 | Sweden's Eurovision entry has emerged as the favourite to win this year's contest in a Europe-wide BBC vote.
Charlotte Perrelli, who won the event in 1999, was the convincing victor with her song Hero, ahead of Ukraine, Switzerland and host nation Serbia.
The United Kingdom's Andy Abraham polled only enough votes to finish in 33rd place in a field of 43 songs.
One Eurovision fan from each country chose their Top 10 songs ahead of tonight's first semi-final in Belgrade.
BBC EUROVISION VOTE - TOP FIVE
1 Sweden - 245 points
2 Ukraine - 183 points
3 Switzerland - 159 points
4 Serbia - 152 points
5 Russia - 122 points
Their choices were awarded Eurovision-style points, with one point for 10th place, up to a maximum of 12 points for their favourite songs.
The points were combined to create the final standings, from 1st to 43rd place. Montenegro came last with just two points.
The Swedish star finished 62 points clear of Ukraine's Ani Lorak, and was awarded maximum points by several fans from all parts of Europe.
Perrelli - who won Eurovision in 1999 as Charlotte Nilsson - would secure Sweden's fifth win if successful, and become the first woman to win two contests.
Ireland's Johnny Logan is the only singer to have won twice in the competition's 53-year history, in 1980 and 1987.
For the first time this year, two semi-finals are being staged - and most of the 43 competing countries will have to fight for a place in the final.
The only automatic finalists are the host nation and last year's winner Serbia, plus the UK, France, Germany and Spain - the biggest financial contributors to the event.
Nineteen countries will take part in both Tuesday and Thursday's semi-finals, with a public vote determining nine qualifiers from each pool.
A jury will choose one more country in each semi-final to pass into the 25-strong grand final.
The biggest change to the contest since 2004 has partly been made to accommodate the growing numbers of song contest participants.
But organisers have responded to severe criticisms of the 2007 semi-final, which resulted in only eastern European countries making the final cut.
Semi-finalists have been divided into two groups based on their usual voting preferences in a bid to lessen the impact of "neighbourly" voting.
Traditional voting allies Greece and Cyprus have been split up, the former Yugoslav, Baltic and Scandinavian countries have been separated, while the UK will not be able to vote for Ireland.
The UK has been given voting rights in Thursday's semi final, while both preliminary competitions are being screened on BBC Three.
Organisers hope a broader range of countries will contest the final.
The outcome, however, will rest solely on public voting, as in previous years. |
| Ten things you might not know about Eurovision
In 1956 there was no public vote - a closed jury simply declared host country Switzerland the winner.
In 1978 political tensions led the Jordanian broadcaster to suspend transmission during Israel's performance. They showed pictures of flowers instead.
When the UK hosted the contest for a seventh time in 1982, the venue it chose was the illustrious Harrogate Conference Centre. The UK entry was boy/girl duo Bardo with One Step Further, who failed to replicate Bucks Fizz's winning turn the year before.
Ireland's Johnny Logan is the only person to have won Eurovision three times - twice as a performer and once as a composer.
Norway has come last more often than any other country - an embarrassing ten times.
Despite competing 40 times, poor Portugal has still never won the contest.
Always the bridesmaid... The UK has come second an incredible 15 times. The last time was Imaani with Where Are You? in 1998, a question which is even more relevant now than it was then.
The current rules state that no live animals are allowed on stage. They don't say anything about dead ones though.
The 1,100th song will be performed at this year's contest.
Eurovision is now in its 53rd year, and it's still going strong. Frighteningly, an estimated 100 million people across the world watch it every year. |
| Eurovision's unluckiest countries....
Think the rest of Europe has it in for the UK, and we've got no hope of winning?
Before you bemoan the UK's chances this year, spare a thought for the truly unluckiest countries in the history of Eurovision - Norway, Portugal, Finland, Belgium and Austria.
At least the UK automatically qualifies for the final. Four of our 'top' five underachievers still have semi-finals to battle through before they can even try to improve their Eurovision standing this year. Our list of honours that no country wants to be part of is as follows...
Norway
The Norwegians hold two Eurovision records that they probably wish everyone would forget. Not only do they have the dubious honour of scoring more nul points than any other country ever (a shocking four times), they have also come last a record ten times. Not really achievements for the Guinness Book of Records, are they? Norway do battle in tonight's first semi-final.
Portugal
Portugal has participated 40 times without ever winning the contest. This is longer than any other country. Their best result was a middling 6th in 1996. They've come last three times, and since the introduction of the semi finals in 2004 they have not qualified for the final. It's a wonder they're still going. Let's hope they have better luck in the second semi-final on Thursday. Can Vania Fernandes (pictured) secure Portugal a place in the grand final for the first time since semi-finals were introduced?
Finland
Ok, so they won in 2006, but one victory doesn't quite manage to wipe out Finland's reputation as one of Eurovision's biggest under-achievers. Having competed 41 times, Finland has come last a total of eight times and scored the dreaded nul points three times. Will Finnish rock warriors Terasbetoni do better in tonight's semis?
Belgium
Not only has Belgium come last seven times, but they were not allowed to participate in the 1994, 1997 and 2001 contests because of extremely low scores the previous years. The nation's hopes rests on Ishtar's performance in the first semi-final tonight
Austria
Austria has also come last seven times. This Eurovision regular pulled out in protest prior to the 2006 contest, complaining that the contest was judged on less honourable criteria than musical talent. They came back for the 2007 contest but found their fortunes had not changed: this time they came second last in the semi-final. They've decided not to compete this year - and who can blame them? |
| Portugal are returning to the Eurovision Song Contest final for the first time since 2003 after qualifying from the second semi-final in Belgrade.
Sweden - who topped the BBC's Eurovision vote - also went through, along with fellow Scandinavian entrants Denmark and Iceland.
Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Croatia, Latvia and Albania also qualified.
The 25 finalists for Saturday's main event are now in place, with the UK performing second in the running order.
Macedonia falters
Euroband, who qualified for Iceland with dance tune This Is My Life, are their country's first representatives in the final since 2004.
Albania, who are represented by 16-year-old Olta Boka, have also made the final cut after a break of three years.
But neighbour FYR Macedonia did not make the final after successfully qualifying in the previous four contests.
Switzerland's Paolo Meneguzzi, who was highly favoured by fans and came third in the BBC's poll, failed to make the grade.
UK viewers were able to vote in Thursday night's semi-final, but their choices will not be revealed until after Saturday night's winner has been declared.
After the semi-final results in Serbia, the draw for the final was completed.
Sweden's Charlotte Perrelli, who won the contest in 1999, will be 15th in the running order - the same spot from where she was victorious nine years ago. |
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