Eurovision Song Contest United Kingdom 1998

After Katrina and the Waves won the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with Love Shine a Light, the 1998 contest was held in Birmingham, the United Kingdom. It was the eighth time the United Kingdom hosted the contest, a new record, and the first contest outside the host country’s capital since Millstreet in 1993. The final was held on 9 May in the National Indoor Arena, the host broadcaster was the BBC and the presenters were Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson. 25 countries took part. Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Iceland and Russia were relegated because of their low average scores over the previous five contests, and Italy chose not to take part. Macedonia made its debut, and Belgium, Finland, Israel, Romania and Slovakia returned.

Dana International from Israel won with Diva and 172 points, only six points ahead of the United Kingdom’s Where Are You? by Imaani. Malta’s The One That I Love was third with 165 points, so the top three were separated by seven points. The Netherlands and Croatia completed the top five. It was the third victory for Israel, after 1978 and 1979.

Sources: Wikipedia: Eurovision Song Contest 1998 (host broadcaster, presenters, participants, relegation).