Ah Fate, what would I do without you? Having nothing to review for this week, when all of a sudden

the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (2003) pops up on a Saturday with no real

announcement.

This year 16 European countries¹ put forward their
best singing talent that happened to be aged between ten and fifteen to see which of them had the best
song... Yeah right.

The problem I have with these friendly competitions is that there is always a political side, with

countries voting for their allies, neighbouring states and/or former colonies they just happen to still get

along with. In that respect, the UK was lucky in that France and Germany, arguably the most influential

states on the European mainland didn't take part, otherwise we could have had another Gemini

incident².

Sometimes though, the best songs actually make it to the top. Unfortunately my two picks- Spain and

the UK who I thought were the best on the night came second and third respectively to the winning

Croatia, whose entry was a kid with bobbing head and Beethoven-like red jacket and trousers who began

on the piano then drifted into some popish number.

I honestly wanted Spain to win with their entry by a kid³ singing a song he wrote himself for his mother who
had died. Not for that reason though. The song was genuinely good and I'm sure the lyrics would have
been if I spoke Spanish...

For some reason though, the Copenhagen based Contest was presented in English... why? I would have

been satisfied with subtitles with Dutch language. Commentators Tara-Para Tompkinson and some bloke

were basically not needed, though their comic banter was greatly welcomed, especially their praise for
viewers for sticking with them for so long.

All round enjoyable, and a good start to the Junior Contest just as long as there are no more

performances by Busted who can't actually play. Never mind.

Small Screen Surfin'
Archive

HPB

20.11.03 Front Page

Back Issue Page