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Eurovision Song Contest winner Cheryl Baker has offered up her predictions for this year’s contest taking place in Malmo in Sweden – and she doesn’t rate the UK as a potential winner. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk on the day of the second semi-final she offered up her opinions on who was going to go all the way.
“Italy is up there,” she pondered. “I think it’s still second [favourite]. I don’t much like it so I’m not going for Italy. I do think Croatia will will win.
“But Ireland is the wild card so Ireland could be like Italy did a couple of years ago,” she speculated. She was referring to Måneskin’s 2021 victory where they came from behind and won on the audience vote with their song Zitti e buoni.
Admitting that her money would be on Ireland as were she to bet she raved about Bambie Thug’s track Doomsday Blue. “I think that it could be another Irish win I think their performance is extraordinary,” she said.
“When I heard it when it starts and it’s so dark, and then it goes, I would say typically Irish – lilting, lovely little tune – and then goes dark again and it’s great. I think it says exactly what Eurovision is. It’s theatre.
“You know it’s this is not just a song competition anymore. It’s a whole great big theatrical extravaganza and that’s why I love it. Honestly, I think that Ireland could be the wild card this year, Cheryl said speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo.
“I know that Croatia and the favourites and actually I do [like it] but if I was to put a bet on I would put it on Ireland coming up from behind,” she admitted.
Ireland have made the final of the competition for the first time since 2018. They currently tie with Sweden for the most wins with seven. Since Bambie’s father is Swedish and his mother Irish it would be somewhat of a dual victory for both countries if they took home the trophy.
While Cheryl is a fan of the Irish entry she is not as hopeful for the UK representative Olly Alexander. He will take to the stage with his song Dizzy in an attempt to become the sixth UK winner.
“It used to be [just] a song contest and people would come on the stage in a posh frock or a dicky bow tie and they would sing a lovely ballad or a sweet little song and they would either win or lose. And that was then, but now, thank goodness, there’s so much more than that,” Cheryl explained.
“It’s all about the fantastic costumes and the fantastic lighting and the production,” she continued. You need the special effects and you need the song and the performance. So that’s what I think – it’s a whole package.
“Olly Alexander this year, I don’t think has the whole package. I love his production. I think it’s great, he looks great, he seems great. But the song, I think, doesn’t go anywhere,” she pondered. “That’s my only issue with Dizzy. It just goes it does that (indicates flatline) – and there’s no lift in it.
“So therefore, I’d like to think we’re gonna come in the middle somewhere. I don’t think we’ll do any better than that,” she predicted.
Cheryl Baker was speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo.