As we approach the end of the Eurovision Preseason, the BBC had been eerily silent on their process for Baku.  As other countries held national finals, made internal picks, or at the very least announced plans, the United Kingdom put itself on complete informational lockdown.  Rumors floated about, ranging from Adele to Right Said Fred to the Spice Girls, and just about everyone in between.  Jaws dropped today, however, when it was announced that veteran crooner Engelbert Humperdinck would be taking the stage in Baku.

Humperdinck (birth name: Arnold George “Gerry” Dorsey, born in Chennai, India), who will be 76 when he heads to Azerbaijan, has been recording since 1958 (so, if you’re keeping track, the same year that André Claveau won the ESC with “Dors, Mon Amour“, and “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” took the bronze).  He hasn’t stopped performing, recording, or touring, and keeps an active international schedule (his time at Eurovision conveniently fits in a hole in his busy schedule…he’ll be in Canada just beforehand, and has a show in Santiago, Chile soon afterwards).  “Release Me”, arguably his biggest hit, stayed on the British Singles chart for over a year:

His song hasn’t been released quite yet, but it seems that it will be written by Sacha Skarbek and Martin Terefe, who have written and produced hits for James Blunt, Adele, Jazon Mraz, Train, and Lana Del Rey, among others.

Finally, I can’t post this article without sharing the first thing that came to mind when I heard the news about Engelbert…a bit from Eddie Izzard’s 1998 comedy special “Dress to Kill:

What do you think of the UK’s choice?  Was the BBC’s stonewall-silence on their choice a great way to drum up interest, or was it bothersome?  What are your hopes and expectations from the British Delegation in Baku?  If there was ever a time that I’d ache to hear your comments, this is certainly it!