The 52nd Eurovision Song Contest: And the winning song is…

by Leigh Fergus

It's that time of year again-my friends are already planning what to eat and drink on May 12 in front of the TV. No, it's not another football or rugby tournament, but one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world: the 52nd Eurovision Song Contest.

A uniquely cheesy event, the contest was the brainchild of Frenchman Marcel Bezençon at the European Broadcasting Union. Devised as a way of bringing Europe and the Mediterranean together with one TV program broadcast live throughout the region at the same time, it was quite an achievement in pre-satellite days. Today it's more of a platform for formulaic pop or a fancy-dress romp-if last year's winning horror rockers Lordi (complete with gory masks) are anything to go by.

Vote for your favorites
The only qualification to enter is a vague geographic proximity to Europe-Morocco took part once, and Turkey and Israel are regulars.* Each country submits a singer or band and a song, and these musical representatives meet on the night in one venue. The previous year's winner gets to host the event (this year all eyes will be on Helsinki), and a vast talent contest begins. You can vote for your favorites by phone and text message, but you cannot vote for your own country's entry.

Previous competitions have revealed stars such as Abba, Céline Dion, and Riverdance (who performed in the interval), although current big names didn't always do so well-Julio Iglesias came fourth in 1970 before becoming an international heart-throb. Just don't expect much musical quality, it's more about sharing a kitsch moment with millions of other people-viewer numbers are said to have totaled more than 100 million in past years.

Viewing the Eurovision
In the UK, BBC 1 will be broadcasting from 8 p.m to 11:15 p.m.
In France, you can watch on France 3 and follow the fortunes of France entry, the Fatals (sic) Picards, singing "L'Amour à la française."
For more information, check out www.eurovision.tv

*Entry is, in fact, open to any member in the European Broadcasting Area or the Council of Europe, if they broadcast the program the previous year and fulfill a few other conditions, such as paying a participation fee