Olivia hits out - the song was wrong for Europe
Editor - Olivia said in a later article that the reports of her being in tears and making a fuss after the concert were false. However, it’s true she didn’t like the song!
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN struck a note of protest yesterday after her defeat in the Eurovision Song Contest. She blamed the TV viewers who picked Long Live Love as Britain’s entry. The choice was “totally wrong she said. Olivia added: “I would never have chosen it. I don’t think it was a suitable song for me or the contest. I would have preferred a nice ballad.”
She started at 7-2 favourite on Saturday night. She finished joint fourth. That left her a clear 10 points behind the winners the Swedish pop group Abba with an English song called Waterloo. Olivia, aged 24, said “I wasn’t the only one who didn’t particularly like our song. “All of us felt very frustrated, But we couldn’t do anything about it. It was the viewers’ choice and we all had to accept that.”
She was close to tears at the BBC reception after the contest in Brighton. Olivia talked briefly to the Director General, Sir Charles Curran, and then left. She did not take part in a post-contest programme on BBC Radio: Brighton. But she cheered up yesterday. “I’m going to America for four months at the end of this week,” Olivia said. “I have got something to look forward to.”
The four-member winning group Bjorn, Anna, Frida and Benny are staying in London to sign record contracts. “Our success means a big career for us,” said Frida.” “We’ve done a lot in Sweden, Austria and Holland but this is just the sort of boost we nead to get well known in other places. “We are all thrilled.” Their win will bring them a small fortune before next year’s Eurovision Song Contest throws up another overnight sensation.
By Brian Wesley