Blast from the Past: Eurovision's memorable moments - from Dana to Dustin the Turkey!

​The Eurovision Song Contest is back on our screens tonight and, if history is anything to go by, we can be assured of plenty of dodgy songs and downright loopy acts.
Irish Eurovision Song Contest winner Rosemary Brown, known as Dana (Dana Rosemary Scallon), celebrates in Amsterdam in 1970Irish Eurovision Song Contest winner Rosemary Brown, known as Dana (Dana Rosemary Scallon), celebrates in Amsterdam in 1970
Irish Eurovision Song Contest winner Rosemary Brown, known as Dana (Dana Rosemary Scallon), celebrates in Amsterdam in 1970
By Helen McGurk
Published 10th May 2024, 16:28 BST

The sparkly show, which has been entertaining viewers since 1956, has had plenty of iconic moments, like the Bucks Fizz ladies whipping off their skirts and Dana, the wee girl from Londonderry winning in 1970.

But it has also dished up some of the most cringe-tastic, bizarre acts Europe has to offer.Remember the baking Russian grannies of 2012? Or Ireland’s Dustin the Turkey in 2008, a creepy puppet, singing a twisted electro-rave version of Irish folk. The gnarly costumes and stage make up worn by Finnish group Lordi in 2006 for their performance of ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’ will never be forgotten. Nor will the gorilla which crashed Italy’s performance in 2017.

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And this year, Ireland has "sent the witch" in a bid to regain some former Eurovision glory.

Bambie Thug, a self-described queer, "ouija popstar", who uses the non-binary personal pronouns they and them, with their genre-defying Eurovision entry Doomsday Blue.

There’s too many cheesy songs and freakshow moments to recount, but that’s Eurovision!

Related topics:TurkeyEurope

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