ARENA NEWS WEEK: Eurovision Song Contest, Tony Hancock and Metallica at Glastonbury
Arena
Gazette
AUSTRIA WINS EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News reports on the winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest
This week saw Austrian drag act Conchita Wurst crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest, held in Copenhagen. The singer won with 290 points for song 'Rise Like A Phoenix'. It is the first time Austria has won the competition since 1966.
Not all Eurovision contestants have managed to score so highly, with Norway's Jahn Teigen famously being the first contestant to receive no points for his 1978 performance Mil etter mil (Mile after mile). Despite the lack of international recognition, the song gained a huge audience back in Norway where it dominated the national singles chart for more than four months. Arena caught up with Jahn on a visit to the UK in 1980 when David McGillivray interviewed him on arrival at the airport.
Interview with Norway's 1978 Eurovision contestant Jahn Teigen
Arena: Climb Every Mountain or Nothing Succeeds Like Failure (1980)
Directed by Nigel Finch
TONY HANCOCK HONOURED WITH BLUE PLAQUE
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Radio 4's Today Programme visits the home of comedy legend Tony Hancock
Comedy star Tony Hancock has been honoured withΜύa blue plaque outside his former London home in Kensington, on what would have been his 90th birthday. The Birmingham born star made his name on radio before transferring to television. After a lengthy battle with alcoholism and other difficulties in his personal life, Hancock sadly took his own life in June 1968.
'Hancock's Half Hour' writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson unveiled the blue plaque outside Hancock's home. The pair of British scriptwriters met in 1948 whilst recuperating from tuberculosis at the Milford sanatorium in Surrey, which provided the material for their sitcom 'Get Well Soon'. They are perhaps best known for their work with Hancock on radio and television between 1954 and 1961, along with long running sitcom 'Steptoe and Son'. Interviewed over lunch in 2005, Arena found out how they refined their jokes with Tony Hancock as the star.
Arena has lunch with comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
Arena: Lunch With Galton and Simpson (2005)
Directed by Nigel Williams, Series Editor - Anthony Wall
METALLICA TO HEADLINE GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Breakfast reports on Metallica announced as headline act for Glastonbury
US heavy metal veterans Metallica have been announced as the Saturday night headliners on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. This marks Metallica's debut appearance at Worthy Farm and it is the first time a heavy metal band have headlined the event.
In 1989, Arena's 'Heavy Metal' explored what its millions of fans worldwide saw as the true incarnation of rock n' roll. From its origins in the blues, Heavy Metal came to fruition in the UK in the Black Country during the 1970s. Arena interviewed an unbeatable line up from both sides of the pond, including Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osborne, Led Zepelin, Black Sabbath, Guns 'N' Roses and Metallica. Lars Ulrich, Metallica's drummer was dragged to his first gig by his father to see the band 'Deep Purple', sparking his love for the music and shaping his career thereafter.
Deep Purple perform Black Night in 1970 and Lars Ulrich from Metallica reflects on Deep Purple being the first band he ever saw, in the 1989 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arena documentary, Heavy Metal.
To find out more on how the fans were so dedicated to 'HM' music, visit Arena's 'Behind the Film' webpage here
Arena: Heavy Metal (1989)
Directed by Helen Gallagher, Series Editor - Anthony Wall