Eurovision Song Contest leads to disharmony
Published 31 May, 2008, 04:14
Russia’s Dima Bilan, the winner of the 2008 Eurovision song contest, has started a tour of Europe. On May 31 he is in the UK with the Eurovision winner’s party taking place in one of London’s top night clubs. The irony is that Britain’s where the biggest row over block voting has emerged.
One of Britain’s dearest cultural traditions is under threat. TV and radio presenter Terry Wogan is thinking of quitting his role as BBC commentator on the Eurovision song contest, because, as he puts it, the UK has little chance of winning these days.
''We seriously have to think if we still want to be in this contest, because the voting has become a joke.You have to say that this is no longer a musical contest," says Wogan.
Despite Terry Wogan suggesting that Western European countries should break away from their Eastern rivals and withdraw from the show, the BBC prefers to keep away from the scandal.
A spokesperson for the BBC has told RT that they won’t comment on Terry Wogan’s remarks or the calls to withdraw its funding. But it’s very unlikely that they will pull the plug on the contest after revealing that 9.3 million viewers tuned in last Saturday – an audience share of just under 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, Karolina Ashion, Ukrainian TV anchor says Bilan is someone who is known and loved in any god-forsaken village. “In Ukraine he has millions of fans and it’s a fact they all voted for him,” she says.
Some Ukrainian Dima Bilan fans admit that they really love Anie Lorak, who was singing for their country, but still voted for Dima.
Britain’s 2008 representative Andy Abraham says his song definitely didn’t deserve to be last. As for the winner, he says it wasn’t a song that he would necessarily go out and buy, though he admitted it had its strengths.
“It was obviously brilliantly produced and he sang it very well, but I‘m sure the likes of Russia, Ukraine, any of those acts would love be seen on merit. I hope one day it’s like that and we don’t have all that controversy surrounding the so-called political voting or friendly neighbourhood voting because it’s about songs and that’s what we want to be judged on – our songs,” said Abraham.
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