When Eurovision came to Harrogate - a look back at the 1982 Grand Final and why France withdrew

• 1982 was the first time Eurovision had been held in the north of England, and the decision to stage it in Harrogate raised some eyebrows
• France had controversially pulled out ahead of the contest, along with Greece, bemoaning the ‘mediocrity’ of the entries
• Hopes were high for the UK but a first-time winner ended up storming to victory

When Harrogate hosted the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest, it was the first time the event had been held in the north of England.

It had previously been held in London, Brighton and Edinburgh, but this time the BBC chose to stage it at the newly-built Harrogate International Centre.

France brands contest a ‘monument to insanity’

There was something missing from that year’s event, following the controversial withdrawals by both France and Greece, which meant just 18 countries participated that year.

France declined to enter well in advance, with a spokesperson bemoaning the ‘absence of talent and the mediocrity of the songs’, and memorably branding the competition a ‘monument to insanity’.

Greece then pulled out just a few weeks before the contest, with the country’s culture minister reportedly claiming the chosen entry, ‘Sarantapente Kopelies’, performed by Themis Adamantidis was lacking in quality.

‘Where is Harrogate?’

The decision to stage the famous event in a North Yorkshire spa town which few people outside the UK had probably heard of did raise some eyebrows, though it was seen by many as an opportunity to raise the area’s international profile.

The size of the venue didn’t help persuade the doubters. Although it could host 2,000 people, a third of the seats reportedly had to be removed to make space for the stage and the commentary boxes, and one Eurovision aficionado recalled thinking how ‘tiny’ the space was for such a big event.

The show opened with a map of Europe and the words ‘where is Harrogate?’, translated for viewers around the continent, before a video outlined the town’s charms to the international audience.

Eurovision host’s nerves ahead of big night

It was hosted by the newsreader Jan Leeming, who did her best to add some sparkle to an event which lacked the usual glitz and glamour, perhaps due to the fact money was tight in 1982 and it was the seventh time in 23 years the UK had hosted the contest, which still cost a reported £500,000 to stage that year.

Ms Leeming told the BBC years later how she had been extremely nervous ahead of the big night, writing in her diary at the time that she ‘would give a kingdom for a train ticket home’.

The UK had won the right to host the event after Bucks Fizz won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Making Your Mind Up’.

How did UK’s entry do, and who won?

Hopes were high for the UK’s 1982 entry, as they often are, and the bookies had them as favourites ahead of the contest.

But One Step Further, performed by Sally Ann Triplett and Stephen Fischer under the name Bardo, failed to live up to expectations - finishing in a disappointing seventh place despite receiving 12 points from Luxembourg and Austria.

Germany stormed to victory for the first time, with ‘Ein bißchen Frieden’ by 18-year-old Nicole Hohloch receiving 161 points - 61 more than second-placed Israel.

The English version of her winning number, ‘A Little Peace’, subsequently soared to the top of the UK Singles Chart.

Despite failing to win over Eurovision judges, One Step Further still made it to number two in the UK, and Sally Ann Triplett described the experience as ‘extraordinary’.

Speaking to the BBC in 2022, she added: “I have such a soft spot for Harrogate. Looking back, what a great idea to do it in Harrogate. It was a beautiful place to do it.”

Do you remember the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest and what did you think of the decision to stage the show in Harrogate?

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