The UK is one of the Big Five and have the longest unbroken streak of participation in the contest having participated in every contest since 1959.
Despite placing last five times, the country has won five times, placed 2nd a record 15 times, and placed in the top 5 a record 29 times. It has also hosted the contest 8 times - 4 of them by deferral from the previous winning nation (1960, 1963, 1972 and 1974) and 4 from winning (1968, 1977, 1982 and 1998).
They are one of the ten countries to receive nul points. The doubling of total points available in 2016 has made the chance of getting nul points very low thus shocking viewers when the UK managed to receive nul points at the 2021 contest.
Act: Sam Ryder - SPACE MAN
Appearances: 63
Host: 1960, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1998
First appearance: 1957
Highest placement: 1st in 1967, 1969, 1976, 1981, 1997
Nul points: 2003, 2021
Miguel's Wholesome Summary: Even if I could completely escape this world, I would probably still find myself tied to my life by the emotions that I have felt in life. 👨🏽🚀
Lyrics:
If I was an astronaut, I‘d be floating in mid-air
And a broken heart would just belong, to someone else down there
I would be the center of my lonely universe
But I‘m only human, and I‘m crashing down to earth
I‘m up in space, man!
Up in space, man!
I‘ve searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There‘s nothing but space, man!
And I wanna go home
If I was an astronaut, I‘d speak to satellites
My navigation systems would search for other life
But I‘d be up here thinking ‘bout what I left behind
‘Cause I‘m only human with the real world on my mind
I‘m up in space, man!
Up in space, man!
I‘ve searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There‘s nothing but space, man!
And I wanna go home
Gravity keeps pulling me down
As long as you‘re on the ground, I‘ll stick around
Stick around
I‘ll stick around
I‘m up in space, man!
Up in space, man!
I‘ve searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There‘s nothing but space, man, no
Oh, I‘m in the wrong place, man
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man!
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man!
I‘ve searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There‘s nothing but space, man...
And I wanna go home