This year the UK is being represented by singer-songwriter SuRie, who will be performing the track Storm.
She was selected by the British public back in February when she competed on the BBC show Eurovision: You Decide and fended off competition from a number of other hopefuls.
SuRie doesn’t have to compete in the semi-finals and automatically goes through to the grand final because the UK is part of the “big five” countries which also includes Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
The “big five” and the host nation – this year it’s Portugal – automatically bypass any heats to go straight through to the final.
Despite already being in the final, the UK’s chances are not looking good and the nation is an outside favourite to clinch victory.
Many bookmakers have given SuRie and the UK odds of 100/1 to win the competition.
Who were the last 10 UK Eurovision acts?
The UK hasn’t fared well in recent years and last won the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1997 with Katrina and the Waves and the uplifting anthem Love Shine A Light.
But it’s been downhill since then with the UK coming in last place three times in 2003 with Jemini’s Cry Baby and zero points; Andy Abraham and Even If; and Josh Dubovie and That Sounds Good to Me.
The last time the UK even came close was in 2002 with Jessica Garlick and her track Come Back which saw the nation make it to the third place.
Over the last 10 years the UK has usually ended up on the bottom half of the scoreboard despite acts such as Blue, Bonnie Tyler and Engelbert Humperdinck performing.
Last year the UK’s entrant Lucie Jones seemed to fare better with her ballad Never Give Up On You.
The former X Factor contestant got a respectable 111 points but finished up in 15th place.
Here are the Eurovision acts for the last 10 years:
- 2008 – Andy Abraham, Even If (25th place)
- 2009 – Jade Ewen, It’s My Time (5th place)
- 2010 – Josh Dubovie, That Sounds Good to Me (25th place)
- 2011 – Blue, I Can (11th place)
- 2012 – Engelbert Humperdinck, Love Will Set You Free (25th place)
- 2013 – Bonnie Tyler, Believe in Me (19th place)
- 2014 – Molly, Children of the Universe (17th place)
- 2015 – Electro Velvet, Still in Love with You (24th place)
- 2016 – Joe and Jake, You’re Not Alone (24th place)
- 2017 – Lucie Jones, Never Give Up on You (15th place)
How many times has the UK won the Eurovision Song contest?
The UK has taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest a total of 60 times.
The nation first participated in 1957, the second Eurovision Song Contest.
To date, the UK has won a total of five times: in 1967 with Sandie Shaw’s Puppet on a String, 1969 with Lulu’s Boom Bang-a-Bang, 1976 with Brotherhood of Man’s Save Your Kisses for Me, 1981 with Bucks Fizz’s Making Your Mind Up, and 1997 with Katrina and the Waves ‘ Love Shine a Light.
The UK has clinched victory in four different decades – Sweden is the only other nation to have done so.
There have been a number of big names to have represented the UK at Eurovision over the years including Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John and Michael Ball.
The Eurovision Song Contest takes place on the 8, 10 and 12 May
