BBC in call to push Eurovision hopefuls.

BBC Eurovision supremo Kevin Bishop has issued a rallying cry for record companies to back this year's Song For Europe and reap the benefit of the best shortlist of UK entries for the contest in years.

Bishop, who is the corporation's executive producer for Eurovision and Song For Europe, says the record industry is already showing a higher-than-usual level of enthusiasm for the event, largely on the back of a British list of hopefuls that includes songs by recognised hit writers such as Wayne Hector, Russ Ballard and Richard Darbyshire. With that in mind, he believes it is vital that record companies capitalise on one of the best set of conditions for the UK winning the contest again.

"I certainly think the British Academy and the MPA have tried a lot harder this time to persuade songwriters to enter," he says. "We're also very well-placed in Eurovision this year as we'll be the 16th act appearing. Last year we appeared third and the year before that we were also on very early."

Bishop's rallying call ahead of the contest in Copenhagen on May 12 comes after the UK's worst Eurovision performance in 43 years last year, when it finished 16th with Nicki French performing the ironically-titled Don't Play That Song Again. The UK last won in 1997 with Katrina & The Waves' performance of Love Shine A Light, a song written by Kimberley Rew, whose song Men is one of the UK contenders for 2001's competition ...