Eurovision 1998 (UK) re-run starting now (Saturday, 8pm)

[Billy]

Sadly this one won't be online for long as Eurovision only holds the rights to their own contests from about 2004 onwards - before that they belong to the original broadcaster, so in this case the BBC lent them their tape to use. 1997 disappeared after a week I think but post-04 they're fine.

I'd be fascinated to watch 1991's contest, which from what I've seen so far was an utter disaster - the last Eurovision done in a non-English language (Italian) so Terry had to frantically translate what the hell was going on to BBC viewers. Compared to just a few years later it's a different world, the last of the truly "old-school" Eurovisions before they started getting a bit more knowing and comedic as the 90's went on and especially in the 2000s. Terry did leave at the right time I think, he's brilliant in those first few decades but by the late noughties he starts coming across as a bored old man disinterested by silly foreigners and moaning that the UK don't have any points yet.

[imitationleather]

I've stuck on 1992. I don't know anything at all about this year, I just picked it at random. I'm ten minutes in and Wogan has already mentioned the previous year and how bad it was several times.

[imitationleather]

Wogan just said the audience have paid £100 for a ticket.

£100! In 1992!

[DrGreggles]

There are quite a few full contests on YouTube, complete with Wogan.

I think 1987 will be my next deep dive.

[Famous Mortimer]

I just caught up with the entries for this year and there are at least three top-level bangers (Iceland, Russia and Belgium) and the Azerbaijan song linked above was great too. I would have loved to see those songs go at it, and have it once again proved that I know chuff all about how the rest of Europe will vote. Although Little Big are the most famous band to be on for ages, and Iceland seems to be the favourite of lots of people. Good songs!

[Famous Mortimer]

Oh, Dadi Freyr did a live concert from his house, broadcast on national telly in Iceland, where he plays a bunch of his favourite Eurovision songs (including Sebastian Tellier, which came nowhere when it entered but was the Eurovision favourite of 23 Daves, formerly of this parish).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDgDLsBcjiw

[Captain Z]

Riga, 2003 this week:

https://youtu.be/01nNPZwegfs

BBC link:

https://youtu.be/GOcLi4KbQW0

[Captain Z]

If Terry doesn't call this Cypriot entry 'Enrique Double-Glazias' I'll be very disappointed.

[Mr Eggs]

Spanish white trousers. Not for me.

[Captain Z]

tATu really should have turned up to those rehearsals.

[Captain Z]

Stunned that the Spanish singer doesn't appear to have a nose piercing.

[Mr Eggs]

I love Ukraine. I smashed my balls up against a rocket when I was small.

[Captain Z]

Jesus, did Estonia actually invent landfill indie?

[Mr Eggs]

Still in shock from Belgium.