LONDON — The BBC has opened the search for the United Kingdom’s Eurovision Song Contest entry for 2027, starting again from the bottom: last place. The broadcaster confirmed on Tuesday that it is canvassing the British music industry for an established act and a home-grown song to send to Burgas, Bulgaria, next May.
The Brief: Established, Live-Tested, British-Made
David May, the UK Eurovision Project Director, will lead the search with teams from BBC Music, BBC Introducing, BBC Studios Entertainment Production and BBC Entertainment Commissioning, approaching record labels, publishers and the independent sector. Andrew Cartmell, the contest’s Executive Producer and the UK’s Head of Delegation, is part of the selection team. “We intend to be represented by an outstanding current British act, backed up by the very best songwriting and production talent the UK music industry has to offer,” May said. “We are looking for an act with tried and tested live performance experience and a song crafted in the UK by the very best home-grown talent.”
The Man Who Managed Sam Ryder
May’s credential is the best British result of the modern era: he managed Sam Ryder, who finished second in 2022. “I saw first-hand in 2022 what one performance at Eurovision can do for an artist’s career,” May said. “The opportunity is still very much there and it’s time the United Kingdom reached the top of the Eurovision scoreboard once again.” His two most recent selections show the other side of the job: Remember Monday finished 19th in 2025 with “What the Hell Just Happened?”, and Look Mum No Computer finished 25th — last — in Vienna this year with “Eins, Zwei, Drei,” collecting a single point.
How The Search Will Run
This is an industry-led search, not a public competition. The selection team will canvass labels, publishers and the independent sector directly, looking for performers with proven live experience and for contemporary British songwriting, rather than opening the process to unsolicited entries. The BBC says the work is shared across its music and entertainment arms — BBC Music and BBC Introducing on the talent side, BBC Studios Entertainment Production and BBC Entertainment Commissioning on the programme side — with the act and song kept under wraps until the announcement, due before the European Broadcasting Union’s March 2027 submission deadline.
Burgas, May 2027
Eurovision 2027 will be held at Arena Burgas, Bulgaria’s newest sports and entertainment venue, after Bulgaria won the 2026 contest with Dara’s “Bangaranga.” The semi-finals are on 11 and 13 May, with the Grand Final on 15 May, all carried on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Martin Green, the Director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the European Broadcasting Union, said he was “delighted” to welcome Bulgaria as host. The chosen British act and song will be announced before the EBU’s submission deadline in March 2027.
Eurovision Search — In Short
The BBC is asking labels, publishers and independent artists for an established British act with proven live experience and a song crafted in the UK, to be named before March 2027. Project director David May, who managed Sam Ryder to second place in 2022, runs the search after the UK finished last in 2026. The contest is in Burgas, Bulgaria, on 15 May 2027.
Sources: The BBC (announcement of October 27, 2026), via BBC Media Centre reporting; Attitude; Eurovisionfun — reporting of October 27, 2026.
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