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Eurovision’s funniest moments

It is the greatest show on Planet Pop. Yet Eurovision is also quite possibly the most ridiculous event in the musical calendar.

Many millions of people tune in each year hoping to see the highs that can be reached by our pop cousins.

However, there are many others who watch hoping to witness the more bizarre and ludicrous acts on offer. But will there be any  this year to compare with the funniest moments in Eurovision history? Here's our rundown on the ten incidents this year's competitors will have to beat...

10 Frozen woman (1971)

Picture the scene: It's Eurovision 1971. The venue is the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and Portugal's entry is just rounding off their turn. Cue applause. For one audience member, this simple course of events is just too much, prompting the sort of peculiar full-body shutdown that suggests she's either left the iron on or had a top-secret affair with the singer in the Yugoslavian act, who are up next.

09 Swiss cheese (1973)


What are the chances of a true voting maverick emerging out of nowhere this weekend? It will take something pretty special to compete with this unidentified wag. The Swiss judge, perhaps upset that he's not actually on the stage singing, becomes increasingly animated as the scores are cast, much to the amusement of his colleagues. Something tells us he's wearing that suit for a reason. Show. Off.

08 Incorrect password (2002)


There have been many unintentionally funny performances in the 56 years since the launch of Eurovision. We can't possibly include them all but some are too good/bad to miss. Try Sagapo, 2002's Greek entry, which bafflingly deployed a quartet of old men in cheap robo outfits doing a heroically naff routine to tell a love story involving a mysterious password. Is it "null points", by any chance?

07 Wogan's last stand (2007)

After a commentary career spanning four decades, Terry Wogan is rightly seen as a Eurovision immortal. His decision to quit in 2008 clearly had a lot to do with the contest's changing face. But was it not also influenced by this epic cock-up the year before when he announced the wrong winner? "It's not like anybody died," said the legendary broadcaster. Few TV starts have come so close live onstage.

06 Wardrobe malfunction (1985)


We're used to singers taking off items of clothing in a bid to spruce up their act. Who could forget Bucks Fizz and their velcro skirts? Lil Lindfors, host of the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest in Gothenburg, Sweden, also entered show folklore after suffering a spectacular wardrobe malfunction as she walked out to kick-off proceedings. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake owe this woman their careers.

05 A national tragedy (2003)

Talking of careers, Chris Cromby and Gemma Abbey must have thought they were on the fast track to the big time when Jemini were selected to represent the UK in 2003. They were actually on the fast track to the dole queue after their pub karaoke rendition of ‘Cry Baby' finished in last place, with no points. Some blamed the Iraq war for their failure. Others offered to send them to the Iraq war.

04 Drunk judge (2008)

"You're looking a million dollars, Björn," declared Terry Wogan at the 2008 competition, when the Swedish representative appeared onscreen to announce their votes. What he probably didn't realise was that their representative, Björn Gustafsson, had consumed a million dollars worth of champagne while totting up the scores, making it near impossible for him to stand, let alone speak on live TV.

03 The sound of no music (1990)

Are you watching Graham Norton? Consider the easy, sardonic way his predecessor deals with a crisis. In 1990, the Spanish act, Azucar Moreno, were faced with one of the biggest challenges possible: no music. "I don't like it, things are going too smoothly," observes Wogan as the days and weeks pass and still nothing happens. Somehow, they managed to finish fifth, despite this debacle.

02 Very heavy trophy (1999)

Dana International represented Israel for the second time last year, having taken the big prize in 1998, winning the event in Birmingham with ‘Diva'. But she somehow managed to overshadow that achievement 12 months later, appearing onstage to present the trophy to Sweden and doing this in front of an estimated TV audience of 1bn.

01 Guildo Loves You! (1998)

It was always going to take something special to top our list. So please stand clear for Guildo Horn, 1998's irrepressible German entrant, who put on the sort of unbeatable display that few will ever match, cow bell solo included. Just look at the fear in the faces of the audience as he charges towards them! ‘Guildo Hat Euch Lieb!' (‘Guildo Loves You!') may have finished 7th but he has to be our winner.

What do you think of our top ten? Which classic Eurovision moments have we missed out? Have your say below...