Sam Ryder to represent the UK at Eurovision 2022 with 'SPACE MAN'

Today, the BBC announced that Sam Ryder would represent the UK in Turin with 'SPACE MAN'.

The artist had already been heavily rumoured by fans and fan media in the last week, so the announcement came as very little surprise.

Recently, BBC's Radio 1 made 'SPACE MAN' song of the week ahead of the Eurovision announcement.

The official release was made today by Greg James with Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1 during their morning show.

Sam is a singer songwriter from Essex who went big on TikTok during the pandemic with covers of Lady Gaga , Sia and Adele which saw him gain 12 million followers on the platform.

Sam shared his excitement with Eurovision.tv:

"Having been a fan of Eurovision since I was a kid l I am so honoured to have been presented with the opportunity to sing at an event alongside some of Europe’s most talented creatives, performers and songwriters. I hope to sing my head off in a way the United Kingdom can be proud of, and to showcase a song I wrote with my friends last summer makes the whole experience even more special. See you in Turin legends!"

He was announced UK's TikTok artist of the year in 2020 and in 2021 he released a five track EP, 'The Sun's Gonna Rise' with over 45 million streams globally.

He also just completed a UK tour from January to March and is due to tour Europe in April.

The UK have won the contest on five occasions but have not made the Top 10 since 2009. They have finished last at the two editions of Eurovision, including the dreaded nul points in Rotterdam. UK fans will be hoping for a better result in Turin 2022.