Eurovision Song Contest 2017 | ||||
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Country | United Kingdom | |||
National selection | ||||
Selection process | Eurovision: You Decide | |||
Selection date(s) | 27 January 2017 | |||
Selected entrant | Lucie Jones | |||
Selected song | "Never Give Up on You" | |||
Selected songwriter(s) | Daniel Salcedo Emmelie de Forest Lawrie Martin |
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Finals performance | ||||
Final result | 15th, 111 points | |||
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
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The United Kingdom participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The British entry for the 2017 contest in Kiev, Ukraine, was selected via the national final Eurovision: You Decide, organised by the British broadcaster BBC. Six acts competed in the national final, with the song "Never Give Up on You" performed by Lucie Jones being selected the winner following the combination of a public televote and the votes of a professional jury panel. The song was co-written by former Eurovision winner Emmelie de Forest who participated as a songwriter for the first time.
As a member of the "Big 5", the United Kingdom automatically qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Prior to the 2017 contest, the United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-nine times. Thus far, the United Kingdom has won the contest five times: in 1967 with the song "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw, in 1969 with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" performed by Lulu, in 1976 with the song "Save Your Kisses for Me" performed by Brotherhood of Man, in 1981 with the song "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz and in 1997 with the song "Love Shine a Light" performed by Katrina and the Waves. To this point, the nation is noted for having finished as the runner-up in a record fifteen contests. Up to and including 1998, the UK had only twice finished outside the top 10, in 1978 and 1987. Since 1999, the year in which the rule was abandoned that songs must be performed in one of the official languages of the country participating, the UK has had less success, thus far only finishing within the top ten twice: in 2002 with the song "Come Back" performed by Jessica Garlick and in 2009 with the song "It's My Time" performed by Jade Ewen. For the 2016 contest, the United Kingdom finished in twenty-fourth place out of twenty-six competing entries with the song "You're Not Alone" performed by Joe and Jake.