..Thinks We Should Give Up On Eurovision?

The BBC have recently announced this year's Eurovision contestant: never-before-heard-of Molly Smitten-Downes. In a new tactic to avoid the dreaded 'nil point', they have decided to steer away from dragging old has-beens out of their coffins (Engelbert Humperdinck, I'm talking about you), and instead enlisted the help of a singer-songwriter barely making ripples online or on the radio.

Although I agree the old tradition of having someone from the wrong side of the 80s represent a country so prominent in the world music scene was a terrible one, but I'm not overly keen on the replacement.

After being an avid watcher and fan of Eurovision since I was in the womb, I've found our incessant failure infuriating, and I think I have the solution to crack even the most politically-minded voters.

Eurovision relies on cheese. Unadulterated, defiant, cheese. I don't understand how the UK haven't grasped this yet, as they've been active on the Eurovision scene longer than I've been alive. A singer-songwriter performing some kind of ballad just isn't going to cut it. We need our very own Euphoria or Fairytale. 

Another problem this country faces is the bad press Eurovision gets, and the stereotype of only failed artists attempting to re-ignite their careers opting to go on the show. As much as I abhor them, if we could persuade the likes of One Direction to represent us, we would nail the competition. All the fangirls across Europe would go craaaaaazy. And it would certainly stomp all over the political nonsense that overshadows the competition. 

With all the problems in our way of ever getting more than nil point in Eurovision, it begs the question: is it worth it? What do we really gain from being in the competition? Even the BBC seem to be taking the piss out of our awful reputation in the show: Graham Norton's sarcasm is difficult to ignore (and much more entertaining than any act we have to offer).

If we stand any chance of being a success in Eurovision again, we need a credible artist who the country actually likes and can get behind. Maybe Molly will give us that, she was found by BBC Introducing after all. But does that mean she is truly talented enough to represent her country? Or just that the BBC couldn't be arsed to fund a show to find a representative, and just couldn't be arsed making the effort?