Wogan angered by political tone of Eurovision
Sir Terry Wogan says Eurovision is "no longer a music contest"
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Sunday, 25, May 2008 12:16
Sir Terry Wogan has said he plans to consider his role as a Eurovision commentator after the UK's 25th-place finish showed the competition is "no longer a music contest".
Former X Factor contestant Andy Abraham finished last after receiving 14 points for his song Even If, with Russia winning the 2008 contest having amassed 272 points.
But according to Sir Terry, who has commentated on the continental competition since the 1970s, European politics have become the overriding influence on deciding the eventual Eurovision winners and losers.
"Russia were going to be the political winners from the beginning," he told the BBC.
Dima Bilan, the Russian entrant who performed winning track Believe, received the maximum 12 points from former Soviet states Latvia Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Armenia, and from Israel.
Abraham, in contrast, only received points from Iceland and San Marino, the latter of whom was taking part in the competition for the first time.
Speaking on Saturday night's broadcast from Belgrade, Sir Terry described the results as "tremendously disappointing".
"Andy Abraham gave, I think, the performance of his life with a song that certainly deserved far more points than it got when you look at the points that Spain got, that Bosnia-Herzegovina got - some really ridiculous songs."
The Irish broadcaster said the overwhelmingly political nature of the current form of the contest meant that he and producer Kevin Bishop would have to consider whether they would work on Eurovision again.
"Indeed, western European participants have to decide whether they want to take part from here on in because their prospects are poor," he added.
Italy and Austria did not take part in the 2008 contest, with Wolfgang Lorenz, the programme director of Austrian broadcaster ORF, saying in November last year that the competition was "clearly a sign of the complicated nature of a united Europe".
"We've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the decision," he explained.
"As long as the song contest is a political parade ground and not an international entertainment programme, ORF has no desire to send more talent out of Austria to a competition where they have no chances."