In Your Ultimate UK Eurovision Song with Steve Wright, BBC Radio 2 listeners were asked to vote for their favourite Eurovision Song Contest entry from the United Kingdom.
The programme, presented by Steve Wright, was released on the BBC Sounds platform on 24 April, ahead of its 13 May broadcast on BBC Radio 2. All British entries from 1957 to 2022, with the exception of 2020’s My Last Breath, were available to vote for on the BBC Radio 2 website from 21 March to 11 April.
The winner was the UK’s most recent entry, Space Man by Sam Ryder, placed first in the poll, following it’s second-place finish in Turin. 1981 winners, Bucks Fizz, with Making Your Mind Up placed second, overall, with eighth-place finisher, Gina G, with Ooh Ahh… Just a Little Bit, rounding out the podium places at Number 3.
In total, all five UK winners placed in the Top 10 of the poll, while 11 of the UK’s second-places placed in the Top 40. Sing, Little Birdie (1959); Looking High, High, High (1960); I Love The Little Things (1964), I Belong (1965) and Why Do I Always Get It Wrong (1989) were the UK runner-ups that failed to make the published Top 40 of the poll. In contrast, 2007’s 22nd place, Flying the Flag For You by Scooch, managed to place 13th, placing higher than dozens of entries that placed higher than it in the contest.
On finding out he had won the poll, Sam Ryder said: “This is just bonkers! We went into that competition as fans and we thought it may be that we come absolutely dead last. But what we can achieve is holding ourselves with a certain grace and respect for being there in the first place, and gratitude first and foremost. When we were sat there on the night and those scores started coming in, we were looking at each other bursting out laughing because we didn’t have a clue that would happen. And now this result! I’m just so grateful. Thanks to all of the listeners who voted and everyone at Radio 2 who supported the song from day one – I really honestly appreciate it.”
Full Results (Top 40)
1. Sam Ryder – Space Man (2022)
2. Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up (1981)
3. Gina G – Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit (1996)
4. Katrina and the Waves – Love Shine a Light (1997)
5. Brotherhood of Man – Save Your Kisses for Me (1976)
6. Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String (1967)
7. Cliff Richard – Congratulations (1968)
8. The New Seekers – Beg, Steal or Borrow (1972)
9. Lulu – Boom Bang-a-Bang (1969)
10. Michael Ball – One Step Out of Time (1992)
11. Sonia – Better the Devil You Know (1993)
12. Bardo – One Step Further (1982)
13. Scooch – Flying the Flag (For You) (2007)
14. Mary Hopkin – Knock, Knock Who’s There? (1970)
15. Imaani – Where Are You? (1998)
16. Olivia Newton-John – Long Live Love (1974)
17. Daz Sampson – Teenage Life (2006)
18. Cliff Richard – Power to All Our Friends (1973)
19. Lucie Jones – Never Give Up on You (2017)
20. Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran – Rock Bottom (1977)
21. Love City Groove – Love City Groove (1995)
22. Blue – I Can (2011)
23. The Shadows – Let Me Be the One (1975)
24. Clodagh Rodgers – Jack in the Box (1971)
25. SuRie – Storm (2018)
26. Frances Ruffelle – Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free) (1994)
27. The Allisons – Are You Sure? (1961)
28. Molly – Children of the Universe (2014)
29. Jade Ewen – It’s My Time (2009)
30. Jessica Garlick – Come Back (2002)
31. Precious – Say It Again (1999)
32. James Newman – Embers (2021)
33. Sweet Dreams – I’m Never Giving Up (1983)
34. Co-Co – The Bad Old Days (1978)
35. Belle and the Devotions – Love Games (1984)
36. Scott Fitzgerald – Go (1988)
37. Samantha Janus – A Message to Your Heart (1991)
38. Jemini – Cry Baby (2003)
39. Electro Velvet – Still in Love with You (2015)
40. Bonnie Tyler – Believe in Me (2013)
