Eurovision song contest is back!

Updated 19.21 Sat May 12 2007
Keywords: Scooch, Eurovision

Believe it or not - its that time of year again. That's right, Eurovision is back!

24 nations will compete in Helsinki - hoping to win the singing competition.

The annual event will be broadcast across Europe with millions of viewers voting by phone and text message to decide the winner

Eastern European states dominate the finals after they scored a near clean sweep in Thursday's semi-finals. Ukrainian drag queen Verka Serduchka is the bookies' favourite, just ahead of Marija Serifovic from Serbia.

The annual event will be broadcast across Europe with millions of viewers voting by phone and text message to decide the winner.

Thousands of fans are crowding into Helsinki where huge screens have been set up in the city centre and over 350 supporting events are planned.

Last year the contest was won by Finnish monster rock group Lordi with their song Hard Rock Hallelujah. They see it all as a bit of fun and don't think it should be taken too seriously.

Britain will be represented by Scooch who beat off stiff competition from the likes of Brian Harvey, former Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins and a former Atomic Kitten.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.