final, during which the winner was selected entirely through a regional televote.

In the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, the United Kingdom performed in position 15 and placed twenty-sixth (last) out of the 26 participating countries, failing to score any points. This was the first time that the British entry had placed last in the history of the competition and also the first time it received nul points.

Background

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Prior to the 2003 contest, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing the United Kingdom forty-five times. Thus far, it has won the contest five times: in Template:Esccnty with the song "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw, in Template:Esccnty with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" performed by Lulu, in Template:Esccnty with "Save Your Kisses for Me" performed by Brotherhood of Man, in Template:Esccnty with the song "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz, and in Template:Esccnty 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 Template:Esccnty, it had only twice finished outside the top 10, Template:Esccnty and Template:Esccnty. 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, it has had less success, thus far only finishing within the top ten once: Template:Esccnty with the song "Come Back" performed by Jessica Garlick.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, the BBC organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster announced that it would participate in the 2003 contest on 3 September 2002.<ref name="Submissions">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> BBC has traditionally organised a national final featuring a competition among several artists and songs to choose its entry for Eurovision. The broadcaster announced that it would held a national final involving a public vote to select its 2003 entry.

Before Eurovision

A Song for Europe 2003

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} A Song for Europe 2003 was the national final developed by the BBC in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2003. Eight acts competed in the competition which consisted of a radio semi-final on 31 January 2003 and a televised final on 2 March 2003. The semi-final was broadcast on BBC Radio 2, while the final was broadcast on BBC One.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Competing entries

On 3 September 2002, BBC together with the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) announced an open submission for interested songwriters to submit their songs. The BBC stated that they would seek out songs "that work instantly rather than be a slow burner" and "that is not typically a Eurovision song". A fee was also imposed on songs being submitted to the national final: £40 for BASCA members, £60 for non-BASCA members and £10 for songwriters under the age of 17. The submission period lasted until 18 October 2002.<ref name="Submissions" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 700 received submissions were reviewed and a shortlist was presented to a professional panel consisting of representatives of BASCA and the BBC as well as music industry experts that ultimately selected eight semi-finalists to compete in the national final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The eight competing songs were premiered during The Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2 between 27 and 30 February 2003.<ref name=":0" />

Semi-final

Eight acts competed in the radio semi-final which was hosted by Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce during Wake Up to Wogan on 31 January 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A public vote consisting of televoting and online voting, which registered over 30,000 votes, selected the top four songs that proceeded to the final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Semi-final – 31 January 2003

Draw	Artist	Song	Songwriter(s)	Result
1	Fenix	"Do Anything for Your Love"	Template:Hlist	Eliminated
2	Mimi	"Ever Since That Night"	Template:Hlist	Advanced
3	S.K	"First Night"	Template:Hlist	Eliminated
4	Esther Hart	"Wait for the Moment"	Danny Davies	Advanced
5	Tricity	"Cry Baby"	Martin Isherwood	Advanced
6	Emily Reed	"Help Me"	Simon Hill	Advanced
7	Gallico	"Smile"	Template:Hlist	Eliminated
8	Ben Plus One	"Rainy Day in Summer"	Template:Hlist	Eliminated

Final

Four acts competed in the televised final on 2 March 2003 which was held at the BBC Television Centre in London and hosted by Terry Wogan. Before the final, Tricity was renamed as Jemini, while the song "Wait for the Moment" was rewritten and retitled as "Now and Forever" with its performer being changed from Esther Hart, who withdrew in favour of competing in the Dutch national final (where she eventually won), to Simon Chapman. The group United Colours of Sound was originally announced as Hart's replacement before they also withdrew and were replaced in turn by Chapman.<ref name="name changes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A regional televote selected the winner, "Cry Baby" performed by Jemini.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The respective spokespersons for the results in Southern England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Midlands, Northern England and Scotland were: Esther Rantzen, Jessica Garlick, Joe Mace, Mel and Sue, Matt Baker, and Nicholas Parsons. The televote in the final registered over 100,000 votes, with Emily Reed reported to have received the most overall votes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Final – 2 March 2003

Draw	Artist	Song	Televoting regions						Total	Place
			Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header
1	Jemini	"Cry Baby"	10	12	12	10	12	12	68	1
2	Simon Chapman	"Now and Forever"							0	4
3	Mimi	"Ever Since That Night"	9	9	9	9	9	9	54	3
4	Emily Reed	"Help Me"	12	10	10	12	10	10	64	2

12 points

N.	Song	Regions giving 12 points
4	"Cry Baby"	Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales
2	"Help Me"	Midlands, Southern England

At Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 took place at Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 took place at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia, on 24 May 2003.<ref name="riga 2003">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to Eurovision rules, the participant list for the contest was composed of: the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom), the fifteen highest-scoring participating countries in the previous year's contest and any non-participating countries in the previous year's contest, up to the maximum 26 participants in total.<ref name="Rules">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As a member of the "Big Four", the United Kingdom automatically qualified to compete in the contest. On 29 November 2002, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order and the United Kingdom was set to perform in position 15, following the entry from the Template:Esccnty and before the entry from Template:Esccnty.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The United Kingdom finished in twenty-sixth (last) place and failed to score any points. This was the first time the United Kingdom finished in last place and also the first time the nation received nul points.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The United Kingdom's last-place finish was greeted with much consternation in the British media. Terry Wogan, who commentated the contest on BBC One, said that "the UK is suffering from post-Iraq backlash".<ref name="BBC">Template:Cite news</ref> Jemini attributed their failure at the contest to technical problems. Member Chris Cromby said: "The monitors were off. Maybe it was sabotage, but we couldn't hear anything... we used the floor monitors, the others used their own."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In addition to BBC One, BBC Radio 2 also broadcast the contest with commentary by Ken Bruce. The BBC appointed Lorraine Kelly as its spokesperson to announce the results of the British televote during the show.

Voting

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to the United Kingdom and awarded by the United Kingdom in the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Template:Esccnty in the contest. It was later revealed that Template:Esccnty would have been awarded with 12 points from the nation had a backup jury be used.

Points awarded to the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom did not receive any points at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003.<ref name="2003detailed">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Points awarded by the United Kingdom

Points awarded by the United Kingdom<ref name="2003detailed" />

Score	Country
12 points	Template:Esc
10 points	Template:Esc
8 points	Template:Esc
7 points	Template:Esc
6 points	Template:Esc
5 points	Template:Esc
4 points	Template:Esc
3 points	Template:Esc
2 points	Template:Esc
1 point	Template:Esc

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Draw	Country	Televotes	Rank	Points
01	Template:Esc	23,333	13
02	Template:Esc	40,521	3	8
03	Template:Esc	86,653	1	12
04	Template:Esc	37,280	4	7
05	Template:Esc	16,763	15
06	Template:Esc	3,845	25
07	Template:Esc	10,057	19
08	Template:Esc	8,762	21
09	Template:Esc	15,892	17
10	Template:Esc	29,706	7	4
11	Template:Esc	23,497	12
12	Template:Esc	16,131	16
13	Template:Esc	9,415	20
14	Template:Esc	24,269	10	1
15	Template:Esc
16	Template:Esc	6,528	23
17	Template:Esc	24,027	11
18	Template:Esc	31,050	5	6
19	Template:Esc	7,244	22
20	Template:Esc	25,972	9	2
21	Template:Esc	11,344	18
22	Template:Esc	30,631	6	5
23	Template:Esc	26,563	8	3
24	Template:Esc	17,957	14
25	Template:Esc	41,099	2	10
26	Template:Esc	5,976	24

References

{{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} Template:Eurovision Song Contest 2003