Before September 1 hits, and we get sucked into everything Eurovision/Junior Eurovision, we wanted to take the opportunity to give our readers a chance to get to know our team a bit better. There’s no other way to do this other than to do a series where we introduce ourselves. In this part, it is the turn of contributor to “That Eurovision Podcast” and Podcast Editor, Ted.
EUUUUUUUROOPEE! WEW! I’m Ted! I’m a parliamentary staffer from Scotland!
Name: Ted Booth
Age: 26
Pronouns: He/They
You can find them posting on:
Twitter: @eurovisionbooth
Instagram: @tedwardbooth
How did I get into the Eurovision Song Contest?
Eurovision has always been present in my house, usually the final would always be on in the background. My first memory of Eurovision is seeing Lordi get Finland their first win in 2006. This really caused me to pay attention the following year, and as soon as the glimmering multilingual extra-terrestrial silver Teletubby from Ukraine took to the stage in 2007 I was hooked.
Getting older I was able to appreciate the contest much more, I could appreciate the pared back entries, the artistic entries, and the alternative entries. I also began to understand what the contest represents, openness and inclusivity.
What point did I consider myself as a “Eurofan”?
I was a Eurofan from the moment I saw Lordi win, watching the final every year after that. I’d say I really stepped up a gear when I found the Eurovision twitter community. I’ve met so many wonderful people over the last 3 or so years by tweeting about the contest and even for a short spell hosted my own Eurovision podcast where I and a friend spoke with a different Eurofan from twitter every episode. The highlight of this was interviewing Daz Sampson, the UK’s entry for 2006 (the year I first remember).
How has my life changed since becoming a Eurofan?
I’ve met so many wonderful people from the community and I’ve been exposed to so much new and interesting music because of this contest. Unfortunately, I’ve not met any of them in person and I’m still to attend my first Eurovision (hopefully 2022!)
I’ve got the opportunity to interview some really fascinating people and found an outlet for my creative side thanks to podcasting.
What are my favourite Eurovision Songs and Countries?
Every Eurovision fans worst question! In recent years I’ve usually loved everything Italy sends (no matter the genre), Australia bring something different, and Ukraine always turn up with a banger. I’ve also really been into the dark aesthetic Belgium have been bringing to the contest the last few years.
I don’t particularly have a “top 5” but here’s a few of the ones that I vibe with, bring me joy, and transport me back to the nostalgic good old days.
- 🇱🇻 My Star – Brainstorm (Latvia 2000)
- 🇺🇦 Dancing lasha tumbai – Verka Serduchka (Ukraine 2007)
- 🇬🇧 Love Shine A Light – Katrina and the Waves (United Kingdom 1997)
- 🇧🇪 City Lights – Blanche (Belgium 2017)
- 🇺🇦 Shum – Go_A (Ukraine 2021)
What do you think of Ted’s opinions? Want to learn more about our team? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
