United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996

ESC National Year
Year = 1996
Country = UK
Preselection = National Final
Preselection date = Semi-final
1 March 1996
Final
8 March 1996
Entrant = Gina G
Song = "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"
SF result =
Final result = 8th, 77 pointsThe United Kingdom were present at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 in Oslo, Norway. Their entry was Gina G with "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit".

Great British Song Contest 1996

emi-final

The qualifying round for the contest was broadcast on BBC1 on 1 March 1996 and was hosted by Nicky Campbell. It was announced that the four songs with the highest number of telephone votes would qualify for the final.

The contestants in the for the pre-selection of the "Great British Song Contest" were as follows:

# Layla sang Find Love - Written by Marcus Vere & Simon Wilkinson
# Code Red sang I gave you everything - Written by Deni Lew, Nicky Graham & Wayne Hector
# Essenes sang I never knew - Written by S Elliot & R Driscoll & M Connaris
# Dan Anderson sang Sometimes it rains - Written by Louisa Scott & Ronnie James Scott
# Lois sang I just want to make love 2U - Written by Ben Keen, Paul Thompson & Mike Connaris
# Twin Hazey sang Louise - Written by Keith Summers, David Whitehouse & Michael Flaherty
# Zeitia Massiah sang A little love - Written by Pam Sheyne & Eliot Kennedy
# Gina G sang Just a little bit - Written by Steve Rodway & Simon Tauber

Final

Out of these songs, the TV viewers chose their four favourites, which performed on British television again in order for the TV viewers to vote their number one:
* 1st Just A Little Bit - Gina G - 113,576 votes
* 2nd I Gave You Everything - British boyband Code Red - 41,791 votes
* 3rd A Little Love - Zeitia Massiah - 41,105 votes
* 4th Find Love - Layla - no votes were announced

At Eurovision

The increased interest in participating in Eurovision meant that, with the exception of hosts Norway, all other countries had to present their song in an audio only semi-final held in late March. Gina G was placed third with 153 points. [http://www.geocities.com/national_finals_90s_00s/Presel1996.html]

At the Eurovision final in Oslo things were not so rosy and Gina had to contend with an eighth place, scoring 77 points.

Despite this result, 'Just a Little Bit' is one of the most successful of the UK's entries at Eurovision.