Has the UK ever won the Eurovision Song Contest? Every winner revealed

17 May 2025, 19:30

It’s that time of year again, so here’s everything you need to know about the UK’s Eurovision Song Contest history and whether we've ever won before.

Another year has rolled around, so that means it’s officially time for Eurovision once again and we are soo sat!

This year marks the 67th time the UK has entered the Eurovision Song Contest and in 2025 we’re being represented by none other than Remember Monday with their song ‘What the hell just happened?’

But as they to go head-to-head with the 36 other countries in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, 'what the hell' is the UK’s Eurovision history like and have we ever won? Here’s everything you need to know…

• Read more: Eurovision 2025 favourites and latest betting odds revealed

Has the UK ever won the Eurovision Song Contest?

In recent years, the UK’s Eurovision success has fallen pretty noticeably, with the exception of Sam Ryder’s 2022 performance of ‘Space Man’ where he bagged second place with an astonishing 466 points. This was the most points the UK had ever won in the song contest to date.

Sam’s performance marked the first time the UK had made it to second place in Eurovision since 1998. He fell behind Ukraine in first place, which received a staggering 631 points for Kalush Orchestra’s performance of ‘Stefania’.

Given the UK’s fall in Eurovision success it might be surprising to hear that not only has the UK won the Eurovision Song Contest before, but it has actually won it five times!

Admittedly, the last time the UK bagged the top spot was back in 1997 when Katrina and the Waves sang ‘Love Shine a Light’. This means it’s officially been 27 years since the UK came first at Eurovision.

How many times has the UK won the Eurovision Song Contest?

As previously mentioned, the UK has won the Eurovision Song Contest five times, ever since it first entered it in 1957 (a year after its inception).

Here are all the years and entries the UK has won in the Eurovision Song Contest, from the most recent wins to the least:

• Katrina and the Waves - ‘Love Shine a Light’ (1997) with 227 points.
• Bucks Fizz - ‘Making your Mind Up’ (1981) with 136 points.
• Brotherhood of Man - ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’ (1976) with 164 points.
• Lulu - ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ (1969) with 18 points.
• Sandie Shaw - ‘Puppet on a String’ (1967) with 47 points.

Obviously there’s quite a bit of discrepancy in the points above, so it’s worth noting that the Eurovision voting and point system has changed a lot over the years.

Last year, the UK's first ever winning entry even made it back into the charts thanks to one of our fave pop girlies, Jade Thirlwall, sampling ‘Puppet on a String’ in her first-ever solo single ‘Angel of My Dreams’. What an angel!

How many times has the UK entered the Eurovision Song Contest?

The UK first entered the Eurovision Song Contest during its second year of infancy in 1957 and has entered every year since 1959. This year will mark its 67th time entering the song contest.

All of the UK’s Eurovision entries since 1957

The UK has won Eurovision five times, come second place 16 times and third place four times. Here’s all the UK’s entries from over the years:

1957: Patricia Bredin - ‘All’ (7th place)

1959: Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson - ‘Single Little Birdie’ (2nd place)

1960: Bryan Johnson - ‘Looking High, High, High’ (2nd place)

1961: The Allisons - ‘Are You Sure? (2nd place)

1962: Ronnie Carroll - ‘Ring-A-Ding Girl’ (4th place)

1963: Ronnie Carroll - ‘Say Wonderful Things’ (4th place)

1964: Matt Monro - ‘I Love the Little Things’ (2nd place)

1965: Kath Kirby - ‘I Belong’ (2nd place)

1966: Kenneth McKellar - ‘A Man Without Love’ (9th place)

1967: Sandie Shaw - ‘Puppet on a String’ (1st place)

1968: Cliff Richard - ‘Congratulations’ (2nd place)

1969: Lulu - ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ (1st place)

1970: Mary Hopkin - ‘Knock, Knock (Who’s There?)’ (2nd place)

1971: Clodagh Rodgers - ‘Jack in the Box’ (4th place)

1972: The New Seekers - ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’ (2nd place)

1973: Cliff Richard – ‘Power to All Our Friends’ (3rd place)

1974: Olivia Newton-John – ‘Long Live Love’ (4th place)

1975: The Shadows – ‘Let Me Be the One’ (2nd place)

Remember Monday reveal their main rival in Eurovision 2025!

1976: Brotherhood of Man – ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’ (1st place)

1977: Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran – ‘Rock Bottom’ (2nd place)

1978: Co-Co – ‘The Bad Old Days’ (11th place)

1979: Black Lace – ‘Mary Ann’ (7th place)

1980: Prima Donna – ‘Love Enough for Two’ (3rd place)

1981: Bucks Fizz – ‘Making Your Mind Up’ (1st place)

1982: Bardo – ‘One Step Further’ (7th place)

1983: Sweet Dreams – ‘I’m Never Giving Up’ (6th place)

1984: Belle and the Devotions – ‘Love Games’ (7th place)

1985: Vikki – ‘Love Is’ (4th place)

1986: Ryder – ‘Runner in the Night’ (7th place)

1987: Rikki – ‘Only the Light’ (13th place)

1988: Scott Fitzgerald – ‘Go’ (2nd place)

1989: Live Report – ‘Why Do I Always Get It Wrong’ (2nd place)

1990: Emma – ‘Give a Little Love Back to the World’ (6th place)

1991: Samantha Janus – ‘A Message to Your Heart’ (10th place)

1992: Michael Ball – ‘One Step Out of Time’ (2nd place)

1993: Sonia – ‘Better the Devil You Know’ (2nd place)

1994: Frances Ruffelle – ‘We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony)’ (10th place)

1995: Love City Groove – ‘Love City Groove’ (10th place)

1996: Gina G – ‘Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit’ (8th place)

1997: Katrina and the Waves – ‘Love Shine a Light’ (1st place)

1998: Imaani – ‘Where Are You?’ (2nd place)

1999: Precious – ‘Say It Again’ (12th place)

2000: Nicki French – ‘Don’t Play That Song Again’ (16th place)

2001: Lindsay Dracass – ‘No Dream Impossible’ (15th place)

2002: Jessica Garlick – ‘Come Back’ (3rd place)

2003: Jemini – ‘Cry Baby’ (26th place)

2004: James Fox – ‘Hold On to Our Love’ (16th place)

2005: Javine – ‘Touch My Fire’ (22nd place)

2006: Daz Sampson – ‘Teenage Life’ (19th place)

2007: Scooch – ‘Flying the Flag (For You)’ (22nd place)

2008: Andy Abraham – ‘Even If’ (25th place)

2009: Jade Ewen – ‘It’s My Time’ (5th place)

2010: Josh Dubovie – ‘That Sounds Good to Me’ (25th place)

2011: Blue – ‘I Can’ (11th place)

2012: Engelbert Humperdinck – ‘Love Will Set You Free’ (25th place)

2013: Bonnie Tyler – ‘Believe in Me’ (19th place)

2014: Molly – ‘Children of the Universe’ (17th place)

2015: Electro Velvet – ‘Still in Love with You’ (24th place)

2016: Joe and Jake – ‘You’re Not Alone’ (24th place)

2017: Lucie Jones – ‘Never Give Up on You’ (15th place)

2018: SuRie – ‘Storm’ (24th place)

2019: Michael Rice – ‘Bigger than Us’ (26th place)

2020: James Newman – ‘My Last Breath’ (contest cancelled)

2021: James Newman – ‘Embers’ (26th place)

2022: Sam Ryder – ‘Space Man’ (2nd place)

2023: Mae Muller – ‘I Wrote a Song’ (25th place)

2024: Olly Alexander – ‘Dizzy’ (18th place)

2025: Remember Monday – ‘What the Hell Just Happened?’ (upcoming)

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