Cheryl Baker puts the UK’s five Eurovision wins in sharp focus
cheryl baker has fresh ammunition for the argument that the UK is not a Eurovision also-ran: the country has won the contest five times, even if its last victory came in 1997. That mix of early success and a 29-year wait is the real story behind the numbers.
Sandie Shaw in 1967
The UK first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957, then won its first title in 1967 when Sandie Shaw took "Puppet On A String" to the top. Shaw received points from all the countries except Spain and Yugoslavia, a strong run that set up a decade of repeated near-misses and podium finishes.
Cliff Richard was part of that pattern. He came second in 1968 with "Congratulations", returned in 1973 with "Power To All Our Friends" and finished third, while Lulu’s 1969 entry, "Boom Bang-A-Bang", became the first tied winner alongside the French, Spanish and Dutch entries on 18 points each.
Bucks Fizz and Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man won in the 1970s with "Save Your Kisses For Me", then pushed the song to the top of the charts in 1976. Tony Hiller said its success came from the band’s TV appearances across France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland the year before the contest, and the record sold six million copies.
Bucks Fizz followed in 1981 with "Making Your Mind Up", and the group also scored a number one in the UK charts. The routine’s costume trick became part of the performance’s identity, but the chart result matters more than the staging: this was still a mainstream hit, not just a contest entry that vanished after the final.
Second places in the 1990s
The UK’s record at Eurovision is not just about wins. Entrants from the country have placed second 16 times, and that total is described as a contest record, which explains why the UK is still treated as one of the event’s most successful countries even during a long winless stretch.
Michael Ball’s "One Step Out Of Time" finished second in the 1990s, and Sonia’s "Better The Devil You Know" did the same. The last UK win came in 1997, so the practical takeaway for anyone watching the competition now is simple: the country’s ceiling has never been low, but converting strong entries into a sixth victory has been the hard part.
