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Host country: Greece
Venue: Olympic Indoor Hall, Athens
Dates: 18 May 2006 (Semi Final), 20 May 2006 (Grand Final)
Presenters: Maria Menounos, Sakis Rouvas
Won by: Finland

Small children were sent scurrying behind the sofa one Saturday night in May 2006 - and it wasn't due to the latest episode of Doctor Who. No, it was Eurovision's first ever death metal entrants, Lordi (right), who performed their song wearing monstrous prosthetic masks.

Every year you think you've seen it all - and then comes along another Eurovision Song Contest. It's long been regarded as a joke in the UK, and in 2006, at long last, the rest of Europe finally saw the funny side as well and voted the Finnish metallers into a convincing first place. Just as bizarre, but in a completely different way, was Lithuania's LT United, a bunch of besuited men singing a song that was more like a football chant - 'We are the winners of Eurovision...vote, vote, vote for the winners', admist booing from the audience. They finished a ridiculous sixth.

And Iceland's Silvia Night, already a controversial figure in her homeland, sung 'Congratulations' (no relation to Cliff Richard's 1968 runner-up) in a squeaky voice, on a stage adorned with giant candy sticks, and made Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' seem quite highbrow in comparison. Silvia, in reality actress Agusta Eva Erlendsdotti, failed to endear herself to the audience by earlier derogatory comments regarding Greek organisation, and her appearance on stage, was also greeted by booing. Unlike the other two, she failed to make it to Saturday's Grand Final.

In comparison, sandwiched between Finland's metal and Lithuania's suits, the UK's Daz Sampson, with his novelty rap song 'Teenage Life' seemed somewhat tame. Daz, for whom quite a considerable number of years have obviously passed since he experienced teenage life, only managed 19th place. Rap invariably flops at Eurovision, but nowadays it seems the UK flops regardless of what we enter.

What of the other members of the 'Big Four'? Low placings all round, once again. Germany decided to go all country 'n' western on us, while Spain, after a poor result last year with an imitation of Las Ketchup's 'Ketchup Song', this year drafted in the real thing. And France - well, they just don't really care, do they?

Eurovision 2006 wasn't all novelty songs and gimmicks, though, as other countries took a different tack in their bid for glory. After a long run of poor results, Ireland employed the popular Belfast-born singer Brian Kennedy to boost their chances with a traditional Irish ballad. Things looked good as Brian progressed from the semi-final to the final, and he eventually finished tenth.

Sweden, meanwhile, brought back one-time winner Carola (below), who sung to victory in 1991, and came third in 1983. Not surprising then that following a successful progression from semi-final to final, Carola was installed as the favourite, but this year had to made do with fifth place.

Another Eurovision veteran sung for Greece - Anna Vissi, who first represented the country no fewer than 26 years earlier, then again for Cyprus in 1982. Unfortunately Greece's hopes for two wins on the trot were dealt a blow when this year's entry from Cyprus failed to make it to the final, and they only made ninth place.

So, 45 years after their debut entry, Finland won Eurovision for the first time, but
it's sad to see how gimmickry has triumphed over the music. I thought this was supposed to be a song contest...

Click here to view the 2006 scoreboard (opens in new window)

Countries voting are shown across the top, with each country's cumulative total after the country has voted shown in large type, and the points awarded in small type. Each country gave 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points to its top ten songs
BBC broadcast: Saturday 20 May 2006, 8.00-11.02pm. Commentary: BBC1 - Terry Wogan, Radio 2 - Ken Bruce. UK vote spokesperson: Fearne Cotton

The following countries had to enter the qualifying round in order to stand a chance of participating in the Grand Final. Those highlighted in light blue progressed to the Grand Final; however the scores and placings were not revealed until after the contest.

Click here to view the 2006 semi-final scoreboard (opens in new window)

Although the voting was not televised, this scoreboard shows the cumulative scores as well as the points awarded, as if the scoring had been announced in the traditional manner. Each country gave 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points to its top ten songs
BBC broadcast: Thursday 18 May 2006, 7.59-10.22pm. Commentary: BBC3 - Paddy O'Connell

Austria, Hungary and Serbia-Montenegro did not take part in the 2006 contest; however for some reason, Serbia-Montenegro were still permitted to vote.

Click below to see more images from both nights' contests:

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