Olly Alexander announced to represent UK at next Eurovision
The UK’s odds of victory in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest have been dramatically slashed following the announcement that Olly Alexander will be the nation’s official representative. The Years and Years singer confirmed the news during the final of last night’s Strictly Come Dancing.
“I can exclusively reveal, I will be representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest next year!” he exclaimed grinning from ear to ear. “I’m planning it now, it’s gonna be spectacular. I love Eurovision so much, it’s a dream come true.”
Betting giants Ladbrokes have now announced that they have dropped the odds of the UK winning by more than half from 16/1 to 7/1. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes LIVE said: “It’s been Years & Years since the UK topped the Eurovision table, but the latest odds suggest that could all be about to change, with the help of Olly Alexander.”
The powers that be will be hoping not to replicate last year’s disappointing performance from Mae Muller with I Wrote A Song, which finished in 25th place with just 24 points. Rather they will be hoping he can build on Sam Ryder’s success from 2022.
He is the highest-scoring UK entrant ever after getting 466 points for his song Space Man, and finishing first in the jury vote and second overall in the contest. He ultimately lost to Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra with their song Stefania, although the UK will host the contest.
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Olly’s musical pedigree is in no doubt and will stand him in good stead at the annual song contest.
He has been nominated for six BRIT Awards after releasing his first single, I Wish I Knew, with Years and Years in 2012.
The band’s most successful single King went straight to number one in the UK in March 2015.
Their debut studio album, Communion, was released in July of the same year and entered the UK Albums Chart in the top spot.
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In 2021 the other members left the band and Years and Years became a solo project for Olly.
Also that year he won huge acclaim for his portrayal of Ritchie Tozer, a gay teenager who moves to London in 1981 during the early days of the AIDS crisis.
The first episode was Channel 4’s biggest ever drama launch and the show was also credited for creating an upsurge in HIV testing in the weeks after its release.
It was the most nominated show at the 2022 British Academy Television Awards, receiving 11 nominations, including Best Mini-Series and Olly received several award nominations for his work on it.
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