Eurovision Song Contest 2013

[Rhys Benjamin]

Rehearsals are underway, but there's a poor standard of songs this year.

Index of songs: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0070hv ... 2013-songs

The UK are the dark horses and one of the outside bets to win. It's top 5 in the OGAE polls.

The hot favourite is Denmark.

Cascada, who's representing Germany, had a massive UK #1 in 2008 with "Evacuate the Dance Floor".

Ireland don't have Jedward.

[Ian Volante]

UK by rights should have as much chance as last year, might be improved if Bonnie can still sing live. And isn't pissed at the time.

[Rhys Benjamin]

This is a brilliant a capella version of "Lautar" from last year and Moldova's entry, "O Mie". I think it's very good. The Molodvan entry is also very good.

[Martin Bishop]

Bonnie is a very very dark horse. I'd say she has a chance of top ten, but will most likely get somewhere in the mid-teens.

Rhys is right that it isn't a very strong year. The Eastern European countries are a particular disappointment. Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and, to a lesser extent, Ukraine, have made a special effort to produce the most offensively clichéd soppy rubbish possible. Moldova is one of the few bright spots from the East.

Denmark and Norway are the best two entries by a fair margin. Both strong modern pop songs. Denmark has a Celtic edge, while Norway goes more Robinish. I'd be really surprised if we didn't end up with another Scandinvian winner. I also like Greece, Finland, France and Hungary.

[Rhys Benjamin]

My qualifiers are:

Belarus;
Ireland;
Moldova;
Serbia;
Belgium;
The Netherlands;
Ukraine;
Austria;
Russia;
Cyprus.

[Rhys Benjamin]

My qualifiers are:

Belarus;
Ireland;
Moldova;
Serbia;
Belgium;
The Netherlands;
Ukraine;
Austria;
Russia;
Cyprus.

Well... 7 out 10's not bad.

[Eoin Monaghan]

I managed 7 out of 10 too.

[Martin Bishop]

I'll predict San Marino, Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Greece, Armenia, Norway, Georgia, Switzerland and Romania for the final from tonight's show.

If Macedonia don't qualify tonight, it will be the first time that no members of the former Yugoslavia qualify to the final. Could be interesting to see where all those votes go on Saturday.

[Rhys Benjamin]

I will edit this after the entries, but currently here are mine: Azerbaijan; Georgia; Finland; Iceland; Israel; Romania; San Marino; Albania; Greece; Norway.

[Rhys Benjamin]

Oh, Eoin, watch it on BBC Three tonight. I've seen Tuesday's semi final on both RTÉ and BBC, and I have to say that BBC is infinitely better.

[Eoin Monaghan]

I generally do watch it on BBC Three! I just like the lack of breaks, although I do like Marty haha.

[Rhys Benjamin]

I generally do watch it on BBC Three! I just like the lack of breaks, although I do like Marty haha.

Marty Whelan is nowhere near as good as Scott Mills, Ana Matronic, and Graham Norton.

[Rhys Benjamin]

I change those to San Marino, Finland, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Iceland, Israel, Switzerland, Albania, Romania.

[Martin Bishop]

I'll predict San Marino, Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Greece, Armenia, Norway, Georgia, Switzerland and Romania for the final from tonight's show.

If Macedonia don't qualify tonight, it will be the first time that no members of the former Yugoslavia qualify to the final. Could be interesting to see where all those votes go on Saturday.

Malta, Armenia and Switzerland were all much more dull on stage than I expected. They get replaced by Hungary, Albania and Iceland respectively.

[Rhys Benjamin]

Just 5 for me tonight.

[Martin Bishop]

My changes were result-neutral. 8/10 both times, although covered all 10 over the two goes.

[Rhys Benjamin]

My first try warranted 7. Did not see Hungary qualifying at all.

[Eoin Monaghan]

Managed 8.

[James Robinson]

So, the UK will be going 15th in the contest tomorrow night, just ahead of the hosts, Sweden. Ireland will be going last.

[Rhys Benjamin]

So, the UK will be going 15th in the contest tomorrow night, just ahead of the hosts, Sweden. Ireland will be going last.

In full: 01 France; 02 Lithuania; 03 Moldova; 04 Finland; 05 Spain; 06 Belgium; 07 Estonia; 08 Belarus; 09 Malta; 10 Russia; 11 Germany; 12 Armenia; 13 The Netherlands; 14 Romania; 15 United Kingdom; 16 Sweden; 17 Hungary; 18 Denmark; 19 Iceland; 20 Azerbaijan; 21 Greece; 22 Ukraine; 23 Italy; 24 Norway; 25 Georgia; 26 Ireland.

No ex-Yugoslav countries are in the final, so it won't be AS political.

[Eoin Monaghan]

UK have a pretty good draw I reckon, with the exception of Denmark there are no real contenders amidst them.

Still undecided as to whether last is good for Ireland, but will be interesting to see how we get on, given that Ryan brought a priest with him. You know, because that's the crazy stuff we do.

I reckon Italy and Greece could be dark horses tonight, picking up some points they didn't really expect.

[Jennifer Steadman]

#TEAMROMANIA

[Eoin Monaghan]

No comment.