The last UK winner of the Eurovision Song Contest has said that the country's record over the past few decades is an "embarrassment". 1997 winner, Katrina Leskanich of the group Katrina and the Waves, took the crown with their track Love Shine a Light but success has been a stranger to UK acts ever since.
Appearing on ITV's Lorraine on Friday, May 12, Katrina was responding to a clip of the host giving out the UK's votes back in 2003 when we scored nul points and remarked that the country was back on track at the contest. Lorraine told viewers that she knew they "were doomed" with no points and just got on with the party, before complimenting Sam Ryder for recovering the UK's Eurovision reputation when he performed a year ago for the UK.
Katrina said: "UK is back on track, it's been an embarrassment - there were years when the phone would ring and [i'd be asked] 'what do you think of this one?' And I'd feel sorry for them. But we're back on track now, Sam [Ryder] is great, Mae [Muller] is great. She's very cool."
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The UK has received zero points twice in the contest's history, with Jemini in 2003 and in 2021 when James Newman performed Embers.
Fellow Lorraine guest, Ben Adams, who took part in Eurovision with Norway's 2022 entry, Subwoolfer, added that the UK was "taking Eurovision seriously" now.
The Eurovision Song Contest Final airs on BBC One at 8pm on Saturday, May 13. For the latest TV and showbiz news sign up to our newsletter here.
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