A Song For Europe
| Eurovision: You Decide | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Created by | BBC |
| Directed by | Tim Van Someren |
| Presented by | Mel Giedroyc |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Phil Parsons Guy Freeman (2016–) |
| Producer(s) | Helen Tumbridge Helen Riddell (2016–) |
| Location(s) |
The O2 Forum (2016) Hammersmith Apollo (2017) |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network |
BBC One (1957–2010) BBC Four (2016) BBC Two (2017–) |
| Original release | 22 January 1957 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by |
Various
|
| External links | |
| Website | |
Eurovision: You Decide is the current name of a BBC TV show broadcast annually to select the United Kingdom's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. The show had previously gone under several other names, including Festival of British Popular Songs (1957), Eurovision Song Contest British Final (1959–1960), The Great British Song Contest (1996–1999), Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up (2004–2007), Eurovision: Your Decision (2008), and Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (2009–2010) but was known, for most of its history, as A Song for Europe (1961–1995, 2000–2003).
The most recent name and format was adopted in 2016, as between 2011 and 2015 the UK representation had been selected internally by the BBC, resulting in the televised selection show being suspended. On 30 September 2015, the BBC confirmed the show would return in 2016 and on 17 January 2016 that the national selection show would be called Eurovision: You Decide. On 9 December 2016, it was confirmed that Eurovision: You Decide would return on 27 January 2017 and will be aired on BBC Two.
The format of the show and the manner in which the winner is chosen has gone through many mutations. In its early days, there was a round of televised semi-finals, with the winner chosen by regional juries situated across the country. This format was used until 1960. During this era the show was known as the "Festival Of British Popular Songs" (1957) and "Eurovision Song Contest British Finals" (1959 & 1960). In 1961 the show became known by its more familiar title, "A Song For Europe", with regional juries once more deciding the winner. Typically, during that period, singers would be invited by the BBC to choose and perform a song that they liked from the shortlist available. Household names such as Petula Clark, Lita Roza, Anne Shelton, Frank Ifield, Ronnie Hilton and David Hughes were amongst the contenders for the UK competition, none of whom were able to secure the much cherished ticket to the Eurovision final. In the early 1960s, record companies became involved in the selection process for the first time and submitted songs by their artists. This produced hits for Craig Douglas, Karl Denver, Jackie Lee, Kenny Lynch, Vince Hill and Ricky Valance, but again, none of them were selected to go forward to the Eurovision Song Contest final itself.
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