[Jon]

This must be the first time ever where we've had a bad result yet there hasn't been much (or anything?) about it being political or that everyone hates the UK. Seemingly just an acceptance that it wasn't a strong performance. Hopefully a corner has indeed be turned though that will no doubt depend on having better results in the next few years.

I think it’s two fold, the successful hosting of the event overshadowed the UK result and it’s pretty hard to say it’s impossible for the UK to win because everyone hates us after finishing second last year considering that was always going to be as high as any country other than Ukraine could possibly achieve last year regardless of the song. 

However the UK performance and placing does suggest last year was an anomaly rather than  the UK suddenly cracking how to get good at picking its entry.

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The 8pm BST start time has not always been the start time for the contest - For example back 50 years ago in 1973 the contest started at the later time of 9.30pm. Even at the end of the 70s in 1979 it started at 9pm.

The 8pm start time didn't come into place until 1980, and I wonder why they chose the 8pm British start time from 1980 onward. They were happy enough for it to air very late in Europe up until 1980.

Presumably when it started at 9.30pm it finished a lot earlier. And you didn’t have much Eastern Europe involvement.

8pm is a good compromise, as it’s 9pm for most of mainland Western Europe which is reasonable and its reasonable for the UK & Ireland. Of course in Spain they could probably get away with airing it a couple of hours later.