Rylan Clark bosses of the Eurovision Song Contest have angrily told him off for always taking the UK entrant out on the lash before the competition.
The 33-year-old former singer-turned TV presenter has been involved in Eurovision shows since 2018 when he was first a panelist on the You Decide series which is where the UK deliberated who to send off to compete for the crown.
He also took over from Mel Giedroyc that same year to be a co-commentator of the semi final episodes of the popular singing competition alongside Scott Mills.
But Rylan has developed a bad habit of taking the UK entrant out for drinks one of the nights before the live finals – which may well explain why the UK has done so badly in recent years.
In a chat with The Sun, Rylan explained that show bosses have told him off for taking contestants out drinking ahead of the vital live final – but that won’t stop him doing the same with 2022 UK hopeful Sam Ryder.
He said: “It is tradition that I always take the British act out, normally on the Wednesday or the Thursday, and then the head of delegation always has a go at me because I take them out.
“But I will make sure Sam is all right by Saturday night.”
Last year, the UK entrant, James Newman, bottomed out of the competition coming absolute last and winning zero points.
He had been due to sing at the 2020 contest – but this was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
But while he was able to carry over his entry into the following year, his luck only got worse as he secured ’nul point’ at the 2021 contest in The Netherlands.
Rylan suspects the UK will do far better this year, telling The Sun: “I know full well we will be on the left-hand side of the leaderboard this year.
“How high up, I don’t know, but I’ve every faith in Sam.”
Sam himself also has high hopes for the UK in next weekend’s contest – which will take place in Turin in Italy.
He told the Mirror back in March: “I don’t want to let the stigma or fear of coming at a certain place in a table stop me from doing something and being a part of something I enjoy so much.”
Meanwhile, semi final commentator Scott has claimed the team behind Sam are going all out to try and win the crown at this years’ contest.
He has promised a huge spectacle with “staging like you’ve never seen from the UK”, for the song Space Man, that Sam will perform.
The firm favourite to win next Saturday, however, is Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra – who combine hip hop with folk and traditional Ukrainian music.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes assign the country odds of 8/11, putting it far in the lead.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes told MyLondon : “ Ukraine are running away with things in the Eurovision betting, with punters seemingly convinced the Kalush Orchestra are the ones to beat.”
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