The British national broadcaster, BBC, has unveiled the 2020 UK’S Eurovision entry and hopeful today.

James Newman will have the grand honour of representing the United Kingdom at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with My Last Breath .

About the song

The song has been composed by Ed Drewett, Iain James and Adam Argyle and James Newman himself.

James recorded the track in Scotland along  with Ed, Iain and Adam whilst staying on a loch. Iain James was behind the 2011 Azerbaijani Eurovision winning entry ‘Running Scared’.

About James Newman

James Newman is an internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter who has worked with Ed Sheeran, Toni Braxton, Calvin Harris, Armin Van Buuren  and Kesha. He has won a BRIT Award and has been nominated at the Grammy Awards. His songs have gone platinum and charted high both in the UK and Europe.

James Newman says:

It’s such an honour to be representing the United Kingdom this year at Eurovision – I still can’t quite believe it! I’m also so proud to be taking My Last Breath as the song. I wrote it with some of my best friends, who are also amazingly talented songwriters in their own right. I knew it was ‘the one’ after first recording it, I just loved the simplicity and universal message of the song.

Kate Phillips (Controller of Entertainment Commissioning at BBC) says:

I’m absolutely thrilled to have James on board to represent the UK at this year’s contest. Eurovision is all about the song, and as an award-winning singer-songwriter with a proven track record I know James will do all he can to get us on the left-hand side of the board – it’s a very exciting year for the UK!

Alistair Norbury (BMG UK President, Repertoire & Marketing) says:

We started with the sole aim of changing the perception of the contest by working with the very best UK songwriters. James has consistently written international hit songs and was top of our list. Having co-written the song it was a natural fit for James to deliver such an outstanding and powerful vocal, both on record and now in Rotterdam.

Suzy Lamb ( MD for BBC Studios, Entertainment and Music) says:

BBC Studios are delighted to be collaborating with BMG on this year’s UK Eurovision entry. We are thrilled that James has written and will be performing such a fantastic song. James has a great track record of writing multi-platinum selling pop songs and we are excited he has taken on the challenge to hopefully put the UK on the Eurovision map again.

This year the UK opted for an internal selection in order to select its Eurovision hopeful and entry.

The BBC has collaborated with music company BMG in its quest to find the hopeful and entry that will represent the United Kingdom at the 65th Eurovision Song Contest.

The 2020 British Eurovision entry has been published and released by BMG. The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest Semi-finals will be broadcast live on BBC Four whilst the Grand Final will be aired live on BBC One.

Source: BBC

The United Kingdom in Eurovision

The United Kingdom debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 and has won the competition five times (1967, 1969, 1975, 1981, 1997). The country has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 62 times and has enjoyed great succes in Europe’s favorite television show. The UK hold the record of being the country who has placed 2nd the most times in the competition, namely 15 times.

Many big names have flown the British flag at the Eurovision Song Contest: Sandie Shaw, Olivia Newton John, Lulu, Buckz Fizz, Brotherhod of Man, Cliff Richard, Clodagh Rogers, Mary Hopkin, Michael Ball, Sonia, Gina G, Bonny Tyler etc.