Waterman to pen UK Eurovision song entry
Waterman to pen UK Eurovision song entry
Friday, 29, Jan 2010 01:36
By Alex Steger.
Music mogul Pete Waterman will write and produce this year's UK Eurovision Song Contest entry.
The song will be performed at Eurovision 2010 which will be held in Oslo, Norway, in May.
Waterman, who has over 200 hits to his name including songs for Rick Astley and Geri Halliwell, is said to be "relishing the opportunity".
He is following in the footsteps of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber who penned last year's entry which was performed by Jade Ewan who came fifth in the 2009 contest in Moscow.
Details of the selection process for the act that are to perform the song are set to be released in coming weeks.
Waterman had a string of hits in the 1980s and 90s as part of the team Stock, Aitken and Waterman. The trio were behind Kylie Minogue's rise to fame and also wrote for the likes of Bananarama, Donna Summer, and latterly Westlife.
Commenting on the news, the former Pop Idol judge said: "Eurovision is one of those iconic competitions that has stood the test of time and keeps coming up with great acts, great tunes and great performances.
"Life's full of challenges and I'm relishing the opportunity to put my own stamp on this one."
In previous years the public was asked to vote for its favourite act and song, but last year TV viewers chose an act through a talent show and Lloyd Webber and US song writer Diane Warren created a specially written track.
Phil Parsons, executive producer of Eurovision for the BBC, said: "This year, with an extremely successful pop writer, the aim is to build on the UK's success while moving on in style and doing something different.
"Pete Waterman has an incredible track record of hits that are known all around Europe so we're thrilled that he has taken on Eurovision."