Eurovision 2019: UK finishes bottom after Michael Rice's 'Bigger than Us' flops
UK finishes with just 16 points
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK has come last in the Eurovision Song Contest after Michael Rice’s rendition of “Bigger than Us”.
While viewers seemed to love Rice’s performance, the UK only earned a meagre 16 points, tumbling to the bottom of the ranking.
The Hartlepool native sang at the Expo Tel Aviv venue in Israel against a backdrop of a starry night sky and racing comets.
The 21-year-old was joined by backing vocalists dressed in white as he broke into the song’s gospel-influenced chorus.
He performed 16th, after Norway and before Iceland.
The UK, as one of the “big five” countries, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, was assured a place in the grand final.
Rice, who rose to fame after winning the singing show All Together Now last year, has said he hopes to improve the UK’s reputation at the contest.
The UK has not won Eurovision in 22 years or entered the top 10 in a decade.
Speaking before the performance, Rice told the Press Association: “I’m so looking forward to tonight. I’m going to sing my heart out and give it my best shot.”
Each finalist performed for the international public vote, which made up 50 per cent of the total vote, with the other half determined by a professional jury in each participating country. They cast their votes during performances on Friday.
Malta’s Michela Pace opened the show with her song “Chameleon”, dancing in front of shifting graphics showing an urban landscape.
The first highlight of the night came with the arrival of Sergey Lazarev, who returned to the contest with the song “Scream”.
He sang Russia’s entry in 2016 and finished third with the song “You Are The Only One”.
Swedish entrant John Lundvik’s gospel-tinged pop song “Too Late For Love” secured screams from the audience.
The 36-year-old former professional sprinter is also behind Rice’s track “Bigger than Us”.
Then came the Netherlands’ Duncan Laurence – who ultimately won the contest – with the piano ballad “Arcade”.
Laurence, 25, was named front runner shortly after releasing his anthemic song in March.
Additional reporting by agencies
Click here to read The Independent's live blog of the final.
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