2007: Scooch, ‘Flying the Flag (For You)’
It may surprise viewers of Scooch’s airline-themed Eurovision appearance to learn that this was not the group’s first TV performance. In fact, in 1999 they won the opportunity to have a single released after beating a rival band in a competition on TV show Live & Kicking.
Despite mixed sentiment surrounding Scooch’s entry (Charlotte Church described the act as “absolute s—”, and Swedish singer Pandora accused Flying The Flag of plagiarism), the act were the first in five years to receive “douze points” for the UK, winning the maximum score from Malta.
Disappointingly, none of the band now work for an airline. Natalie Powers and David Ducasse are both singing coaches at performing arts schools, while Caroline Barnes and Russ Spencer started a relationship post-Eurovision, and became one of the longest lasting couples on series 4 of Channel 4 game show Coach Trip in 2010.
2008: Andy Abraham, ‘Even If’
X-Factor runner-up Andy Abraham’s performance of Even If came joint last in Belgrade in 2008. But he remained on the UK stage, touring the show An Evening with Andy Abraham for two years after the contest. More recently, he played both Judas and John the Baptist in a touring revival of the musical Godspell, alongside his successor at Eurovision, Jade Ewen.
2009: Jade Ewen, ‘It’s My Time’
Andrew Lloyd Webber led the UK selection programme which voted Jade Ewen as the 2009 UK entry, and played piano…
