MPs to Quiz BBC Over UK's Dismal Eurovision Record — SkimNews
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- Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, has launched an inquiry into the UK's Eurovision failures, telling the BBC she wants to get to the bottom of who selects the UK entrant, on what basis, and whether the dismal record reflects bad song choice, weak performance, or something else.
- The UK has reached the top 10 only three times since 2000 and finished last six times — in 2003, 2008, 2010, 2019, 2021, and 2026 — with Jemini and James Newman scoring nul points in 2003 and 2021 respectively.
- The BBC selects the UK act with support from a record label or music management company, and the Commons committee is expected to hear evidence from BBC bosses and music industry experts over the coming months.
- In 2026, Bulgaria won the contest for the first time since joining in 2005, with 27-year-old Dara triumphing with Bangaranga, while the UK finished last with Sam Battle (Look Mum No Computer) and his song Eins, Zwei, Drei, which received zero public votes and failed to make the top 10 in any voting country.
- Sam Ryder's Space Man came second in 2022 — the only recent bright spot — and prior to 2000, the UK had finished in the top 10 every year except 1978, 1987, and 1999, winning in 1997 with Katrina and the Waves' Love Shine a Light.
- The contest has become increasingly political over Israel's participation, with Ireland boycotting for the second year running over the Gaza war alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Slovenia, all of which refused to take part this year.
Why it matters: The BBC's longstanding role as the UK's Eurovision selector now faces formal parliamentary scrutiny, raising pressure on the broadcaster and its music industry partners to justify their approach. Sam Battle's zero public-vote finish in 2026, the UK's sixth last-place result since 2000, gives the committee hard evidence to demand changes to how Britain picks and prepares its entry.
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