Behind Eurovision’s flamboyant costumes and ridiculous lyrics lies a very different reality.    

The Secrets and Scandals of Eurovision uncovers political chicanery, faked participants, hidden drug messages and BBC bigwigs desperate to avoid winning the song contest.    

We also get the lowdown on BBC antagonism towards Eurovision – how one BBC governor saw Eurovision as “’grasping vulgarity that he could not bear to watch’.” and another “said that when it seemed that the UK would win the contest (and have to pay for it again in 1978) BBC faces at Wembley had grown longer and longer.”