Music

As Celine Dion turns 50, relive her Eurovision glory – that led to the UKs defeat

As Celine Dion turns 50, relive her Eurovision glory - that led to the UK's defeat
Celine Dion turns the big 5-0 today (Picture: Getty)

Celine Dion, the global superstar, music icon and former Eurovision Song Contest winner turns 50 today.

Shes had a glittering career, winning 5 Grammy Awards, Juno Awards, and a Brit Award; and racking a total of more than nine years in the official UK Album Charts. Shes had one of the longest residencies in Las Vegas history and topped 200 million album sales but she rarely talks about one of her finest achievements.

Incredibly, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Celine Dions famous Eurovision Song Contest victory but its one thing Celine hates talking about. We think it might have something to do with the dress.

She did discuss her Eurovision Song Contest win with Jonathan Ross back in 2013, making it pretty clear (in her own special way) that shes not particularly keen to look back on her appearance, telling Jonathan that she felt like a horse because her husband bet on her: I felt like a horse and I looked like a horse.

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Celine Dion was already a superstar in her native Canada when she was asked to represent Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. Her entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi became a hit across Europe and launched her international career.

In a close run vote, the United Kingdom looked set to win a famous victory with Scott Fitzgerald performing Go, a song written by the late great Bruce Forsyths daughter Julie. Another global artist, Lara Fabien came third.

Celine Dion fought back to take the lead on the very last vote, with Scott needing the 7, 8, 10 or 12 to win.

You can see Bruce biting his knuckles as the United Kingdom needed one of the last four votes to snatch victory back

It was one of the cruelest finales for the United Kingdom at the Eurovision but the drama helped catapult Celine Dions career into superstardom.

In some rare footage from the Eurovision Green Room, you can see the international media desert Scott Fitzgerald as the result swung away at the last hurdle.

He wasnt bitter though and you can see him hug the eventual winner, saying the best professional lady won.

Celine returned to open the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest with a performance of Where Does My Heart Beat Now, her first English language release. It went on to become a global hit, but she had to wait until 1991 for her first top 10 in the UK, when Beauty And The Beast became a hit.

Two years later, she reached number 4 with The Power Of Love and a string of gold and platinum hits followed.

Eurovision fans have since forgiven Celine Dion for breaking their hearts and she has become a Eurovision legend, with Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi seen as one of the greatest Eurovision winners of all time.

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