26 November – Everything you know just disappears

What do you think about the modern day system of giving jury and televoting results separately? It sets out how differently those two elements can think, and potentially throw up a surprise winner.

In 2016 we saw it for the first time. Today’s birthday boy Michał Szpak finished eighth overall, but had very different receptions from the ‘experts’ in seclusion and the casual viewer. He scored seven points from the juries, in four countries. But viewers in 36 countries had his song in their top 10 getting the third-best result. Maybe the juries had picked him up on the north American spelling of his song, thinking it was just plain vulgar. Or maybe the televoters loved his taste in trouser-ware. No matter, with the results Poland have been getting lately in JESC, maybe a maiden win isn’t that far away.

Michał is 30 today.

Wszystkiego najlepszego, Michał!