Eurovision from the start video special: Watch 57 years of British entries

How does Engelbert Humperdinck compare to past British Eurovision songs?

Eurovision began as a way to bring Europe together after the divisions of World War II - and it has become an annual institution.
The UK skipped the first contest in 1956, with hosts Switzerland beating Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
The competition was exclusively for solo artists until the 1970s, when groups were allowed to enter for the first time.
At that first competition there was a real voting jury, with two representatives from each country awarding the points (and you could vote for your own country's entry too).
How the points are awarded is often a contentious issue and was a favourite target for Terry Wogan's barbed comments in the commentator's chair.
He would have had a field day with the first competition... The Luxembourg delegation could not make it to Switzerland, so the Swiss jurors awarded the votes on behalf of Luxembourg too.
Britain joined the party for the first time the following year, and has missed just one Eurovision since.
We chart the fates of the UK acts we've unleashed on our European neighbours in the past 50 years - like Bucks Fizz, Brotherhood Of Man and, er, Daz Sampson - to find out who found fame and who was a big fat flop... And don't forget to follow how Engelbert Humperdinck gets on in this year's contest in our Eurovision live blog.

1957: Patricia Bredin - All, 6th (6 points)

BRITAIN'S first ever entry Patricia has since moved to Canada's Nova Scotia province and penned the novel My Fling On The Farm.
Despite its saucy title and description as a "romp through a highsociety barnyard", the book is actually about a woman who is trying to rebuild her shattered life on a remote farm. It has not troubled the bestseller list.

1958: No Entry

THE second - and last - time Britain didn't bother entering. Hmm...

1959: Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson - Sing Little Birdie, 2nd (16)

THE married duo call it "the easiest gig we've ever played". They had a string of pop hits, featured on This Is Your Life and did a run in the West End musical Follies.

1960: Bryan Johnson - High High High, 2nd (25)

FINISHING as runnerup in 1960 left Bryan on a real high - it turned him from an out-of-work actor into a radio star. He died in 1995.

1961: The Allisons - Are You Sure, 2nd (24)

THE Allisons - who pretended to be brothers but weren't - had a couple of minor hits after the contest and went on to perform at nostalgia nights around the country. They even put out a greatest hits album in 2002. How many people know that? We can't be sure...

1962 and 1963: Ronnie Carroll - Ring A Ding Girl, 4th (10) Say Wonderful Things, 4th (28)

RONNIE lost the money he'd made from music on a botched club venture in Grenada and ended up manning a London sausage stall. He stood in the 2005 Election for the Vote For Your self Rainbow Dream Ticket Party, in Belfast. And lost.

1964: Matt Monro - The Little Things, 2nd (17)

VETERAN crooner who performed all over the world and whose slick style shifted more than 100 million records. Matt died in 1985.

1965: Kathy Kirby - I Belong, 2nd (26)

POCKETED a fortune in her pop heyday but was declared bankrupt in the 70s.
She retired from showbiz and lived alone, shunning the limelight, in West London until her death in May last year . A 2005 biography describes her fall from having a jewel-encrusted dog kennel to being "homeless, friendless and penniless".

1966: Kenneth McKellar - A Man Without Love, 7th (8)

THE classically trained Scots tenor had his own TV series in the 60s. He also wrote sketches, including one performed by Monty Python at the Secret Policeman's Ball - a rare occasion when the team performed something they hadn't written. He died from pancreatic cancer at his daughter's home in America in 2010.

1967 : Sandie Shaw - Puppet On A String, 1st (47)

OUR first ever winner trained as a psychotherapist in the 90s and earns her crust as a part-time Radio 2 DJ. Now a Buddhist grandma, she continues to release songs through her website .

1968: Cliff Richard - Congratulations, 2nd (28)

SIR Cliff became a pop icon, then a cheap winemaker and professional tennis fan. Often found making rain delays at Wimbledon even worse by singing. Spends his time renting his Barbados villa to Tony Blair and trying to get another Xmas No.1.

1969: Lulu - Boom Bang A Bang, 1st (18)

SHE last topped the charts in 1995 with Take That on Relight My Fire. Was a judge on American Idol 2007, where she advised delusional wannabes on how to make the most of their limited talents, and danced with Brendan Cole in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Danciing.

1970: Mary Hopkin - Knock Knock Who's There, 2nd (26)

THE Welsh folkie's recordings are scant, but she did release a 2006 Christmas single, Snowed Under. It didn't trouble the top of the charts.

1971: Clodagh Rogers - Jack In The Box, 4th (98)

IRISH-born Clodagh set up a restaurant but went bankrupt when it folded. Her UK TV career was limited to appearances on Morecambe And Wise.

1972: The New Seekers - Beg, Steal Or Borrow, 2nd (114)

SINCE then they have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and are still touring - although with only one member of the original line-up.

1973 : Cliff Richard - Power To All Our Friends, 4th (123)

1974 : Olivia Newton John - Long Live Love, 4th (14)

THE Aussie singer went on to play Sandy in iconic 1978 movie Grease - which spawned a string of chart hits - but had less success in the musical Xanadu. She successfully fought breast cancer in the 1990s and continued releasing muisc. She secretly married again in 2008, 13 years after her divorce from Matt Latanzi.

1975: The Shadows - Let Me Be The One, 2nd (138)

HANK and co reunited for a farewell tour of the UK and Europe in 2004/2005, playing their final gig in Birmingham.

1976 : Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me, 1st (164)

STILL going strong on the nostalgia circuit they even boast their original lineup. They were part of Eurovision's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2006.

1977: Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran - Rock Bottom, 2nd (121)

LYNSEY dated film star James Coburn before returning to England to pen songs for artists including German singer Marilyn. She's director of the Performing Rights Society and had a show on Sky Arts last year. Mike is a producer - his big claim to fame is writing the theme tune to Taggart.

1978: Coco - Bad Old Days, 11th (61)

THEY split two years later, but one member, Cheryl Baker, would go on to win the contest as part of Bucks Fizz.

1979: Black Lace - Mary Ann, 7th (73)

MOST famous for giving the world Agadoo. Singer Colin Gibb now lives in Tenerife and regularly "treats" holidaymakers to the band's greatest hits, including the risque Gang Bang. Terry Dobson still plays the drums for a band called Mr Twister, based in his native Wakefield. The band's other member, Alan Barton, died in a crash in 1995.

1980: Prima Donna - Love Enough For Two, 3rd (106)

A VEHICLE for former New Seekers frontman Danny Finn. Despite a respectable showing on the night, they didn't trouble the charts afterwards.

1981 : Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up, 1st (136)

THEY had a string of hits and were lucky to survive a horror coach smash in 1984 while performing in Newcastle - Mike Nolan suffering a near-fatal brain injury.
Cheryl Baker became a TV presenter and reality show contestant. Jay Aston saw her Performing Arts School go under. Bobby G continued to tour with his own version of the band. The other three members called themselves the Original Bucks Fizz but had to switch to OBF after a court hearing found in favour of Bobby G last year.

1982: Bardo - One Step Further, 7th (76)

SALLY Ann Triplett swapped pop for acting and landed bit-parts in Holby City, Doctors and in the West End show Anything Goes.
Her bandmate Stephen Fischer has filled in on keyboards for a number of bands.

1983 : Sweet Dreams - I'm Never Giving Up, 6th (69)

CARRIE Grant gave up on her Sweet Dreams of fame to teach other wannabes how to sing on the short-lived BBC show Fame Academy. She can now often be seen on The One Show. Oh, and Bobby McVay is now a radio presenter for Real Radio in South Wales.

1984: Belle and the Devotions - Love Games, 7th (63)

KIT Rolfe now runs a dressage and equestrian school for Arabian Horses in Essex. She has also sung on cruise ships.

1985: Vikki Watson - Love Is, 5th (100)

NOW performing as Aeone, Vikki produces what she calls "haunting, ethereal, Celtic music". She has released four albums, with one internet-only.

1986: Ryder - Runner In The Night, 7th (72)

SINGER Maynard Williams made it to the West End, performing in Christmas Dream and Starlight Express, but his dreams of a solo pop career have so far done a runner.

1987 : Rikki Peebles - Only The Light, 13th (47)

HE admitted that finishing 13th made him feel "like he'd disappointed the entire country". As penance, he went on to earn a living singing in Glasgow's clubs and bars.

1988: Scott Fitzgerald - Go!, 2nd (136)

AFTER missing out on victory by one point, Scott moved into "ambient" music. His albums of African drumming and the "sounds of the forest" are, surprisingly, not in the shops.

1989: Live Report - Why Do I Always Get It Wrong, 2nd (130)

RAY Caruana tried to represent Malta in 1994. He went on to perform his own Sammy Davis Jr tribute act in Essex. He also earned a crust singing on the big band circuit.

1990: Emma Booth - Give A Little Love Back, 6th (87)

AFTER her moment in the spotlight, Emma - at 15, our youngest entrant - was soon back doing a stint at a holiday camp on the Isle of Wight. She went on to sing on cruise ships.

1991: Samantha Janus - A Message To Your Heart, 10th (47)

FOUR years after her terrible Euro entry, Sam shot to fame in BBC2 sitcom Game On. She went on to star in the cop drama Liverpool One, a West End production of Guys And Dolls and spent four years as Ronnie in EastEnders. She is now known as Samantha Womack after her marriage in 2009.

1992: Michael Ball - One Step At A Time, 2nd (139)

THE West End star came within a whisker of converting his stage success into a Euro triumph.
He continues to shift albums by the ton (mainly to grannies).
He has also turned his hand to TV presenting, hosting the National Lottery and Children In Need. A judge on Soapstar Superstar, he has had success on the stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Hairspray. He released an album last year which entered at number 10.

1993: Sonia - Better The Devil You Know, 2nd (164)

THE Scouse pop pixie tried to relaunch her career on the ITV show Reborn In The USA in 2003. She was voted out in week five after a row with David Van Day of Dollar. Her career in the US remained unborn, and it's not been a bed of roses back home either. Her 2009 single Fool For Love failed to chart. She is most often seen in pantomime.

1994: Frances Ruffelle - Lonely Symphony, 10th (63)

THE daughter of stage school legend Dame Sylvia Young, Frances switched to the West End. She is set to appear as a prostitute in the film version of Les Miserables.

1995: Love City Groove - Love City Groove, 10th (76)

STEPHEN "Beanz" Rudden, Jay Williams, Paul Hardy and Yinka Charles brought rap to Eurovision. Jay went on to release drum 'n' bass while Yinka had some success as MC Reason. The others sank without trace after a failed attempt to rebrand the band as The Collective.
1996 : Gina G - Just A Little Bit, 8th (77)

THE Aussie singer had some chart success on the back of her Eurovision appearance but by 2003 her career was waning. In an attempt to give it the kiss of life she joined Sonia and other has-beens on Reborn In The USA - but got booted off on the third show. In 2005 she gave Eurovision another go but lost out to Javine. She records in London and LA and has two children.
1997 : Katrina And The Waves - Love Shine A Light, 1st (227)

THE Waves crashed two years after their win and singer Katrina Leskanich landed a job on Radio 2. Her 2005 solo album got mixed reviews and she came fourth when she tried to enter Eurovision for Sweden the same year. They remain the UK's most recent winners.

1998: Imaani - Where Are You, 2nd (166)

IMAANI went on to devote much of her time to charities in her Nottingham hometown. She toured the Third World singing with dub outfit Incognito.

1999: Precious - Say It Again, 12th (38)

DESPITE enjoying a spot of chart success with this lot, Jenny Frost couldn't wait to jump ship for another girl band, Atomic Kitten, when Kerry Katona quit. She has also presented Snog, Marry, Avoid on BBC3. Sophie McDonnell was a presenter on CBBC from 2002 to 2009, while Anya Lahiri and Louise Rose have been in Sky One's saucy soccer soap Dream Team. Result!

2000: Nicki French - Don't Play That Song Again, 16th (28)

DECIDED to coach the next lot of Eurovision flops by teaching at the Italia Conti stage school. She appeared in a touring production Annie in 2010 and 2011.

2001: Lindsay D - No Dream Impossible, 15th (28)

DROPPED by her record label, the Sheffield-born schoolgirl went on to perform in the pubs and clubs of Doncaster.

2002: Jessica Garlick - Come Back, 3rd (111)

THE Pop Idol loser presented the results of the Welsh vote in the 2003 Song For Europe show and was the mystery musician in a 2006 episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks. She had another go at music in 2009, releasing single Hard Not To Fall on iTunes but it did little to trouble the scorers.

2003: Jemini - Cry Baby, 26th (0)

THE duo responsible for our only ever nil points. Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey disbanded, with Chris going on to work as a fashion retail manager in Manchester's Trafford Centre. Gemma opened The Make Up Lounge in Liverpool.

2004: James Fox - Hold On To Our Love, 16th (29)

THE Fame Academy loser found more success on stage and made his Broadway debut in 2005 before returning to the UK.

2005: Javine - Touch My Fire, 22nd (18)

SHE wasn't quite good enough to get into Girls Aloud and she failed to impress the Euro judges. She hit the headlines for her affair with the equally talentless Harvey, ex of So Solid Crew af ter they met on reality TV show The Games. She also did a stint in West End show Daddy Cool.

2006: Daz Sampson - Teenage Life, 19th (25)

THE following year he released a single about his beloved Stockport County FC and their nine-game winning streak. He went on to become a hypnotist .

2007: Scooch - Flying The Flag (For You), 22nd (19)

Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes and Russ Spencer joined various stage musicals. David Ducasse continued as principal of the Performers Stage School in the North East. Caroline and Russ subsequently got together.

2008: Andy Abraham - Even If, 25th (14)

FINISHING joint last did little for the former binman's music career. The former X Factor competitor is currently touring with The History of The Big Bands show and has performed at birthday parties for Arsenal star Theo Walcott and Ozzy Osbourne.

2009: Jade Ewen - It's My Time, 5th (173)

SHE replaced Keisha Buchanan in the Sugababes in 2009, so she has not done too too badly...

2010: Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me, 25th (10)

APPEARED in pantomime that winter and released his first album independently las year.

2011: Blue - I Can, 11th (100)

THE boyband turned manband are due to release new material and are working on their new website.

2012: Engelbert Humperdinck - Love Will Set You Free

We will be live-blogging Eurovision so join us for the final tomorrow (Saturday) at 8pm...