Eurovision it’ll be madder and camper than ever but we’ll love it all the same

It’s the maddest, most high camp night of the year.

And it will be madder and camper than ever next Saturday when Eurovision turns 60 in gloriously over-the-top style.

But contest expert John Kennedy O’Connor says it will be a world away from how it was when Scotland hosted proceedings for the one and only time in 1972.

“It’s changed so dramatically it’s almost like a completely different show,” said John, who has just written a new book, The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official Celebration.Checkout our interactive Eurovision 2015 map“It was supposed to be held in Monaco, who’d won the previous year, but they didn’t have the resources and the BBC stepped in said they’d stage it at the Usher Hall.

“It was the first Eurovision I ever watched and when the camera panned to the audience there were no crazy, flag-waving fans. Instead, everyone was in black ties or evening dress, sitting applauding politely.

“There was an orchestra with a conductor giving a sense of gravitas and Moira Shearer was in a ball gown conducting the voting. Britain was represented by the New Seekers, who were the biggest group in the world at the time. But we were beaten into second place by Luxemburg and it’s one of those occasions where we really can’t say we were robbed.”

Londoner John says he’s sure viewers will lap it up thanks to Graham Norton’s cheeky coverage instead of Terry Wogan’s sniping.

“Terry was quite funny at first,” says John. “But there’s a pressure to be funny and it’s too easy to do that by being cruel.

“He just became nasty and rude, saying everything was absolutely terrible.

“When Graham came in the viewing figures shot up as people started feeling it was fun again.

“And that’s all it is, good fun. It might be that you watch because you love the music and think it’s the most fabulous night of the year. Or you might think it’s the worst night on TV and you just have to see how bad it’s going to be.

“Either way, you can be guaranteed that Eurovision will deliver.”

While Brits tune into the BBC coverage, John will be attending his 10th straight year as the commentator for tiny San Marino.

“Graham broadcasts to up to 12 million while there are only about 28,000 in San Marino. But we’re the only country that broadcasts on the internet, so we do get about two million viewers.

“It’s seven-and-a-half hours of live TV and I do it on my own but then I do love everything about Eurovision.”Checkout our interactive Eurovision 2015 map