Former UK Eurovision entrants compete on Bargain Hunt special ahead of contest

Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker, SuRie, Carrie Grant and Andy Abraham will be paired up and compete against each other on a Eurovision-themed episode of Bargain Hunt.

The special edition of the BBC One show will air on Friday ahead of the final of the song contest in Liverpool, which will see singer-songwriter Mae Muller compete on behalf of the UK.

Baker, whose group Bucks Fizz won the 1981 contest with their track Making Your Mind Up, will be paired with 2018 Eurovision entrant SuRie.

The 69-year-old, who was born in Bethnal Green in the East End of London, said: “SuRie and I make a great team and our expert Charles is so lovely, I knew we would have fun.

“I was thrilled to wear the famous red fleece as it was my Eurovision colour.

“I’m amazed at the things you can find at antiques fairs, no wonder they’re so popular.”

SuRie, who sang her track Storm at the contest, said: “Representing the UK at Eurovision was a total honour, but life has truly peaked now I’m the proud owner of a Bargain Hunt fleece.

“The thrill of being on Bargain Hunt was on a par with the excitement of Eurovision. It’s a very similar ride. Less sequins, more fleece, same Cheryl Baker.”

Competing against them on the blue team will be Grant, part of vocal trio Sweet Dreams who competed for the UK at Eurovision in 1983, who has since headed up the UK’s Eurovision jury.

She will be joined by The X Factor finalist Andy Abraham, who represented the UK in 2008.

Grant said: “It was like a Eurovision reunion but Andy and I also wanted to win.

“Waiting for the bids was like watching the Eurovision scores come in. Would we get nil points?

“Finding a bargain was way harder than we could have imagined, thank goodness for our expert Thomas. This was a chance for Andy and I to take the loss at Eurovision and turn it around, but did we succeed?”

Meanwhile Abraham, who sang Even If at the international song contest, said: “I want to say thank you to the Bargain Hunt team and the experts for a fantastic special show and also to my teammate Carrie and our opposition who made it great fun.”

Each team had £300 to spend at Sandown Park Antiques Fair in Surrey where, guided by experts Charles Hanson and Thomas Forrester, they must choose three items to sell at auction.

TV presenter Natasha Raskin Sharp, who hosted the show, said: “Given that only a lucky few artists have represented the UK at Eurovision, what a treat it was to hear first-hand accounts from Cheryl, SuRie, Carrie and Andy, all of whom have ‘been there, done that, bought the (undoubtedly fabulous) T-shirt’.

“Our experts Charles and Thomas were fully on board with the Eurovision theme and it was great to see our musicians embrace both the buying and selling of their items.

“Their Bargain Hunt fleeces may be slightly less glamorous than their Eurovision stage costumes, but they wore them with pride.”

Bargain Hunt Eurovision special will air on Friday at 12.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.