12th Grand Prix

12° Grand Prix Europe (fr. Douzième Grand Prix de l'Europe) was the twelfth edition of the annual Grand Prix contest. The contest was held in Royal Albert Hall, London, following the victory of the United Kingdom in the 11th Grand Prix. Twenty nations participated in the contest, with Malta making their debut. Cyprus, Germany and Spain withdrew.

The contest was won by...

Location
Similar to the 7th Grand Prix, held in Birmingham, the contest drew a significant level of interest from different cities, expressing their will to host the Grand Prix - it was seen as a valued tourism and marketing boost, especially with the growing number of participating countries. The British national broadcaster created a contest in which every city with a suitable venue able to accommodate at least 1500 people could apply. As a result, 15 cities sent in applications with 24 venues. Of these, 9 venues in 6 cities were shortlisted and the national television council members voted for the most relevant choices. Royal Albert Hall in London won a majority of votes, bringing the show to the country's capital. One of the most recognizable venues in the nation, Royal Albert Hall was also able to fit up to 5000 people inside, a huge increase compared to the previous contests.

The show
A major increase of the number of seats available caused a lot of international audience to show up in the hall. A press conference took place before and after the contest, commercializing it, and several additional events, official and non-official, were organized during the weekend.

The show was hosted by Josh Anderson, who also hosted the 7th edition, and Alice Johnson, a newly established TV presenter that would later become Miss England. Kelly Prudence and Ellaine Berkley, winners of the 6th and 11th Grand Prix, respectively, opened the contest with fresh renditions of their song. Famous rock band, the Vanguard, provided an interval act, performing two of their major hits: "Victorious" and "Stand Still".

Participants
Twenty countries participated in the contest, lower than in previous editions. Malta made their debut, as a former British dependency, while Cyprus withdrew due to an ongoing political crisis. Germany backed as well, claiming low interest in the contest, while Spanish broadcaster was struggling financially. There were no artists returning, for the first time since 5th Grand Prix.