BBC announces record deal shake up for Eurovision song contest

The BBC has confirmed that a huge is being made ahead of Eurovision 2020.

The broadcaster has made the decision to drop the public from the entry selection process, handing over the job of choosing a performer and their song to a record label, for the very first time.

While traditionally the British public has chosen its Eurovision entry through a televised competition, next year’s act will be decided by the BBC in collaboration with record label and publisher BMG.

This means there will be no Eurovision: You Decide, which has run since 2016.

BBC Studios said the corporation's commercial arm approached various labels and decided that BMG shared its "vision of selecting a song with broad international appeal and securing an artist who embodies the spirit and values of the Eurovision Song Contest."

BMG consists of both a publishing arm, which handles songwriters, and a group of record labels.

Over the years, they've worked with a variety of successful artists, including Kylie Minogue, Bring Me The Horizon, Peter Doherty, Boy George and Simple Minds.

The UK's 2020 Eurovision entry will be released as a single by BMG, which previously published Sweden’s winning 2015 entry Heroes.

Following her 2018 win in the competition, Israel's Netta signed a deal with the label.

BBC Studios creative director Mel Balac has said the deal with BMG is a "turning point for the UK at Eurovision."

Balac said: "We very much hope this marks the start of an exciting new chapter."

Kate Phillips, the BBC's controller of entertainment commissioning, said: "Our commitment to finding the right song has never been higher and this collaboration with BMG, who have access to world class songwriters, is a genuinely exciting prospect and I am certain that together we can find the best song and artist possible for 2020."

The UK has not won Eurovision since 1997, and has not finished in the top 10 since 2009, when Jade Ewen finished in fifth place with the ballad It’s My Time, written by Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

The return to the top half of the table was short-lived though, as the following year’s entrant, Josh Dubovie, finished last with That Sounds Good To Me.

Michael Rice, 21, represented the UK last year in Tel Aviv, with the song Bigger than Us.

He finished in 26th place with just 11 points, only three of which were from the public vote.

The next contest will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in May 2020.