United Kingdom and The "Big Four/Five"
In 1999 a rule change allowed the United Kingdom, along with France, Germany and Spain to automatically qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest final (irrespective of their recent scores and without entering a semi-final), due to being the biggest financial contributors to the EBU. Due to their untouchable status in the Contest, these countries became known as the "Big Four" (which became the "Big Five" in 2011 following the return of Italy to the Contest).
In 2008 it was rumoured that the "Big Four" would lose their automatic qualification, and would have to compete in the semi-finals for the first time. However it was announced by the EBU that this would not be the case and the four countries would still automatically quality for the final of the 2009 contest without having to enter a semi-final, and this has remained as of 2012.
In 2008, the BBC defended using spending money from licence fee payers for the contest when Liberal Democrat MP Richard Younger-Ross had tabled a Commons motion which called on the corporation to withdraw its £173,000 funding for the annual contest. That same year former Eurovision commentator Sir Terry Wogan claimed that the show is "no longer a music contest" after the result was announced.
In 2012, the BBC were facing calls to quit the Eurovision Song Contest after Engelbert Humperdinck, the UK's entry, came 25th with only 12 points. However the United Kingdom confirmed their participation in the 2013 contest and could possibly stop using internal selection, but re-introduce a national final which was used from 1957 until 2010.
Read more about this topic: United Kingdom In The Eurovision Song Contest
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