Eurovision entrant Lucie Jones blames Brexit after UK finishes in woeful 15th place
The former X Factor star failed to secure vote from bitter EU powerhouses Germany and France
LUCIE JONES has blamed Brexit for her disappointing showing at Eurovision.
Our entrant did not manage to get a single vote from bitter EU powerhouses Germany or France and ended up in 15th place.
In an exclusive interview just hours after the result, Lucie said: “I had no idea how Brexit was going to affect the vote until I was there. I did notice lots of Brexit comments.
“I mean the Aussies were the only ones to give us 12 points out of everyone — now that was pretty awkward.”
Making it all even more annoying for the former X Factor contestant was that she had voted to REMAIN.
Speaking as she headed home from Kiev, Lucie said: “I did vote to remain in the EU, but hey, not much we can do about it now.
“Lots of people voted to leave and we’re a democracy and that’s the way of the world. S*** happens.”
While the singer had not realised how feelings about the referendum would affect her scores, others had feared the worst.
When Prime Minister THERESA MAY was asked about the UK’s chances last week she admitted: “In current circumstances I’m not sure how many votes we’ll get.”
And ex-Shadow Chancellor and Strictly star ED BALLS claimed: “Winning Eurovision may be a stretch for post-Brexit Britain”.
Despite this, Lucie said she was proud of her performance of ballad Never Give Up On You — especially because she didn’t come last like certain previous UK entrants.
She explained: “You know what, I’m feeling good.
“We didn’t come last which I’m thrilled about.
“We got great public response and I have had loads of messages of support from celebrities.
“It’s great that we got the support from home.
“All the messages have been just overwhelming.”
Nearly nine million people watched Saturday’s final on BBC1.
Lucie will now focus on her role in a touring production of Legally Blonde The Musical.
Let’s hope they are not planning any European dates.
READ ON FOR MORE OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Naughty Norton
BBC commentator GRAHAM NORTON upset viewers with a gag about Polish singer Kasia Mos.
Before she sang, he joked: “Her brother will be fiddling with her on stage.”
One viewer tweeted: “Not impressed by Graham Norton’s double entendre about incest/abuse while introducing Poland. My children are watching.”
To add insult to injury, Kasia came 22nd. Ouch.
- HE flag-draped joker who mooned on stage as 2016’s winner JAMALA sang has been identified as Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk. He once tried to pick up GIGI HADID in Milan and kiss KIM KARDASHIAN’s bum.
Thriller has stiles galore
JULIA STILES always looks a million dollars – which is sure to help her as she plays oligarch’s wife Georgina Clios in new Sky Atlantic thriller Riviera.
It kicks off with Georgina out for justice after husband Constantine is mysteriously killed aboard a yacht.
The gripping plot unwinds on the Cote d’Azur against a backdrop of fancy cars and a glam cast including former Hustle star ADRIAN LESTER, and Game of Thrones hunk IWAN RHEON.
With four Jason Bourne films under her belt, you’d think Julia would be sick of gun-toting thrillers in the Med.
But she couldn’t sound more excited about the ten-parter.
She said: “It’s largely about a world that is seemingly very glamorous, opulent and exotic. But underneath that, all is not what it seems, including our main character.”
Conceived by former U2 manager PAUL McGUINNESS and directed by Oscar-winner NEIL JORDAN, Riviera starts on June 15.
It joins a host of Sky Original productions on Sky Atlantic this year including Guerrilla, Tin Star and returning series Fortitude and Gomorrah.
They’re certainly spoiling us . . .
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Poorly O'Grady silenced
FORGET a Blind Date, PAUL O’GRADY is in need of a date with the doctor instead.
The host of Channel 5’s reboot of the matchmaking show has lost his voice, causing recordings to be cancelled at the last minute.
An insider said: “Episodes were due to be filmed last week but at the last minute, Paul was deemed too ill.
“The audience was already at the studio waiting for filming to begin and the contestants were ready but then they were sent away.
“They were offered the chance to come to a subsequent recording but a lot of them were very frustrated.
“It doesn’t bode well.”
Last month The Sun told how Paul had shocked the studio audience while filming an earlier episode by joking that the late CILLA BLACK had been on drugs during her decades as host.
After a string of blunders including forgetting contestants’ names, he said: “How the f*** did Cilla do this for 25 years? No wonder she was on cocaine.”
Cilla, who died in 2015, hosted the show from 1985 to 2003.
The reboot is expected to return to screens in the next couple of months.
A show spokesman said: “Record dates for Blind Date have been rescheduled due to our host Paul O’Grady losing his voice. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back in the studio soon.”
SOAPBOX
JACK BRANNING’s chances of winning custody of baby Matthew continue to dwindle on EASTENDERS.
After being manipulated by scheming brother Max into punching Charlie Cotton, his situation takes another turn for the worse.
Elsewhere on Albert Square, Denise goes hungry again after her application for dole money is rejected because it wasn’t official.
On CORONATION STREET, things are looking up for Peter after Tracy tells him she can afford to buy The Rovers.
But things soon sour when Toyah confesses she attacked Ken and Chloe after getting an IVF implant without confiding in him.
Only good news about the treatment can bring them together now.