United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022

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Eurovision Song Contest 2022
Country United Kingdom
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)10 March 2022
Selected entrantSam Ryder
Selected song"Space Man"
Selected songwriter(s)
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2021 • 2022

The United Kingdom is scheduled to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy, with the song "Space Man" performed by Sam Ryder, who wrote the song with Max Wolfgang and Amy Wadge.[1] Ryder was internally selected as the 2022 UK entrant by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), in collaboration with the TaP Music record label and management company.

Background[]

Main article: United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2022 contest, the United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixty-three times. Thus far, the United Kingdom has won the contest five times: in 1967 with the song "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw, in 1969 with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" performed by Lulu, in 1976 with "Save Your Kisses for Me" performed by Brotherhood of Man, in 1981 with the song "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz and in 1997 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 1998, the UK had only twice finished outside the top 10, in 1978 and 1987. 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, the UK has had less success, thus far only finishing within the top ten twice: in 2002 with the song "Come Back" performed by Jessica Garlick and in 2009 with the song "It's My Time" performed by Jade Ewen. In 2021, the United Kingdom finished in last place with the song "Embers" performed by James Newman, notably scoring a total of 0 points from both the juries and the televoting.

The British national broadcaster, the BBC, broadcasts the event within the United Kingdom and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. Between 2011 and 2015, the BBC opted to internally select the British entry. For their 2016 entry, the broadcaster announced that a national final would be organised featuring a competition among several artists and songs to choose the British entry for the contest. The same process was used in 2017 and 2018, and changes were brought in for 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the BBC opted to return to an internal selection, in collaboration with record label BMG.

Before Eurovision[]

Internal selection[]

On 21 October 2021, the day after the official list of participants in Eurovision 2022 was released, the BBC announced its plans for the British national selection, opting for an internal process no longer in collaboration with record label BMG, but with TaP Music instead. The management company's leading artists include Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey. Kate Phillips (BBC commissioning editor) stated that the new collaboration "will enable the BBC to tap into some great music talent" and that the broadcaster has "big ambitions for the 2022 contest".[2] On 25 January 2022, TaP revealed that they had started shortlisting potential acts for the contest – with both established, emerging and brand new artists having approached them for the Eurovision project – and that they had worked with BBC Radio 1 and Scott Mills in order to choose the British representative.[3]

In November 2021, Glasgow-based electropop duo HYYTS revealed they were in the running to represent the United Kingdom;[4] this was confirmed during an interview with BBC Scotland's TV channel programme The Edit which was later broadcast on 29 January 2022.[5] On 3 February 2022, Jenni Falconer unofficially announced Chelcee Grimes as the chosen UK representative during her morning show on Smooth London.[6] Grimes herself later denied this on Twitter the same day.[7][8]

Sam Ryder was announced as the chosen entrant with the song "Space Man" on 10 March 2022.[9][10] The entry was revealed by Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1's breakfast show with Greg James, with "Space Man" having previously featured as 'Tune of the Week' on Mills' afternoon show on Radio 1.[11]

Having been a fan of Eurovision since I was a kid, I am so honoured to have been presented with the opportunity to sing at an event alongside some of Europe’s most talented creatives, performers and songwriters. I hope to sing my head off in a way the United Kingdom can be proud of, and to showcase a song I wrote with my friends last summer makes the whole experience even more special.

— Sam Ryder[11]

Promotion[]

In order to promote "Space Man" as the British entry for the 2022 contest, Sam Ryder is making several promotional appearances across Europe. Having made several appearances on British TV, Ryder also promoted the song in Bulgaria on 21 March after filming the UK 'live-on-tape' backup performance in Sofia, alongside entrants from Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece.[12][13]

At Eurovision[]

The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will take place at PalaOlimpico in Turin, Italy, and will consist of two semi-finals held on 10 and 12 May, and the grand final on 14 May 2022. As the United Kingdom is a member of the "Big Five", their entry directly qualifies for the final, along with France, Germany, Spain, and Italy (also the host country in 2022).[14] In addition to their participation in the final, the United Kingdom is also required to broadcast and vote in one of the two semi-finals. This was decided via a draw held during the semi-final allocation draw on 25 January 2022, when it was announced that the United Kingdom will be voting in the second semi-final.[15] Both semi-finals will be broadcast on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, with the commentary team consisting of Scott Mills and Rylan Clark. This will mark the return of the Eurovision semi-finals to BBC Three for the first time since 2015, after four years of broadcasting the shows on BBC Four during BBC Three's tenure as an online channel.[16]

On 20 January 2022, it was announced that the BBC would move their coverage of the contest from London to Salford, meaning that the UK spokesperson in 2022 will announce the points of the national jury live from Salford.[17] Rachel Ashdown, commissioning editor at the BBC said: "The North West of England is famously renowned for its unrivalled musical heritage not just in the UK but across the globe, so it is fitting that from now on the region will be part of the biggest music contest on the planet." Suzy Lamb, Managing Director BBC Studios Entertainment said: "We are so thrilled to continue building the expertise and skillset of our production hub in the North. It will be so exciting to welcome the global Eurovision audience to the North West with 'Good evening from Salford in Greater Manchester'."[18] It was announced that the consultancy fees will be donated to the charitable organization Migrant Offshore Aid Station, in order to support individuals who have been affected by the escalation of violence and warfare in Ukraine.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ Popescu, David (10 March 2022). "United Kingdom: We're going to space, man! Sam Ryder flies the Union Jack to Turin!". ESCUnited. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Eurovision 2022 Plans Outlined for United Kingdom". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 21 October 2021. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  3. ^ Granger, Anthony (25 January 2022). "United Kingdom: Tap Music Shortlisting Artists For Eurovision 2022". Eurovoix. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  4. ^ Adams, Oliver (29 November 2021). "HYYTS claim they were almost chosen as UK Eurovision 2022 act". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  5. ^ "BBC Scotland - The Edit, Series 2, 29/01/2022". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  6. ^ Matamis, Apostolis (3 February 2022). "United Kingdom: Chelcee Grimes for Eurovision 2022?". Eurovision Fun. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. ^ Grimes, Chelcee [@ChelceeGrimes] (3 February 2022). "That's the first I've heard