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Eurovision Song Contest: What's the best way to pick UK contestant?

As Britain picks its Eurovision entry, is there a winning formula? Are experts better than the public at picking potential winners?

Here's a look back at previous success stories - and flops.

8 February 2019

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90s boy band Damage in a black and white promotional photo

Watch: Boy band Damage on their journey to stardom

BBC News

One-minute World News

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

Singer Chris Martin on a stage in Luton performing at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend

Watch: Coldplay pay tribute to Luton in new song, Orange

Chris Martin's Coldplay shared a new song in tribute to Luton where the band were playing.

Entertainment & Arts

Raye singing on stage against a green backdrop

Watch: Raye performs Prada at Big Weekend

The record-breaking Brit Award winner was headlining the second day of Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Entertainment & Arts

Piers Morgan

Baby Reindeer 'a big problem' for Netflix and Gadd - Morgan

Journalist Piers Morgan says there are issues to be addressed by the programme makers.

Entertainment & Arts

Nemo waving non-binary flag

'It just shattered' - Nemo explains broken Eurovision trophy

Returning from the contest, Swiss singer Nemo was greeted by hundreds of fans at Zurich Airport.

Entertainment & Arts

Joe Lycett

Watch: Joe Lycett dressed as Queen Elizabeth I

Other celebrities wore loose fitting outfits, as they tried to keep cool with the sun beating down.

Entertainment & Arts

Jasmine Jobson holding her Bafta award

Best of Baftas 2024 TV Awards... in 86 seconds

Our recap of this year's 2024 Bafta TV Awards.

Entertainment & Arts

Eden Golan responding to pro-Palestinian protests

Watch: Israel's Eden Golan responds as Eurovision protests rage

The contestant says she is "focused on the music" as 10,000 protest against Israel's participation.

Entertainment & Arts

The Hydro announced Olly Murs would not perform due to "unforeseen circumstances".

Glasgow singer stands in for Olly Murs at Hydro

The Hydro announced Olly Murs would not perform due to "unforeseen circumstances".

Entertainment & Arts

Picture of author Paul Auster

Paul Auster: Americans are divided like never before

In a HARDtalk interview from 2021, Paul Auster reflects on culture wars in the US.

Entertainment & Arts

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling outstunt each other

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling discuss doing their own stunts, performing at the Oscars and why they've bonded over British comedy.

Entertainment & Arts

Michael Flatley

Michael Flatley on Riverdance at Eurovision

The Irish dancer speaks to the BBC

Entertainment & Arts

Nicole Kidman

Watch: 'I'm an Aussie girl...standing here in Hollywood'

Nicole Kidman becomes the first Australian actress to win the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Entertainment & Arts

David Bowie sings into a microphone

Can you hear the hyenas and wild pigs in new Bowie hit?

The late musician's song is part of a project giving financial credit to nature.

Entertainment & Arts

Hannah Waddingham

Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi

The Olivier Awards host reacted after a snapper apparently asked her to "show your leg".

Entertainment & Arts

Sir Salman Rushdie

Rushdie reveals extent of his wounds from knife attack

The Satanic Verses author has been speaking ahead of publishing a memoir about the stabbing.

Entertainment & Arts

Kirsten Dunst

Spiderman star on Hollywood's gender pay gap

Kirsten Dunst reveals why she never challenged being paid less than her male co-stars

Entertainment & Arts

Referee at Gladiators

Gladiators final: Contenders are you ready?

The four Gladiators finalists were on BBC Breakfast ahead of tonight's ultimate challenge.

Entertainment & Arts

Frankie Juma

The success story behind England's homeless football team

Meet the Sudanese refugee taking England's homeless footballers to a World Cup in South Korea.

Entertainment & Arts

Sheridan Smith

Sheridan Smith opens up about her public breakdown

Sheridan Smith stars in a new play in the West End called Opening Night. Her character is an actress facing mental health troubles before the first night of her new show.

Entertainment & Arts

I love my mum (but not like that...)

What is the Oedipus Complex and how do we know that incest is wrong?

Entertainment & Arts