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| United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurovision Song Contest 1989 | ||||
| Participating broadcaster | British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) | |||
| Country |  United Kingdom | |||
| Selection process | A Song for Europe 1989 | |||
| Selection date | 24 March 1989 | |||
| Competing entry | ||||
| Song | "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong" | |||
| Artist | Live Report | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Placement | ||||
| Final result | 2nd, 130 points | |||
| Participation chronology | ||||
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The United Kingdom was represented at theEurovision Song Contest 1989 with the song "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong", composed by John Beeby, with lyrics by Brian Hodgson, and performed byLive Report. The British participating broadcaster, theBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), selected its entry through a national final.
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200 entrants were submitted to a panel of selectors to sing in the national final.[1]
The BBC held the final on 24 March 1989 at Studio 6 of theBBC Television Centre inLondon, featuring eight songs and hosted byTerry Wogan onBBC1. A separate results show was broadcast on BBC1 the same evening. BBC Radio 2 simulcast the final and also broadcast the results show, both with commentary byKen Bruce.
The eight songs in contention to represent the United Kingdom were premiered in various programmes onBBC Radio 2 between 20 and 23 March.
TheBBC Concert Orchestra under the direction ofRonnie Hazlehurst as conductor accompanied all but the winning song, but despite performing live, the orchestra were off-screen, behind the set. Hazlehurst conducted two live keyboard players who accompanied the UK entry’s backing track at the Eurovision final in Lausanne.
For the second year running the BBC convened a panel to pass comment on each of the songs. The panel comprisedDeke Arlon,Gary Davies,Leslie Bricusse, and former Eurovision winnerLulu.
There were 300,000 televotes cast in 90 minutes of telephone lines being open for voting.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) | Televotes | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankie Johnson | "Back in the Groove" | Bradley James, Stewart James | 10,731 | 6 |
| 2 | James Oliver | "Can't Stop Loving You" | James Oliver | 9,110 | 7 |
| 3 | Jane Alexander | "Shame" | Marwenna Haver,Peter Oxendale | 47,664 | 3 |
| 4 | Danny Ellis | "Just for the Good Times" | Les Reed,David Reilly | 6,777 | 8 |
| 5 | Julie C | "You Stepped Out of My Dreams" | Bill Jessop, Jason Havenhand | 51,449 | 2 |
| 6 | Live Report | "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong" | Brian Hodgson, John Beeby | 111,996 | 1 |
| 7 | The Pearls | "Love Come Down" | Joe Ortiz, Pauly Moore | 33,279 | 4 |
| 8 | Linda Carroll | "Heaven Help My Heart" | Clark Sorely | 17,084 | 5 |
The 1989 contest was staged at thePalais de Beaulieu inLausanne, Switzerland on 6 May. 22 countries participated, and the UK performed seventh on the night.Live Report took second place with 130 points, seven points behind the winners,Yugoslavia.[3]
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