Fighting continues along the 1,100km (683 mile) front line, where Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces captured two settlements located near Moscow’s long-term targets. Russia claimed to have taken Novooleksandrivka, a rural village near Pokrovsk, a logistics hub in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as well as the town of Torske, which is located near the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
The Ukrainian military acknowledged that Novooleksandrivka had been under attack, but it did not mention Torske in its latest report.
Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine’s top military commander, said on Telegram that Russia “has turned its aggression against Ukraine into a war of attrition and is using a combined force of up to 640,000 troops”.
Ukraine lost its first F-16 fighter jet on Friday due to an “unusual situation on board”, but the pilot successfully ejected, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ceasefire
Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian envoys will hold trilateral talks in Istanbul, although hopes are low for any breakthrough after Russia sent a lower-level delegation to the meeting than hoped. The meeting marks the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since a meeting in 2022 also held in Istanbul.
Turkiye will take part in two trilateral meetings on Friday as part of the renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources told the Reuters news agency.
A meeting will take place between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials and is scheduled to take place at 10:45am local time [07:45 GMT], followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations at 12:30pm [09:30 GMT], the sources told Reuters.
The Ukrainian delegation will now be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov instead of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday.
“We can’t be running around the world looking for Putin,” Zelenskyy said after a meeting with Erdogan. “I feel disrespect from Russia. No meeting time, no agenda, no high-level delegation – this is personal disrespect. To Erdogan, to Trump.”
US President Donald Trump said an agreement between Russia and Ukraine is not possible without him first meeting Putin. “I don’t believe anything’s going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
It has been claimed not all was as it first appeared during Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz’s unexpected meeting with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid family fallout
Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz rubbed shoulders with Harry and Meghan
Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz dealt his famous parents another blow by cosying up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid their bitter feud. The Beckhams have been rocked by the fractious relationship with their eldest son.
He failed to join in David’s 50th birthday celebrations, in a move that left the former footballer “devastated” and solidified a rift. Now, even more strain has been put on their relationship as Brooklyn decided to meet up with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Montecito, California.
Amid the fallout, Brooklyn and Nicola were compared to the royal couple and now have officially rubbed shoulders with each other. It was claimed Harry, who is also at loggerheads with his father, King Charles and brother Prince William, was reportedly able to offer his support to Brooklyn.
Victoria and David were once close to Harry and Meghan as they attended their wedding(Image: Getty Images)
They were reportedly invited to Prince Harry and Meghan’s mansion in Montecito last week, just days after David’s birthday celebrations. The meeting is even more sour for David and Victoria, who were once close to Harry and Meghan.
Posh and Becks were even on the guest list for the royal wedding in 2018 and Victoria supported Meghan as she adjusted to life in the UK. She reportedly gave the royal her “little black book” of contacts while Harry had David join his Invictus Games.
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Yet when they moved to the US, David was left furious when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex accused he and Victoria of leaking stories about them to the press. Brooklyn was well aware of David and Victoria’s hurt, and have been blindsided by him meeting up with the couple.
However, it has been said David and Victoria could find some comfort in the fact the soiree was not as cosy as first reported. There were many other guests in attendance, according to sources.
The gathering was instead hosted by CEO of television company Paramount and Nickelodeon Brian Robbins and his wife Tracy, who are Harry and Meghan’s neighbours.
Source have claimed Harry and Meghan did not invite the couple(Image: Getty Images for Global Citizen)
According to the Daily Mail, there were over 20 people at the party that was actually held at Robbins’ $17m villa. Harry and Meghan were flown into the bash in a private jet courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
There has been plenty of speculation as to how Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, landed themselves on the guestlist. Reports claim it all boils down to David, who is starring in football chat show Beckham & Friends Live on Paramount+.
The publication claims Brooklyn was invited by Robbins because he is David’s son and that he had no idea about the very public rift.
“David’s production company sold the show to Paramount and it is something that Brian would have been very hands-on with,” a source said.
“Brooklyn lives in Los Angeles, just down the highway, so perhaps Brian thought it would be a nice thing to invite him and Nicola. Nicola is also an actress so mixing in such circles will not do her career any harm.”
The family has been rocked by rift rumours(Image: @victoriabeckham/Instagram)
Another claimed the invitation was sent out way ahead of the feud becoming public knowledge, yet Brooklyn and Nicola were well aware of what it would look like to hang out with Meghan and Harry.
They said it is a “kick in the teeth or a total screw you” depending on “what side you are on.”
It seemed Harry and Meghan wanted to set the record straight on the meeting with Brooklyn and Nicola as a source insisted they did not invite them directly.
“While it was an intimate gathering, there were several additional guests, including VIPs and film executives. Brooklyn and Nicola had a wonderful time and found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous,” a source told PEOPLE.
A source told the Mirror recently that there is “distance” between Brooklyn and his parents. They said: “Brooklyn not turning up was a real blow to David. Brooklyn was close with his dad growing up, but he is married now.
“His wife Nicola is older and confident in her own right, and so there is distance between Brooklyn and his parents.”
They added: “It has become a problem and not something they can keep private because of the way the family uses social media. Things have escalated in recent months, and there is a very obvious rift that David and Victoria would love to heal.”
The Mirror has contacted Brooklyn and Nicola’s representatives for comment.
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READ MORE: Dermatologist approved skincare brand from Yorkshire that ‘clears skin in a week’
Venue: Wembley Date: Sunday, 18 May Kick-off: 13:30 BST
An unbeaten domestic season and a Treble still on the cards – it hasn’t looked that hard for Sonia Bompastor to step into Emma Hayes’ formidable shoes.
The Frenchwoman inherited a Chelsea side who, with five successive Women’s Super League titles, were used to dominating domestically under former boss Hayes.
Bompastor had one job when she arrived in August 2024 – to continue winning, and she has not disappointed in her debut campaign.
Aside from a crushing Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona, it has been a near-perfect season from the Blues, who wrapped up another WSL title and finished the league campaign without defeat.
With the Women’s League Cup already in the bag, they are eyeing a domestic Treble when they take on Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup final.
“Of course, it’s never easy to follow someone like Emma who has left a tremendous legacy,” Chelsea striker Catarina Macario told BBC Sport.
“From a personal point of view, Emma is a character, but Sonia is also a force to be reckoned with in her own way.
What did Bompastor add?
Bompastor’s predecessor Hayes won 14 major trophies before joining the US women’s national team.
She had positioned the club at the pinnacle of English women’s football with Chelsea not only employing some of the country’s best talent, but also developing a reputation for being ‘mentality monsters’.
Her side had grown experience and leadership, while the club had built a strong staff structure around the women’s team.
Those elements no doubt meant the transition for Bompastor, 44, who arrived from French giants Lyon, was a lot smoother.
There were still challenges.
From a personal point of view, Bompastor has four children who she had to ensure experienced seamless moves to new schools and a new country, all with a language barrier.
She was under pressure to replicate Hayes’ success and had to make a strong impression on supporters and players who had been used to her predecessor’s management.
From the first media conference, Bompastor set out her ambitions to win the Champions League – which ultimately did not come to fruition this season – and to build on the strong foundations already set by Hayes.
“[Hayes] gave her life to the club. The base is really good, and she left the club in such a great position,” said Bompastor in August.
“But I was not expecting anything else from her. She’s such a great manager and person – so it is good for me to come after her.
“I have a different vision and philosophy. I’m just trying to build on that legacy and find a way to manage the players and staff.
“What is really important is to come to this club, respect everything that was built before and build my own vision. I hope we will be successful.”
Bompastor did what she said by adding new signings Sandy Baltimore, Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh to an already-impressive squad.
She made goalkeeper Hannah Hampton her regular number one, successfully integrated young midfielder Wieke Kaptein and played a role in persuading United States defender Naomi Girma to join for a world-record fee in January.
A perfectionist who demands success
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Bompastor, who won the Champions League as a player and manager with Lyon, describes herself as a “simple person” – she does not drink alcohol, does not celebrate much and she enjoys spending time with family.
But she is a perfectionist who loves to win.
After beating Crystal Palace 4-0 in the WSL, Bompastor criticised her players for not being “ruthless” enough, while she said before the final league game of the season that she was “striving for perfection” in the hope of finishing the campaign unbeaten.
She was not only keen to deliver on the pitch, but off it, and regularly watches other WSL managers’ press conferences to improve her English so she can communicate better with the media.
In training, she emphasises the importance of accuracy, constantly pushing her players to be confident on the ball and to take ownership of possession.
“She expects us all to just give our all in everything, if we’re doing passing patterns in training or just being ruthless about certain things,” added Macario.
“She wants us to be ruthless in every single way, even if it’s just a small game between ourselves. She strives for perfection in everything.
“Unfortunately, perfection cannot be achieved every time!”
Macario jokes that Bompastor can be “a terrible loser” and there have been moments where her composed demeanour has cracked.
In April, when Chelsea were drawing 0-0 with Manchester United and under pressure, Bompastor kicked a bottle of water into the hoardings to unleash her frustration before Bronze’s winner eventually confirmed them as champions.
The Champions League exit is clearly still on her mind, referencing it when asked about the success they have achieved this season.
It remains the glaring omission from Chelsea’s trophy cabinet and the one Bompastor was hired to try to win.
Macario says the manager’s mentality keeps her team-mates sharp and they can “never take their foot off the gas”.
“It’s very fair to share frustrations. We did not play or impose ourselves the way we wanted to against Barcelona,” said Macario.
“Of course, she’s very right to be frustrated, upset and expect more from us. And so do we.
“It’s just knowing we have to work even harder to meet that criteria and meet those expectations.
What is next for Chelsea under Bompastor?
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Macario says one word to describe Chelsea is: “successful”.
That is something that has been built over several years in England but Bompastor’s vision is to lead Chelsea to European glory.
There were glimpses of how she wants to do it in the way they played this year with more possession-based football and utilising attacking wing-backs effectively.
Their style is less direct than it was under Hayes and though Bompastor believes there is a lot of work to do, Macario says the team are learning to adapt.
“Sonia puts a heavy emphasis on pride in keeping the ball and for us to be technical,” said Macario.
“She wants us to be accurate in our passing – whether that’s to the right foot or with the right weight. It’s something we hear constantly, every single day!
“We are definitely trying to get better at it. When we do have pressure, we know we can get out of it by doing certain things. It will take some adapting to.”
But early signs are promising.
Liverpool interim manager Amber Whiteley said Bompastor had taken Chelsea to “another level” before they faced each other in the final game of the season.
And Manchester United boss Marc Skinner said the Frenchwoman had “added her own subtleties and details” to the “team of winners” she inherited from Hayes.
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Emma Sanders
Women’s football news correspondent for BBC Sport
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Chelsea vs. Manchester United in the women’s FA Cup final
Venue: Wembley Date: Sunday, 18 May Kick-off: 13: 30 BST
Sonia Bompastor’s debut season hasn’t looked particularly difficult, with an unbeaten domestic season and a potential treble.
The Frenchwoman took over a Chelsea side that had won five Women’s Super League titles before moving on to dominate domestically under former boss Hayes.
Bompastor hasn’t let up in her debut campaign, and even when she arrived in August 2024, she had one job: to keep winning.
The Blues, who won another WSL title and finished the league campaign unbeaten, have had a near-perfect season, aside from a crushing Champions League semi-final defeat by Barcelona.
When they face Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup final, they are looking for a domestic treble with the Women’s League Cup already in the bag.
Catarina Macario, a Chelsea striker, told BBC Sport, “It’s never easy to follow someone like Emma, who has left a great legacy.”
Emma is a character, but Sonia is also a force to reckon with in her own right.
What was added by Bompastor?
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Hayes, the previous Bompastor, made the women’s national team in the US after winning 14 major awards.
Chelsea employs some of the nation’s top players, and she had established a reputation for being “mentality monsters,” making the club the pinnacle of English women’s football.
The club had a strong staff structure around the women’s team, and her side had gained leadership and experience.
These factors undoubtedly contributed to a much smoother transition for Bompastor, 44, who left French giants Lyon.
There were still difficulties.
From a personal standpoint, Bompastor had four children, all of whom had language barriers, who made seamless transitions to new schools and countries.
She had to make a strong impression on fans and players who had grown up with her predecessor’s management in order to replicate Hayes’ success.
Bompastor stated her goals from the first press conference to build on Hayes’ strong foundations, including winning the Champions League, which ultimately did not materialize this season.
Hayes gave her life to the club. She left the club in such a great position, Bompastor said in August, and the base is really good.
I didn’t expect anything else from her, she said. It would be nice for me to follow her because she is such a great manager and person.
“My perspective and philosophy are different. I’m just trying to capitalize on that legacy and find a way to oversee the players and staff.
To join this club, to respect everything that was built before, and to develop one’s own vision is what is really important. I’m hoping for success.
Bompastor added Keira Walsh, Lucy Bronze, and Sandy Baltimore to an already impressive squad, as she had previously said.
She successfully incorporated young midfielder Wieke Kaptein into her regular number one, helped convince American defender Naomi Girma to sign for a record-breaking fee in January, and helped her become Hannah Hampton’s.
a perfectionist who demands success
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Bompastor, who won the Champions League with Lyon as a player and manager, describes herself as a “simple person” who avoids alcohol, celebrates sparingly, and enjoys spending time with family.
She is a perfectionist who aspires to succeed.
Bompastor criticized her players for not being “ruthless” enough after winning the WSL game 4-4, while she claimed before the final league game of the year that she was “strengthening for perfection in the hope of finishing the campaign unbeaten.
She regularly attends other WSL managers’ press conferences to improve her English so she could speak with the media and was eager to deliver both on and off the pitch.
She repeatedly encourages her players to be self-assured of their possessions while also putting emphasis on accuracy in training.
She expects us to give our all in whatever situation, whether it’s through training or just being ruthless, Macario said.
She wants us to be ruthless in every way, even if it’s just a small game. She makes an effort to be flawless everywhere.
“Perfection cannot be achieved every time, sadly”!
Bompastor can be a “terrible loser,” according to Macario, and there have come a few instances where her composed demeanor has stung.
Bompastor drew a bottle of water into the hoardings in April when Chelsea was under pressure to draw 0-0 with Manchester United before Bronze’s winner triumphantly declared them champions.
When asked about the success they have had this season, she is reportedly thinking about the Champions League exit and is still thinking about it.
Bompastor was hired to try to win the trophy cabinet, but it is still Chelsea’s most flagrant omission.
Macario claims that the manager’s mentality keeps her team-mates focused and that they “never take their foot off the gas.”
“It’s appropriate to share frustrations.” We didn’t enforce ourselves in the way that we wanted to against Barcelona, Macario said.
She is obviously right to be frustrated, upset, and demanding more from us. We do the same.
Simply put, it’s knowing that we must work even harder to meet those requirements and expectations.
What will Chelsea do under Bompastor in the future?
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“successful” is the one word Macario uses to describe Chelsea.
Although that has been developed over the course of several years in England, Bompastor’s goal is to see Chelsea achieve European glory.
With more possession-based football and effective use of attacking wing-backs, there were indications of how she wants to play this year.
Although Bompastor believes there is a lot of work to be done, Macario claims the team are learning to adapt because their style is less direct than it was under Hayes.
According to Macario, “Sonia places a lot of emphasis on pride in keeping the ball and making us technical.”
She wants us to pass with the appropriate weight or with the right foot. Every single day, we hear it all the time!
We are unwaveringly working on it. We are aware of how to overcome pressure when we are under it. There will be some adaptation. “
However, the first indications are encouraging.
Before their final game of the season, Liverpool interim manager Amber Whiteley claimed Bompastor had elevated Chelsea to a new level.
And Marc Skinner, the manager of Manchester United, claimed that the Frenchwoman “adjusted her own subtilities and details” to the team of winners she had inherited from Hayes.
In Syria, optimism abounds. The unexpected decision by United States President Donald Trump to lift sanctions on the country, announced in Riyadh on Tuesday, is a relief for Syrians. They hope that the move will reintegrate Syria into the global economy, and bring much-needed investment into a country trying to recover from more than 50 years of dynastic family rule, as well as a nearly 14-year-long war.
The impact of Trump’s statement, which he said would give Syria “a chance at greatness” after the December overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, had an almost immediate effect, as the Syrian pound strengthened against the US dollar by about 25 percent, in a boost to a country suffering through economic hardship.
“Lifting sanctions on Syria represents a fundamental turning point,” Ibrahim Nafi Qushji, an economist and banking expert, told Al Jazeera. “The Syrian economy will transition from interacting with developing economies to integrating with more developed ones, potentially significantly reshaping trade and investment relations.”
Complex sanctions
While the announcement will likely lead to some imminent progress, there are still some stumbling blocks to the sanctions removal, analysts and experts told Al Jazeera.
US sanctions on Syria date back to 1979, when the country was under the iron grip of President Hafez al-Assad – Bashar’s father – and designated a “state sponsor of terrorism”. In the intervening years, additional sanctions were placed on the state and individuals associated with both the regime and the opposition, including current President Ahmed al-Sharaa – a result of his former association with al-Qaeda.
“There’s an entire building of a complex gamut of sanctions,” Vittorio Maresca di Serracapriola, sanctions lead analyst for Karam Shaar Advisory Limited, a consulting company with a focus on the political economy of the Middle East, told Al Jazeera.
Analysts said that Trump could remove certain sanctions through executive order, while some “foreign terrorist organisation” (FTO) designations could be removed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But other sanctions may be more complicated to end.
According to Maresca di Serracapriola, there are also a series of export controls, executive orders that target the banking sector, and acts that were passed by the US Congress.
“It is a huge moment for the country,” Maresca di Serracapriola said. “Of course, sanctions are very technical and complicated tools, so it’s still unclear how the US government will be able to implement what it promised.”
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa greets Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as US President Donald Trump looks on [Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP]
There are also questions about the timeline. The economic situation for many Syrians is dire, with 90 percent of the population living in poverty and approximately 25 percent jobless, according to the United Nations. The new Syrian authority is under extreme economic pressure, while at times struggling to exert its authority and provide security around the country.
Trump’s decision will come as a welcome reprieve, but Syrians may have to wait for sanctions relief to take effect. Analysts said the changes would come gradually and could take up to a year before “tangible results” are seen.
Sanctions relief alone will also not be enough. Analysts noted that Syria still needs banking reforms to comply and get off international monitoring lists. There will also need to be incentives from the US and other international actors to build trust among private investors looking to invest in Syria’s future.
“Achieving long-term growth requires implementing internal economic reforms, including improving the business environment, enhancing financial transparency, and developing productive sectors to ensure the Syrian economy effectively benefits from global opportunities,” Qushji said. “Lifting economic sanctions on Syria is a first step toward restructuring the economy, but it requires reform policies focused on sustainable development and global economic integration to ensure a real and productive recovery.”
Trump meets al-Sharaa
For months, everyone from Syria’s new leadership, analysts, and international actors has said there is a dire need for sanctions relief. But the US has previously taken an inflexible stance against al-Sharaa’s government, due to perceived ties to violence and armed groups.
Regional powers like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye, however, have built strong relations with the new government in Damascus. Before Trump’s pronouncement on Tuesday, multiple analysts told Al Jazeera they did not expect Syria’s sanctions relief to be high up on the agenda for the US or the Gulf states Trump visited during his three-country tour.
The US has taken a cautious, and at times conflicting, approach to Syria’s new authority since the fall of the Assad regime on December 8.
On March 9, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Syria’s new government for their failure to prevent sectarian violence and massacres in the country’s coastal region. But then, three days later, Rubio praised the agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian central government in Damascus that ostensibly would see the SDF integrate into state institutions.
Previously, the US provided Syria a list of demands that included destroying the remaining chemical weapons, cooperation on “counterterrorism”, and the removal of foreign fighters from senior roles in the new government or military. There have also been suggestions that Syria might throw in a Trump Tower deal in Damascus and that Trump wanted ties between Syria and Israel before any sanctions relief.
But by Tuesday evening, everything had changed. Trump announced he would remove sanctions on Syria without conditions.
“The key emphasis here is it’s a Saudi-US deal rather than something between the US and Syria,” Rob Geist Pinfold, a lecturer in defence studies at King’s College in London.
Syrians took to the streets to celebrate the announcement on Tuesday evening [Ghaith Alsayed/AP]
Then, on Wednesday morning, Trump and al-Sharaa met for a little more than half an hour in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and with Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoning in. The meeting appeared to please Trump.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on his way to Doha, Trump called al-Sharaa a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
After the talks, the White House released a list of issues Trump discussed with al-Sharaa. They included some of the US’s prior demands on Syria, such as dealing with foreign fighters and “counterterrorism” cooperation. But Trump also brought up Syria recognising Israel, as well as taking over ISIL detention centres in northern Syria.
“These don’t appear to be preconditions, but they could slowroll the lifting [of sanctions],” Natasha Hall, a senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Al Jazeera.
People celebrate in Damascus’s Umayyad Square after US President Donald Trump’s decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025 [Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP]
The UK hasn’t had the best Eurovision run in recent years – but while the contest has ruined some music careers, others have risen to become the biggest stars of the industry
The UK has seen plenty of its acts flop on stage, but what have they got up to since?(Image: Getty Images)
The Eurovision Song Contest final takes place this Saturday, May 17, at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland. It’s the 69th Eurovision, having been held every single year since 1956, except 2020 when it was cancelled due to Covid-19.
Infamously, the UK isn’t known for having a lot of luck when it comes to final results in recent years. Whether it’s our separation from the continent across the Channel or our love of beans on toast, we haven’t always been super buddy-buddy with some of the other voting nations.
Our last win was in 1997, but we’ve also shown our talents with a record 16 second-place finishes. And, whether our act is any good or not, we’re guaranteed a place in the final every year as one of the ‘Big Five’ who contribute the most to the contest financially.
This year’s entrant is country trio Remember Monday, and Ladbrokes told the Mirror that we’re set to be dead last of the Big Five acts. But, a low placement might not stop them from doing well in the future. While some Eurovision acts have faded into obscurity after the show, others have gone on to have sparkling careers. Here’s a look at what our last five acts have been up to since their time on the Eurovision stage.
2024 – Olly Alexander
Olly Alexander already had a thriving music and acting career when he represented the UK last year(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In something of a twist from the UK, Olly Alexander was already pretty well-known before he entered Eurovision. Famous for being the lead singer of pop band Years & Years, Olly already had some number one albums to his name as part of the group.
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He was also a successful actor, having appeared in shows such as Skins and It’s a Sin, and films including The Riot Club and 2012’s Great Expectations. Unfortunately, none of this helped him on stage, with his performance of ‘Dizzy’ only securing him 18th place with 46 points.
Despite the middling marks at Eurovision, Olly’s career is still going from strength to strength. He’s a common name on festival lineups, and released his debut solo album, Polaris, this February. He also got a Blue Peter badge for his musical efforts, making him the icon of every kid out there.
2023 – Mae Muller
Mae Muller came in second to last, and announced a hiatus shortly after(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Mae Muller competed on home turf when Eurovision was held in Liverpool, but it didn’t work in her favour. The London-born singer performed ‘I Wrote a Song’, but came second last at 25th place, with a dire 24 points.
The BBC expected her to do better, working with TaP Music, who’d achieved second place the year before. Despite not doing too well, Mae announced her debut studio album during her Eurovision run, which came out that September. The album, ‘Sorry I’m Late,’ got decent reviews but only reached 33rd place on the UK albums chart, and Mae then announced a hiatus from music in January 2024.
She left her music album and became an independent artist, but has mainly remained fairly quiet. May then released a single this March, but hasn’t shared any major news about exciting future plans.
2022 – Sam Ryder
Eurovision made Sam Ryder a star, and he’s now secured his second Brit Award nomination alongside topping the charts around the world(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Finally, a good position. Sam Ryder smashed a lot of records with this one. He came second place overall, which is the best position the UK has achieved since 1998. He also earned 466 points, which is the most a UK entry has ever achieved. If that weren’t enough, he won the Marcel Bezençon Award for best entry according to press votes.
Sam performed ‘Space Man’, which took over British radio both before the show and for months after. The pop rock star was already doing okay thanks to posting covers on TikTok during the pandemic, but is one of the rare acts for whom Eurovision was a real breakthrough. His debut album ‘There’s Nothing but Space, Man!’ went straight to the top of the charts, and he was nominated for Best New Artist at the Brit Awards – the first time a Eurovision entrant has got the nod.
The Essex-born star has gone on to bag a stream of accolades, and even performed with Queen’s Brian May on one of his records. Most recently he topped the charts in Korea for his collaboration with Korean musician Kim Min-seok, has been nominated for another Brit Award, and will even be performing at Glastonbury this summer.
2020/2021 – James Newman
James Newman came last in 2021 after being scheduled to perform in 2020, and now seems to be keeping his head down(Image: Sander Koning/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
James Newman was selected for the competition in 2020, and returned in 2021 after it was cancelled – but he might wish he hadn’t. The North Yorkshire man came in last place with his song ‘Embers’, with a damning zero votes.
Prior to getting nul points, James wasn’t doing too badly for himself. Working as a songwriter in London, he co-wrote Rudimental and Ella Eyre’s hit song ‘Waiting All Night’, which went straight to number one. He achieved the same when working with Calvin Harris, and also collaborated with stars including Ke$ha and Toni Braxton.
Despite it all, he went on to secure dead last. Speaking after the competition, he mused: “Maybe people just didn’t like my music. We tried as hard as we could. I need time to process what it is that we could have done better.” It seems he might still be processing – bar the release of a single last year he’s remained quiet on the music front.
2019 – Michael Rice
Michael Rice blamed Brexit for his Eurovision loss – and then promptly fled to try his chances in the US(Image: Reuters)
History repeats itself, and usually not in a good way. Just before James Newman came in last, Michael Rice beat him to it two years before. Michael performed ‘Bigger than Us,’ and the other entrants clearly were. He finished in 26th place, but managed to snag 11 points despite his major loss.
Michael’s music career started in 2014, when he entered The X Factor, and did fairly well for himself by making it through to the bootcamp stage before being eliminated. He then tried out another singing competition, BBC’s All Together Now, and won its very first season in 2018. Then, it all came falling down when he came last in Eurovision – and he had an unusual explanation for his loss. “I always knew I was going to come in this position because of Brexit,” he said after the competition. “Do you know what? If it was Gary Barlow or Elton John, they still probably would have come last too.”
Considering his feelings about Brexit, the pop singer decided to carry on with TV singing competitions across the pond and entered American Idol last year. He did incredibly well, getting voted in by all three judges which sent him straight through to Hollywood week. Unfortunately, he made it no further than that. Michael also released two singles last year, neither of which charted, but it doesn’t look like he’s done with the music game yet.
