Eurovision producer claims Terry Wogan 'totally spoiled' contest
Christer Björkman claims the broadcast host's mockery has, "raised a generation of viewers believing this was a fun kitsch show that had no relevance whatsoever"
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The only reason anyone in the UK actually tunes into the Eurovision Song Contest is to hear it mocked; and no one mocked it with quite the same level of class as Sir Terry Wogan.
Yet, Wogan may not be so fondly remembered by the rest of Europe's song contest fans; with the producer of this year's show, Christer Björkman, claiming Wogan ruined the show's credibility for UK viewers.
"His commentary always forced the mockery side, and there is a grown-up generation in Britain that doesn't know anything better. He raised a generation of viewers believing this was a fun kitsch show that had no relevance whatsoever," Björkman reportedly stated at music conference Polar Talks London (via The Mirror).
"It totally spoiled Eurovision. Because of what Terry Wogan did, the UK don’t put in their best efforts. But it’s the BBC who wanted him and let him, they did not stop him. He did his best and he did what he did very well, make fun of something, but if I would have been in charge I would never have chosen him."
Indeed, up until 1999, the UK only finished twice outside the Top 10; with five wins thanks to Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Brotherhood of Man, Katrina and the Waves, and Bucks Fizz. Since then, the UK are still yet to win, and only placed in the Top 10 twice; though a major factor here was the change in rules which stated songs must be performed in the country's official language.
Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker, a 1981 winner, leapt to Wogan's defence; "Now he’s dead to disrespect him like that is awful. Terry was the face of Eurovision, to the point where other countries watched him because he was so funny, so topical, so witty and so right. Mr Björkman obviously hasn’t got the British/Irish sense of humour. We love to make fun of ourselves, that’s what we do."
"Terry was the king of self-mockery. Yes he did have the sarcastic irony but it was always done with that lovely Irish lilt and you could never take offence from it. He did it for all those years and it’s because people couldn’t get enough of him. Maybe this Swedish bloke hasn’t got much of a sense of humour.”
Sir Terry Wogan passed away in January, aged 77; he had previously hosted the Eurovision broadcast for 28 years.
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