thanks very much to mark kerr. the annual extravaganza that is the eurovision grand final is upon us once again. and while ukraine s entry is this year s firm favourite, unusually, the uk entry is also among those tipped to win as david sillito reports. one, two, three. yay! sam ryder. the uk s eurovision hopeful is already a hit in turin. his song, space man, is being hotly tipped. eurovision has helped transform his life. 2.5 years ago, december 2019, where was your singing career? i did a little bit of everything. i was a labourer, a dogsbody, basically. so, december2019, yourjob is a labourer? yeah. his journey to fame began with this tiktok video. i thought nothing of it.
the uk s eurovision hopeful is already a hit in turin. # and i m drifting in the dark.#. his song, space man, is being hotly tipped. eurovision has helped transform his life. 2.5 years ago, december 2019, where was your singing career? i did a little bit of everything. i was a labourer, a dogsbody, basically. so, december2019, yourjob is a labourer? yeah. his journey to fame began with this tiktok video. # hit me baby one more time. i thought nothing of it. because i went to bed that night and just thought, that was funny. i woke up and 2 million people had seen it. you had 2 million views? yeah, yeah. and it was that that led to eurovision. mahmood, lovely to meet you,
where was your singing career? i did a little bit of everything. i was a labourer, a dogsbody, basically. so, december2019, yourjob is a labourer? yeah. his journey to fame began with this tiktok video. i thought nothing of it. i went to bed that night and just thought, that was funny. i woke up and two million people had seen it. you had two million views? yeah, yeah. and it was that that led to eurovision. it was lovely to meet you. let s go for a walk. and to understand what that could mean, meet italy s mahmood. this is mahmood s second eurovision. and it s made him a star.
where we sat down to chat, fans began to gather. no one here is expecting another nul points. you have had such terrible years! i felt it was so terrible last year when they said, zero . two and a half years ago, december 2019, where was your singing career? i did a little bit of everything. i was a labourer, a dogsbody, basically. so, december2019, yourjob is a labourer? yeah. #my mind.# what changed his life. # ..so give me a sign.# ..was this tiktok video. # ..hit me, baby, one more time.# so, january 2020. yep, i shared my first video of me singing in my mum s kitchen, singing britney spears s .baby one more time, as high as i could, and i thought nothing of it because i went to bed that night and just thought, that was funny . and, erm, woke up, 2 million people had seen it. my mum was absolutely, like, scared to death that the kitchen was untidy, but it was spotless. the first day,
if this gets nil points, then there really is no eurovision justice. indeed, as soon as we sat down, the fans began to gather. even the swedes, who know their eurovision, think the uk has got a real chance. i would be so happy for the uk because you have had such terrible years. i felt it was so terrible last year when they said zero! i wasjust screaming, oh, no, it s not possible! it was so bad for the uk. but this time you re just nailing it. but for sam, this is all very new. two and a half years ago, december 2019, where was your singing career? i did a little bit of everything. i was a labourer, a dogsbody, basically. so december 2019, yourjob is a labourer? yeah. what changed his life. # so give me a sign.#. ..was this tiktok video.