UK's Last Eurovision Win

MAY 15 1997 · 12:05

Katrina and the Waves · "Love Shine a Light" · United Kingdom · 1997 Placement: 1 · Score: 227 · Language: English · Composers: Kimberley Rew · Venue: Point Depot · Host: Dublin, Ireland · Type: winner · Broadcast: digital hd Katrina Leskanich — American-born, UK-resident, 37 — leads Katrina and the Waves on the Dublin Point Depot stage with an uplifting anthem written by bandmate Kimberley Rew. 'Love Shine a Light' is stadium-rock optimism. 227 points — at the time, the largest winning margin in Eurovision history. The UK's fifth Eurovision win. No UK entry has won since. Context Katrina and the Waves had had an international hit in 1985 with 'Walking on Sunshine'. By 1997 they were a working-touring band. The BBC's A Song for Europe had been a weak field that year. Kimberley Rew's song was originally written for charity purposes — Samaritans UK — which Katrina insisted on funding from the win. Legacy The 1997 UK win is now a benchmark for how long a Big 5 country can go without winning — 29 years and counting. Katrina left the band in 1999 and has continued as solo performer. 'Love Shine a Light' is still played at UK Eurovision viewing parties. Every subsequent UK entry is implicitly compared against 1997's clean winning formula.