The Nertherlands has been announced as the winner of Eurovision 2019, on what was another terrible night for the UK.
Duncan Laurence and his song Arcade stomped to victory during Saturday night’s Song Contest held in Tel Aviv, Israel, as UK entrant Michael Rice finished bottom of the leaderboard.
The Netherlands, who were the bookies’ favourite going into the final, netted a whopping 492 points, while Italy finished second with 465 points.
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The Netherlands' Duncan Laurence has won Eurovision with his song Arcade
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By contrast, the UK’s song Bigger Than Us wound up scoring just 16 points.
It was the UK’s worst result since 2010, when Josh Dubovie’s That Sounds Good To Me came last.
Michael Rice's performance failed to make an impression
JACK GUEZ via Getty Images
North Macedonia had been leading the board as the results of the jury vote were announced. However, the public vote completely changed things up, with the Dutch nation rising to the top.
It is the first time in 44 years that the Netherlands has won the Eurovision Song Contest, when Teach-In’s song Ding-A-Dong triumphed in 1975.
Duncan was called up on stage to lift the trophy, handed to him by last year’s champion, Israeli singer Netta Barzilai.
He said: “Oh god, this is to music first. Thank you, thank you.”
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The final Eurovision leaderboard
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The UK’s Michael Rice received support from some famous faces following the result.
Piers Morgan wrote on Twitter: “Cheer up Michael Rice, we may have come last but we were still better than Madonna.”
Emily Maitlis tweeted: “Have to say Michael Rice performance was substantially better than Madonna’s tonight. Not many people can say that.”
The night saw Madonna take to the stage during the interval to perform classic hit Like A Prayer and new song Future.
While the performance was met with a very mixed reaction on Twitter, she used the occasion to make a political statement.
She ended it by showing two dancers wearing Israel and Palestine flags walking with their arms around each other into the distance.
The words “Wake Up” then appeared on the screen behind her.
Madonna was highly criticised for agreeing to perform at Eurovision, with many claiming she should not have signed up given the current political situation between Israel and Palestine.
Currently churning out banger after banger in the run-up to the release of their third album, Little Mix would be perfect representatives for the UK. They're fun, they're energetic, they're young... and even Electro Velvet themselves couldn't mess up a chorus as monster as 'Black Magic', 'DNA' or 'Salute'. (credit:Christie Goodwin via Getty Images)
Seann Miley Moore(02 of12)
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If we know 'X Factor' (and after 11 years we're pretty sure we do), then all the attention that Seann Miley Moore has been getting at Bootcamp and the auditions means we can probably assume he's a shoo-in for for live shows this year.His experimental dress sense and thundering voice would undeniably go down a storm with Eurovision viewers, who crowned Conchita Wurst winner just over a year ago. (credit:Syco/Dymond/Thames/Corbis)
Lauren Goodger(03 of12)
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The Goodge has been teasing the launch of her music career for as far back as remember, and frankly we're growing impatient.Eurovision would be the perfect way to give the public the chance to hear her voice, as well as an opportunity for the UK to show the rest of Europe our favourite national treasure... Lauren Goodger. (credit:Doug Peters/Doug Peters)
Geri Halliwell(04 of12)
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Geri's ill-fated 2004 track 'Ride It' sounded so Eurovision we half-expected to hear Terry Wogan muttering inanely through the second chorus, so we know she has it in her to deliver for a Eurovish audience.More importantly, she's been teasing lately that she's recording new music - and Eurovision would give her the perfect platform to showcase it (and leave that 'Half Of Me' debacle far, far in the past...) (credit:Rex Shutterstock)
Steps(05 of12)
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Since the surprisingly glossy Steps reunion tour, the five-piece group have gone all quiet, with Claire Richards appearing on 'Celebrity Big Brother' and Lisa Scott-Lee touring the nation in 'Celebrities On Ice'.As much fun as all that sounds, we do think it's time for Steps to reclaim their throne as the nation's favourite guilty pleasure act, and what better way for it than with Eurovision? (credit:Ken McKay/Rex Shutterstock)
La Roux(06 of12)
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Alternatively, if voters are looking for something a bit more credible, look no further than La Roux. Her last album, 'Trouble In Paradise' boasted some of the most sophisticated Europop-inspired choruses we've heard in a long while, but still managed to keep a catchy, disco-inspired feel.In other words: she'd be Eurovision gold. (credit:Tabatha Fireman via Getty Images)
Aston Merrygold(07 of12)
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Something a bit different, perhaps, but Aston's debut single 'Get Stupid', while not exactly setting the charts on fire, did represent quite well exactly what's going on in the UK music scene in the moment. (credit:Rex Shutterstock/Rob Cable)
Tulisa(08 of12)
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If ever there was a tale of a phoenix rising from the ashes (and then rising again, and then again) it's our girl Tulisa.Her most recent musical offering, 'Living Without You', didn't exactly sound like it cost millions of pounds to create, but that's half the joy of Eurovision, and if that's a sound she wants to explore, she could have Eurovish in the bag. Plus, as anyone who's seen her perform in the past year will attest, she's the stuff Eurovision dreams are made of. Topless men, wafting around a load of women, that fabulous pout. Amazing. (credit:Jo Hale via Getty Images)
Zayn Malik(09 of12)
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THINK OF THE VOTES FROM TEENAGE GIRLS. THINK OF THEM! (credit:Jason LaVeris via Getty Images)
Michelle might seem like a bit of an odd choice, given that she's best known to most Brits as Katie Hopkins' American mate on 'Celebrity Big Brother', but there's so much more to this diva than just that.She's actually had a rollercoaster music career, appearing on 'The Bodyguard' soundtrack as well as in the 80s girl-group, Seduction. Michelle has never actually released any solo material, but given her huge UK fanbase we think the nation could easily take her to our collective bosom.Plus, those votes from international 'RuPaul's Drag Race' fans would speak for themselves. (credit:David Fisher/Rex Shutterstock)
Katie Price(12 of12)
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But then again, we could always just go with an old favourite? Katie Price sadly never got to represent the UK at Eurovision (we blame this catsuit), eventually losing out to Javine Hylton.Katie reckons performing on 'Making Your Mind Up' is the only thing she regrets from her whole career - so surely it's time she was given her redemption? (credit:YUI MOK/PA Archive)