Alex Larke and Bianca Nicholas, who form Electro Velvet. Photo: Sarah Dunn/BBC/PA WireThe duo representing the UK at Eurovision say there some “good omens” ahead of their trip to Austria for the competition.
Alex Larke and Bianca Nicholas, who perform as Electro Velvet, will take on dozens of other acts with their song Still in Love With You in a bid to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Conchita Wurst.
Larke said the duo, whose track was picked out of 300 possible songs, said they had been boosted by messages of support from previous UK winners Lulu and Cheryl Baker from Bucks Fizz.
He said: “There is a couple of good omens here, Conchita was chosen through an identical process in Austria as their representative and also last time the Eurovision Song Contest was in Vienna the UK won.”
Last week, former BBC presenter Sarah Cawood complained the UK was being “represented by a band they don’t know singing a song they didn’t choose” and said the competing act should be chosen by public vote.
But Larke said: “We’ve tried that before, haven’t we, and you never know maybe it will go back to that thing again.”
The pair will be watched by an estimated global audience of more than 180 million viewers later this month and will be hoping to end a catalogue of disappointment for the British entry.
A lack of success in recent years saw former shop assistant Molly Smitten-Downes placing a lowly 17th, Bonnie Tyler finishing 19th and crooner Engelbert Humperdinck finishing second to last.
The UK also endured a string of failures in previous years with Javine Hylton, Andy Abraham, Jade Ewen and boyband Blue.
The contest will take place on May 23 in Vienna.