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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Serbian ballad wins at Eurovision | Serbian ballad wins at Eurovision |
| (about 23 hours later) | |
| Serbian singer Marija Serifovic has won the Eurovision Song Contest at a ceremony in Helsinki which saw the UK's entry coming joint second-last. | Serbian singer Marija Serifovic has won the Eurovision Song Contest at a ceremony in Helsinki which saw the UK's entry coming joint second-last. |
| Serifovic's powerful ballad Molitva had been second-favourite with bookmakers in the run-up to the competition. | Serifovic's powerful ballad Molitva had been second-favourite with bookmakers in the run-up to the competition. |
| She scored 268 points, beating Ukrainian drag queen Verka Serdyuchka into second place. Russia was third, with Turkey fourth and Bulgaria fifth. | She scored 268 points, beating Ukrainian drag queen Verka Serdyuchka into second place. Russia was third, with Turkey fourth and Bulgaria fifth. |
| British act Scooch managed only 19 points with their song Flying the Flag. | British act Scooch managed only 19 points with their song Flying the Flag. |
| EUROVISION TOP FIVE 1. Serbia (268 points)2. Ukraine (235)3. Russia (207)4. Turkey (163)5. Bulgaria (157) | EUROVISION TOP FIVE 1. Serbia (268 points)2. Ukraine (235)3. Russia (207)4. Turkey (163)5. Bulgaria (157) |
| Twelve of these came from Malta, which placed the UK entry top in its voting, but there was little recognition from other countries. | Twelve of these came from Malta, which placed the UK entry top in its voting, but there was little recognition from other countries. |
| The UK tied with France one position above the bottom in the results table, with Irish folk group Dervish scoring only five points and coming last overall. | The UK tied with France one position above the bottom in the results table, with Irish folk group Dervish scoring only five points and coming last overall. |
| It meant that Scooch narrowly avoided finishing 24th out of 24, as British act Gemini had in 2003 - famously scoring "nul points" - with the song Cry Baby. | It meant that Scooch narrowly avoided finishing 24th out of 24, as British act Gemini had in 2003 - famously scoring "nul points" - with the song Cry Baby. |
| But Scooch were characteristically undeterred by the result. | But Scooch were characteristically undeterred by the result. |
| "To be honest, this experience has been one in a million," said singer Caroline Barnes. | "To be honest, this experience has been one in a million," said singer Caroline Barnes. |
| "But I have to say I laughed so much I cried at the voting. I'm not gutted. I don't want to say it was expected, but you know what Eurovision is like." | "But I have to say I laughed so much I cried at the voting. I'm not gutted. I don't want to say it was expected, but you know what Eurovision is like." |
| 'So proud' | |
| Serbia took first place with its first entry as a solo state at the Eurovision, having declared its union with Montenegro defunct last year. | Serbia took first place with its first entry as a solo state at the Eurovision, having declared its union with Montenegro defunct last year. |
| The Eastern European state will now be charged with hosting the event in 2008. | The Eastern European state will now be charged with hosting the event in 2008. |
| Following her win, Ms Serifovic told reporters "a new chapter has opened for Serbia". | Following her win, Ms Serifovic told reporters "a new chapter has opened for Serbia". |
| EUROVISION BOTTOM FIVE 20. Spain (43 points)21. Lithuania (28) 22=. France (19)22=. UK (19, pictured)24. Ireland (5) | |
| "I am so proud. All my success is made by singing." | "I am so proud. All my success is made by singing." |
| The competition had been embraced by people in the Finnish capital, which earned the right to stage the event when rock group Lordi won in 2006. | The competition had been embraced by people in the Finnish capital, which earned the right to stage the event when rock group Lordi won in 2006. |
| Lordi's song Hard Rock Hallelujah was reprised as the opening number of the show, at Helsinki's largest ice hockey stadium. | Lordi's song Hard Rock Hallelujah was reprised as the opening number of the show, at Helsinki's largest ice hockey stadium. |
| Big-screen TVs were erected in the city centre, where fans gathered to watch the ceremony. | Big-screen TVs were erected in the city centre, where fans gathered to watch the ceremony. |
| Some 350 spin-off events had also been organised as part of Eurovision "fever". | Some 350 spin-off events had also been organised as part of Eurovision "fever". |
| The contest - held since 1956 - had a record 42 entries this year, but 18 were eliminated in qualifying rounds before Saturday's final. | The contest - held since 1956 - had a record 42 entries this year, but 18 were eliminated in qualifying rounds before Saturday's final. |
| It was broadcast to an estimated global TV audience of 100 million, with the winner selected after a poll in each country involving telephone votes and text messages. | It was broadcast to an estimated global TV audience of 100 million, with the winner selected after a poll in each country involving telephone votes and text messages. |