Dominic Smith is the Producer of the United Kingdom's selection show for the Eurovision Song Contest, Making your mind up. He will also be Co-Head of Delegation for the United Kingdom in Athens this year. This week, esctoday.com editor Barry Viniker put some questions to him about the show, the UK at Eurovision and…a little bit more…
Esctoday.com: You were producer for MYMU and work at the Eurovision Song Contest itself. How long have you been involved with the competition?
Dominic: I was a Researcher and looked after Imaani in Birmingham 98 and, other than a two year break in 2000 & 2001 (when I was at ITV), have done it since. Have been joint HOD with Kevin Bishop since Estonia. I Produce other television shows for the rest of the year including the Royal Variety Performance and Top Of The Pops.
Esctoday.com: Why do you think that the UK�s fortunes at Eurovision have deteriorated so drastically after almost 40 years of near constant top ten finishes?
Dominic: There isn�t a simple answer to this and I think all of the Big 4 get a rougher time than they deserve from the fans; lets not forget they�d be no Eurovision without us ! Politics probably plays a part, as does the emergence of some subtle block voting, however, in reality, I just don�t think the UK has been a country anyone is going to go out of their way to vote for lately. The voting will eventually swing back in our favour sooner or later (and we�ll be there!). If you think we feel bad, just imagine how tough it is being German; not a sniff of a win since Nicole ! Oh and Jessica Garlick did just fine !
Esctoday.com: What is your favourite Eurovision year, and why?
Dominic: 94 was great. Not so much for Riverdance, but for the drummer in Mekado and Jan Werner Danielson�s enormous gob. I watched when I lived in Australia and it made me very homesick�and a little bit scared !
Esctoday.com: What was your favourite UK entry and why?
Dominic: That�s a tough one. It�s a toss up between Imaani and Frances Ruffelle (that crown of thorns was a mistake though !).
