Once again the Eurovision turned into a massive farce, with all the baltic countries and former soviet countries voting for each other, leaving the western countries out on a limb.

Surely something should be done to stop this obvious bias (it can't just be coincidence that Cyprus gives Greece 12 points every year and vice versa). I vote for going back to a panel to decide the vote for each country, ok it wouldn't raise the millions of pounds that phone voting does but it shouldn't just be about the money. Earlier competitions showed a much more varied group of countries winning the company.

Robbiex wrote:
Once again the Eurovision turned into a massive farce, with all the baltic countries and former soviet countries voting for each other, leaving the western countries out on a limb.

Surely something should be done to stop this obvious bias (it can't just be coincidence that Cyprus gives Greece 12 points every year and vice versa). I vote for going back to a panel to decide the vote for each country, ok it wouldn't raise the millions of pounds that phone voting does but it shouldn't just be about the money. Earlier competitions showed a much more varied group of countries winning the company.

Why should any of this be a surprise?

Can't the Western Countries vote for each other?

Perhaps the truth is that the UK is now hated by every other country.

I wonder why that could be?

Bookmaker Ladbrokes said the UK was twice as likely to score zero points in the 2008 contest, to be held in Belgrade, than to win it.

It has offered odds of 10/1 for "nul points" next year, compared with 20/1 for a British victory.

Meanwhile the papers talking about the UK becoming a laughing stock !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6651515.stm

The whole thing needs taking down and junking. I don't think the concept is salvageable at all any more (unless obviously a certain someone in here is interested!).

I viewed bits last night and it was just so dull and dreary. All pretty lights and everything but we have a saying in these parts that it's like growing daffodils on a dungheap and that sums the whole charade up, in my opinion anyway!

See Attitudes & Opinions

1 (1) Serbia 118
2 (2) Ukraine 111
3 (4) Turkey 111
4 (3) Russia 84
5 (5) Bulgaria 80
6 (9) Hungary 79
7 (8) Armenia 76
8 (7) Greece 69
9 (13) Romania 58
10 (11) Bos & Herz 56
11 (18) Sweden 51
12 (10) Moldawine 50
13 (17) Finland 41
14 (19) Germany 40
15 (6) Belarus 38
16 (12) Georgia 31
17 (20) Spain 27
18 (16) Latvia 16
19 (23) UK 23
20 (21) Lithuania 16
21 (15) Slovenia 13
22 (14) Macedonia 8
23 (22) France 8
24 (24) Ireland 0
Source: Bildblog.de

Based on the votes by Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, UK.

Well the bits that i watched. It is a pantomime it is light hearted and should be taken in that spirit. The UK take it far too seriously and therein lies the problem. The UK approach is far too contrived, too laboured, too dull. However, I also love the political voting, the whole vibe about it, makes me giggle. Funny that the list Djones provided shows how similar the result is minus the block voting. But best of all it reminds me of the FA CUP Final. Can never ever forget Brotherhood of Man's "Save Your Kisses For Me" in 1976.
In fact a survey has just come out that says we Brits whinge more than anyone else. Makes me glad to be in OZ where life is a bit more cheerful. Lighten UP !! Music is supposed to be escapism and not to push everyone over the edge. Where's my Prozac !

The list supplied by DJones says it all. The result without all the Former Yugoslav and USSR voting is remarkably similar. The complaint of block voting by most punters in the UK provides a convenient excuse for the BBC, and diverts away from the fact they are inept at running our selection process.

The Serbian song won't be a hit here, but this is irrelevant. The intention of the contest is not to provide a UK number 1 smash hit. The best melody won, and as a fan, I am delighted with that.

The ESC is a big fun extravaganza primarily, and though the standard of the songs varies from year to year, it never fails to deliver on that criterion.

I have had a wonderful two weeks in Helsinki following all the events. I am already looking forward to repeating the experience in Belgrade next year