Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston, now performing as The Fizz, have shared their thoughts on the United Kingdom's disappointing last-place finish at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The duo, who won the contest in 1981 with 'Making Your Mind Up,' expressed sympathy for UK entrant Sam Battle, known as Look Mum No Computer, but acknowledged that his quirky synth-pop entry 'Eins, Zwei, Drei' was not strong enough to win.
Mixed feelings on Sam Battle's performance
'I think he did a great performance,' said Cheryl Baker, 72. 'Sam Battle's a Kent boy and I live in Kent. But I think there were a lot of songs that were of that similar tempo. He didn't deserve to come last, but equally, he didn't deserve to win either. I was hoping for a couple of points from Germany, but we didn't even get that!'
Jay Aston, 65, was less impressed: 'I do feel sorry for our guy, but I didn't like the track. I think it was a bold try, but it was a bit of a nonsense.'
Bulgaria's victory celebrated
Both singers praised Bulgaria's winning entry 'Bangaranga,' which narrowly beat Israel in a gripping finale with 516 votes to 343. 'Bangaranga was a great win. It's wonderful for Bulgaria. We always complain when the UK come last, but we've won five times, for goodness' sake. For Bulgaria to win for the first time with a very good performance and a great song – hats off to them,' said Cheryl.
Jay had favored Australia's Delta Goodrem: 'Delta Goodrem for Australia was my choice to win. I thought she was phenomenal as an artist and performer, but what they went for was a younger girl. For me, Bangaranga was like a youth vote for Bulgaria. Dara was good, and she was feisty. Delta is more your classic pro singer.'
Political controversy and withdrawals
The contest was marred by controversy over Israel's inclusion, leading to the withdrawal of five countries: Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. Cheryl expressed sadness: 'Eurovision is the perfect platform to show your political stance. I just think it's awful that politics rears its ugly head on the happiest televised music occasion in the world. It's a shame that Ireland pulled out. We missed those five countries, but I do get it.'
Reflecting on their own experience in 1981, Cheryl recalled receiving death threats from the IRA and having armed guards: 'We had armed guards on our rooms. We had to stay in different hotels from everybody. We had outriders, so whenever we travelled anywhere, we were going through red lights. But it felt very exciting. We didn't think about the fact that we had a price on our head.'
Tribute to Bucks Fizz legacy
Italy's Sal da Vinci paid tribute to Bucks Fizz's iconic skirt-ripping routine during the contest. 'We should take that as a compliment, shouldn't we,' said Cheryl. 'I didn't dream that 45 years later I'd still be ripping my skirt off. We did it last night in The Fizz's show. And that's the moment that everyone gets their phones out.'
The pair embraced the evolution of Eurovision, noting improvements in production. 'It's nothing like the show used to be and thank goodness for that. It is so much better now. I love all the pyrotechnics and staging. When we did it, that was a seated venue full of dignitaries. But if Bucks Fizz were to do it now, I wonder if we would win? There was no public vote back then – we might get nil points from the public now,' Cheryl mused.
Future UK entries
Jay suggested that she and Cheryl should be on the judging panel for selecting the UK's future entry: 'Cheryl and I should be on the judging panel next year for choosing the UK's entry. We've worked a bit out over the last 45 years.' Cheryl proposed Sam Smith as a potential candidate: 'Sam Smith would appeal to Eurovision fans. As long as we have a great song for him, he would do amazingly.'
The Fizz have a new single 'A Crazy Shot in the Dark' out on May 22, written by Mike Stock of Stock/Aitken/Waterman fame. However, Cheryl ruled out a Eurovision return: 'Mike is a genius, but there's nothing you could do to encourage me to do Eurovision again. You can't do better than win, but you can lose.'
