What are the UK’s Eurovision entrants of the past doing now?

It’s been so long. The UK used to be good at this! Over the years, we have tracked and featured just some of the UK singers and groups who have tried to win at Eurovision. Only a handful have actually succeeded while many have suffered the indignity of coming second. Others should have won…but didn’t. And some deserved to receive nil points!

See if you can remember these ones and find out what they are up to these days after their own valiant attempt. Click on the image, it will take you to their full story.

Bucks Fizz (1981)

It was time to make your mind up in 1981 as a new British quartet of singers and dancers called Bucks Fizz delighted with a snappy routine. How many of the judges made their mind up on the night and what became of them in the years after…?

Bardo (1982)

Stephen Fischer and Sally Ann Triplett had a hard act to follow in 1982 as Eurovision came to the UK following Bucks Fizz’s win the year previous. Could they have gone “One Step Further” from the winning line and what happened to them next…?

Sweet Dreams (1983)

UK trio Sweet Dreams were never giving up hope of winning Eurovision for their country in 1983. They wanted a second victory for the 80’s, but how successful were they and what happened to the members afterwards?

Belle and The Devotions (1984)

Kit Rolfe aka ‘Belle’ expanded her music act Belle and The Devotions with Laura and Linda in 1984 to represent the UK at that year’s contest with “Love Games”. Did the UK win a second time that decade and where are they now?

Vikki (1985)

The United Kingdom dished up singer Vikki (Watson) in 1985 to win with “Love Is”. The song didn’t in the end and Vikki slipped away quietly. Taking on a new persona, she has since reinvented herself as a folk/new age singer.

Ryder (1986)

It was put-together group Ryder’s turn in 1986 to be runners in the night and run away with the night. What did they run away with and where are they now?

Emma (1990)

Remember Emma? She represented the UK back in 1990. She didn’t win, but she got a top 40 hit single out of it. So what happened next after she had given as much love as she could back to the world?

Samantha Janus (1991)

In 1991 it was the turn of a then unknown actress called Samantha Janus to have a go with “A Message To Your Heart”. Did she get her message across and what happened to her next…?

Sonia (1993)

Former Stock Aitken Waterman starlet, Sonia, represented the UK in 1993 with “Better The Devil You Know”. She was pipped at the post and came in second, but what did she do in the years afterwards?

Frances Ruffelle (1994)

Having come second, twice, in 1992 and 1993, the UK was hoping it would be third time lucky in the 1990’s to win the Contest. Frances Ruffelle was the lady to do it in 1994. But did she and what happened to her afterwards?

Love City Groove (1995)

Love City Groove thought they were so good, they named the tune after themselves. But was that the secret to success and winning Eurovision, or were they cast aside and consigned to history?

The 1995 hopefuls

1995 was a bumper year for Eurovision potentials and two stood out from the rest. Deuce contributed “I Need You” – a surefire winner – while the band, Dear Jon, offered something more mature and accomplished with “One Gift Of Love”. In the end, it was Love City Groove that won the vote, but their self-titled entry only came tenth…

Gina G (1996)

“Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit” had winner written all over it. But Australian singer Gina G, who performed, it didn’t lift the trophy that year. How did she fare in the aftermath?

Precious (1999)

The UK tried to go for gold at the end of the 20th century with brand new girl group Precious. “Say It Again” was the song, but do it again was not the result. So, what happened to them post Eurovision…?

Nicki French (2000)

Britain’s Nicki French had a total eclipse of the heart before she represented in at the beginning of the new century with “Don’t Play That Song Again”. Has she recorded anymore songs since that night?

Jessica Garlick (2002)

Former Pop Idol wannabe Jessica Garlick ‘came back’ in 2002 with her debut on the world stage. She came joint third with the host country Estonia, although this has been debated ever since. Did Jessica make anymore comebacks after that, however?

James Fox (2004)

After the disaster of 2003, it was unknown James Fox’s turn in 2004 to impress the judges with “Hold Onto Our Love” and to put the UK back in the running. How well did he do and what happened after? You’ll just have to click…

Scooch (2007)

By 2007, the UK was desperate for a win, so thank God Scooch flew in to save the say! But did everything go smoothly for them and their flag, and what has happened to them since…?

Josh Dubovie (2010)

Sonia used to record with Stock Aitken Waterman and it was Pete Waterman who was behind the 2010 entry from 20 year old Josh Dubovie singing “That Sounds Good To Me”. How good did it sound to the jury and what happened to Josh in the wake of his night?

Blue (2011)

The boys in Blue reformed in 2011 for their country singing “I Can”. They didn’t, but Blue moved on to better things and continue to churn out new music even to this day:

Then there’s Katrina Leskanich, singer of Katrina and The Waves. They last won it for the UK back in 1997 with “Love Shine A Light”. Katrina and the band released new material in 2020, but are they still walking on sunshine?(!)

Sam Ryder (2022)

Sam was on it in 2022 and won the judges vote taking the UK to the very top of the pile for the first time since 1997! After the televote, we came second to Ukraine, but it was still our best performance for a quarter of a century!

Check out 2023’s UK entry from Mae Muller, who wrote a song for the Eurovision Song Contest!

Oh and make sure you checkout the 2023 Eurovision Playlist with all the competing songs in one and a half hours of Eurovision heaven!