export_ofoct.com - 2020-12-19T135251.534

[00:00.64] Aimee: So why do you think Britain never wins? Is it because their songs are always terrible?

[00:06.14] Katie: Well, I mean, I disagree as a British person.

[00:09.13] I think the songs are always awesome, of course.

[00:11.14] But usually, how people win Eurovision is when you want to vote for a country, you have to ring up.

[00:18.39] And people always vote for the countries that are next door to them.

[00:22.89] So countries that are close to them. So the UK really only has Ireland next door.

[00:29.14] So we only really ever get votes from Ireland.

[00:32.64] We're not close to any other countries.

[00:35.38] Aimee: Not friendly.

[00:36.13] Katie: Not friendly.

[00:36.63] Aimee: Yeah. I guess that's it.

[00:37.63] Katie: Yeah.

[00:39.13] Aimee: It's not physical closeness, it's like emotional closeness as well, isn't it?

[00:41.63] Katie: We're not either. We're not physically close or emotionally close to any countries in Europe, so.

[00:45.88] Aimee: That's true.

[00:46.38] Katie: We don't get any points.

[00:47.64] Aimee: So which countries typically manage to get a lot of votes then?

[00:50.89] Katie: Countries that are in the middle, that have countries all around them.

[00:54.88] So like Austria has lots of countries surrounding it.

[00:57.38] Germany has lots of countries surrounding it.

[01:00.63] Yeah. England just doesn't have a chance of winning.

[01:02.88] The UK will never win Eurovision song contest ever again.

[01:05.63] Aimee: Unless they change their foreign policy, perhaps.

[01:07.38] Katie: Or unless we just move the entire country in the middle of Europe.

[01:11.13] Aimee: Well, that's not going to happen, isn't it?

[01:14.63] Katie: We can dream. We can dream.

[01:16.13] Aimee: So it's not possible to vote for your own country?

[01:18.88] Katie: No. You can't vote for your own country. You have to vote for any other country except for yours.

[01:22.88] Aimee: Oh, I see.

[01:23.63] Katie: Otherwise, Russia would just win it every time. Russia is so big.

[01:26.38] Aimee: That's true. I didn't think about that. It has a massive population.

[01:29.63] So how does it work exactly? You're sitting at home. You're watching the TV, and then you have to pick up the phone and call, is that it?

[01:37.38] Katie: Yeah. When everyone sung their song, they will show you telephone numbers for each country.

[01:41.14] And you have to choose the country that you liked the best. And then you call that number, and that counts as one vote for that country.

[01:48.89] And then the country that gets the most votes gets 12 points.

[01:54.38] And then the next country down gets 10 points and then 8 points, all the way down to 1 point.

[01:57.88] But a lot of countries in Eurovision sometimes get 0 points for the entire show.

[02:04.38] Aimee: Oh dear.

[02:04.89] Katie: The UK often gets 0 points.

[02:06.64] Aimee: Do they?

[02:07.14] Katie: Yes.

[02:07.89] Aimee: That's embarrassing, isn't it?

[02:10.14] Katie: Very embarrassing. Very embarrassing.

[02:13.39] Aimee: And what is the hosting language?

[02:14.39] Katie: Well, they always speak in English. And usually, the host country will also speak in their language.

[02:22.88] So if it's France, they'll speak in French. If it's Germany, they'll speak in German.

[02:26.89] But when they are announcing the points, they'll speak in English and French.

[02:31.64] Aimee: English and French only?

[02:32.89] Katie: Yeah.

[02:33.63] Aimee: Oh that's interesting. And I assume that each individual country who's watching the show has their own presenters speaking in their native languages though.

[02:42.39] Katie: Yes. Yes.

[02:43.14] Aimee: To help translate everything.

[02:44.14] Katie: They have their own commentators who will talk throughout the entire show and explain everything.

[02:49.14] Aimee: Okay. Wow. It's such a massive scale, isn't it?

[02:53.89] Katie: Yeah.

[02:54.39] Aimee: Really huge.

[02:55.13] Katie: It's the best event of the year. My favorite thing ever.

[02:56.63] Aimee: So since you can't vote for the UK, then who do you normally vote for?

[03:03.38] Katie: Well, I normally vote for the country that I thought was the most interesting, which is how I think you should vote in Eurovision.

[03:10.64] Seeing that it's a singing competition then I think it should be judged on who is singing the best or has the best song or who has the most exciting outfit.

[03:19.39] But yeah, it changes every – it depends on who I think was the best.

[03:23.64] Aimee: Right. That sounds like a good, fair strategy.

[03:26.88] Katie: I think so. I think the rest of Europe should do that as well.

[03:30.38] Aimee: Yes. I guess they should.