Eurovision scraps You Decide live shows as BBC teams up with music giant BMG
BMG have a proven track record at making world-class hits
After crashing out in last place this year, the BBC is taking 2020’s Eurovision Song Contest ultra-seriously.
The broadcaster has paired up with record label BMG in order to find a decent song and artist (or band) to represent the United Kingdom in the song contest in Rotterdam next year.
The move sees the public vote to choose our representative for the UK, titled Eurovision: You Decide, scrapped altogether, three years after it was first introduced.
A spokesperson told RadioTimes.com: “For 2020, we are thrilled to be collaborating with the internationally successful, multi award winning and critically acclaimed label BMG, which means there will not be a requirement for a televised selection show next year.”
Our luck may change thanks to the partnership, with BMG having previously published Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Love, George Ezra’s hit Shotgun, and masterminded Kylie Minogue’s most recent number one album, Golden.
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BMG also has a proven track record when it comes to Eurovision, having published Sweden’s winning 2015 entry, Måns Zelmerlöw’s Heroes, and signed 2018 winner Netta shortly after she took the top prize.
The UK has failed to replicate its previous Eurovision success in recent years, with most recent entry Michael Rice placing 26th at the song contest in Tel Aviv, Israel.
It put the UK at the bottom of the leaderboard for the first time since 2010, when Josh Dubovie also bombed out of the competition.
However, we’ve fared slightly better than our now infamous 2003 entry Jemini who scored nil-points with their abysmal song Cry Baby.
Speaking about the new partnership, Kate Phillips, Controller Entertainment Commissioning for the BBC said: “Our commitment to finding the right song has never been higher and this collaboration with BMG, who have access to world class songwriters, is a genuinely exciting prospect and I am certain that together we can find the best song and artist possible for 2020.”
Alistair Norbury President, Repertoire & Marketing UK for BMG sdded: “Eurovision is the biggest television showcase for music in the world and it’s an honour to be selected to help choose the UK’s entry at Rotterdam 2020. Eurovision plays to our strength as the only fully-integrated publishing company and record label. We can’t wait to get started working with the BBC to give it the best possible shot we can.”
The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 is on 16th May
