Amy
15-05-2004, 08:15 AM
A former Fame Academy student is hoping to bring Eurovision glory back to Britain after last year's "nil points" humiliation.
James Fox, 27, was selected ahead of five other acts as Britain's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, which is being hosted by the 2003 winners Turkey.
The Welsh singer-songwriter is hoping to improve on Britain's disastrous performance last year, when the unknown band Jemini scored "nil points" for Cry Baby - the worst result for the UK in 47 years.
Terry Wogan, who hosted the show for the BBC, said at the time he thought the UK had suffered from a "post-Iraq backlash", although Popstars judge Louis Walsh said the song got no votes because it was "terrible".
Fox, who finished fifth on the second series of Fame Academy, beat competition from a girl band, a boy band and three other soloists with his song Hold On To Our Love to compete in the Euro contest.
During his Fame Academy run, Fox, who started playing the piano aged eight and was once in a band with Liberty X singer Kevin Simm, was likened to a "faded 1980s star".
The Billy Joel and Sting fan has said Britain needs to produce "a great winner that we remember for years to come", on a par with Abba, Bucks Fizz and Brotherhood of Man.
Since being selected as the UK entry, James has been signed by Sony Music, promoted Hold On To Our Love across Europe and toured the UK with 1969 Eurovision victor Lulu.
Ireland, regular winners of Eurovision, will also be hoping for success this year with a song penned by former Westlife singer Bryan McFadden and Jonathan Shorten.
If My World Stopped Turning will be sung by 24-year-old Chris Doran, who has dreamed of representing Ireland at Eurovision since he was a child.
Article from Ananova (http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_956225.html?menu=entertainment.latestheadlines)
Good luck to James, hope he does well tonight! I'm working till 8:30pm tonight so will miss a bit of the show, so any updates of the first 45 mins or so will be appreciated if anyone watches it! :wavey:
James Fox, 27, was selected ahead of five other acts as Britain's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, which is being hosted by the 2003 winners Turkey.
The Welsh singer-songwriter is hoping to improve on Britain's disastrous performance last year, when the unknown band Jemini scored "nil points" for Cry Baby - the worst result for the UK in 47 years.
Terry Wogan, who hosted the show for the BBC, said at the time he thought the UK had suffered from a "post-Iraq backlash", although Popstars judge Louis Walsh said the song got no votes because it was "terrible".
Fox, who finished fifth on the second series of Fame Academy, beat competition from a girl band, a boy band and three other soloists with his song Hold On To Our Love to compete in the Euro contest.
During his Fame Academy run, Fox, who started playing the piano aged eight and was once in a band with Liberty X singer Kevin Simm, was likened to a "faded 1980s star".
The Billy Joel and Sting fan has said Britain needs to produce "a great winner that we remember for years to come", on a par with Abba, Bucks Fizz and Brotherhood of Man.
Since being selected as the UK entry, James has been signed by Sony Music, promoted Hold On To Our Love across Europe and toured the UK with 1969 Eurovision victor Lulu.
Ireland, regular winners of Eurovision, will also be hoping for success this year with a song penned by former Westlife singer Bryan McFadden and Jonathan Shorten.
If My World Stopped Turning will be sung by 24-year-old Chris Doran, who has dreamed of representing Ireland at Eurovision since he was a child.
Article from Ananova (http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_956225.html?menu=entertainment.latestheadlines)
Good luck to James, hope he does well tonight! I'm working till 8:30pm tonight so will miss a bit of the show, so any updates of the first 45 mins or so will be appreciated if anyone watches it! :wavey: