EUROVISION legend Cheryl Baker has issued her brutal verdict on why the United Kingdom hasn’t won the annual contest in 29 years.
Cheryl, 72, triumphed at Eurovision in 1981 with Bucks Fizz and their classic song, Making Your Mind Up.
The United Kingdom didn’t win again until 1997 thanks to Katrina and the Waves with the track Love Shine a Light, and we haven’t tasted victory since.
Ahead of this weekend’s 2026 finals in Vienna, Austria, Cheryl has shared her views on why the UK has failed to win for nearly 30 years.
Speaking to The Sun Online at the WhichBingo Awards, she said: “You know, the years when we’ve not done very well, basically, is because the song hasn’t been good enough.
“We used to do much better back in the day, but that’s because the competition was much smaller. There weren’t as many countries and also music tastes have changed.”
The closest the UK has come to winning since 1997 was in 2022 with Sam Ryder‘s song Space Man, which saw him finish runner up behind Ukraine.
However, due to the war in Ukraine, the UK acted as the host nation for the 2023 Contest.
Last year, girl group Remember Monday finished in 19th place, having done well with the judges but failed to receive any points from the public vote, the second year in a row that had happened.
However, despite the UK’s recent lack of success aside from Sam, Cheryl is convinced the country can win the Contest again.
She said: “Absolutely [we can]. I think they’ve got a very good chance this year, although they’re up against some stiff opposition from certain countries.
“But with the right song and a good performance and a good singer, yes, of course we can win again.”
This year’s entry for the United Kingdom is Look Mum No Computer, with the track Eins, Zwei, Drei.
Cheryl said: ” I think that Eins, Zwei, Drei with Look Mum No Computer has a very good chance of at least being on the left hand side of the scoreboard this year.”
On how Eurovision has changed since her win, she said: “I love that it’s bigger and bolder and more extravagant and the special effects and the lighting and the pyrotechnics. I think it’s wonderful. Absolutely.
“I love Eurovision and the way that it’s developed like it is now, and you need all that. You need the bells and the whistles because back in the 60s and 70s and even in the early 80s, it was very staid.
“I mean, you know, people wearing posh frocks and dickie bow ties and having an invited audience and all that. It’s developed into something so much bigger and better, I believe. So you need all the pazzazz too, especially for television.”
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final air tonight at 8pm on BBC One.
