Sophie Ellis Bextor said she turned down the chance to be a Eurovision judge
(Picture: PA Media)Sophie Ellis-Bextor has revealed she was approached to be a Eurovision judge – but turned down the opportunity.
The singer, 43, said she had been asked to join the judging panel in 2019 but refused as she had a young child.
“I had a very small baby that I was still feeding, and they wouldn’t let me bring it along,” she told Radio Times.
“I’m pretty sure the baby would have been impartial but, you know what, I think part of what I like about Eurovision is that it has very much got its rules… it’s kooky.
“We weren’t going to be allowed to speak while we were watching it either, and I thought, ‘I can’t watch Eurovision in silence’.”
The ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ singer explained she had been a fan of Eurovision since childhood.
“My parents always watched Eurovision and I remember watching it during the eighties when I was in single digits and being pretty fascinated by what I saw,” she said.
“We should probably brace ourselves for another ‘nul points’ score.
“There have always been political undertones (to the voting), which again, is part of the fun. We quite enjoy that, I think.
“It’s part of the reason Britain treats it in an almost ironic way, and I don’t think it will ever lose that, but some of the songs that are good can have a life outside of Eurovision and be treated as legitimate hits.”
The final will take place on Saturday and will be broadcast on BBC One.
TikTok star Sam Ryder, from Essex, is representing Britain this year with his song ‘Space Man’.
Speaking ahead of the final, he told The I that he was not focused on winning the contest.
“My personal goal for this is to sing with the same intention that I always sing with, and then come away with the joy it has given me,” he said.
