BBC won't axe Eurovision Song Contest despite voting farce

chris

Eurovision is to continue on the BBC despite this year's voting fiasco.

BBC bosses yesterday said the show was a huge ratings hit and there are no plans to withdraw its £173,000 funding towards the event.

As a result, the BBC will screen Eurovision in 2009 and beyond. But executives will lobby other countries in the European Broadcasting Union, which produces the show, to try to change the politically-motivated voting.

A spokesman said: "We remain committed to the Eurovision Song Contest. There is no question of it not running or not participating next year.

"We were one of the founding members of the Europe an Broadcasting Union when it was set up, and year-on-year the show gets close to 10million viewers.

"However, we are going to pass on the comments and sentiment in the UK about this year's event."

The future of Eurovision in the UK could now be debated in the House of Commons after a motion was raised by Lib Dem MP Richard Younger-Ross.

He described the weekend's contest, in which former Eastern bloc nations schemed to make sure Western European entries were squeezed out, as "a joke."

Bbc commentator Terry Wogan has also suggested he may step down from the show following this year's shambles, which saw UK entry Andy Abraham coming last.

But the X Factor's Louis Walsh, who managed Irish singer Johnny Logan when he won Eurovision in 1980, said we miss out because we no longer put in enough effort.

He said: "Everyone in the Eastern part of Europe take it very seriously and they send their biggest stars.

"We don't put enough work into it, Ireland and England. We need to get good artists and our best songs."

Bookies reported taking a number of bets on Wogan quitting.

A Paddy Power spokeswoman said: "With the way Eurovision has gone, Wogan is the only thing worth tuning in for."


Source: Mirror.co.uk