Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The people of the UK have made the final decision – Jade's dreams have come true and she will be the country's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow in May.

For the first time ever, on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One's Eurovision: Your Country Needs You!, the public have voted week after week on who will sing for the UK.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and his team made it their mission to find the right act. Tonight, in the grand finale, host Graham Norton announced that the public had voted Jade, as the singer with the best chance of Euro-glory.

She will perform It's My Time, specially written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren.

Immediately after winning Jade, from East London, said: "Winning means everything. I just feel so overwhelmed and so grateful for the opportunity and I'll do everything to try and win and to try and turn our luck around."

About Andrew's song, Jade said: "I feel like the lyrics were written for me, I really related to them even though he wrote it for all of us [finalists]. It felt like it was my journey Andrew was writing about. Even if it was just for the moment it was my time to show everyone how much it meant to me."

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "We've got the most fantastic artist and I've done my best with the song, and I know Jade will give 150 per cent. Eurovision is going to start the career of this incredibly talented woman. I have the joy of taking Jade around Europe."

For the opening of the show all three finalists, Jade, Mark, and the twins – Francine and Nicola – stormed the stage with their version of the Bucks Fizz Eurovision classic Making Your Mind Up.

This week the acts had the challenge to also perform three songs each, including their favourite from the series, a new performance and Andrew's specially created song It's My Time.

After singing their songs and receiving feedback from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lulu and singer Duncan James the hopefuls faced a nervous wait as the public cast their vote. Last years Eurovision winner Dima Bilan from Russia also performed his winning Eurovision entry, Believe.

As votes were counted, the reunion took place of the Eurovision wannabes who had previously left the show – Damien, Emperors of Soul and Charlotte when they performed together with Lulu the pop hit Relight My Fire.

Notes to Editors

Songs performed

The Three Finalists: Making Your Mind Up, Bucks Fizz

Jade: Lady Marmalade, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya & Lil' Kim; Deja Vu, Beyonce

Mark: Try A Little Tenderness, The Commitments; Me And Mrs Jones, Billy Paul

Francine and Nicola: Sweet About Me, Gabriella Cilmi; The Promise, Girls Aloud

Lulu with Damien, Emperors of Soul and Charlotte: Relight My Fire, Take That

The Eurovision Song Contest Final is on Saturday 16 May 2009 in Moscow.

JD/PA