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Legendary hit maker Pete Waterman will produce this year's UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

The multi award-winning music maestro has been responsible for producing and writing more than 200 hits in over 25 years, and worked with pop sensations from Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer, Geri Halliwell, Westlife and Bananarama to Steps, Rick Astley and Dead Or Alive.

The song will be performed at Eurovision 2010, which takes place in Oslo in May.

Details for the selection process for the act that will perform the song will be announced at a later date.

Pete Waterman said: "Eurovision is one of those iconic competitions that has stood the test of time and keeps coming up with great acts, great tunes and great performances.

"Life's full of challenges and I'm relishing the opportunity to put my own stamp on this one."

One of the highest-grossing producers of all time, Pete Waterman's music career spans over three decades – as songwriter, manager, producer, radio and TV presenter and DJ.

This is the first time Pete has been directly involved in the Eurovision Song Contest.

During the Eighties, Coventry-born Pete was also a member of the highly-successful recording trio Stock Aitken Waterman. Their first number one hit was Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round.

Pete Waterman holds numerous awards including several Ivor Novellos. In 2004 he was honoured with an OBE for his services to music.

Executive Producer Phil Parsons said: "This year, with an extremely successful pop writer, the aim is to build on the UK's success while moving on in style and doing something different.

"Pete Waterman has an incredible track record of hits that are known all around Europe so we're thrilled that he has taken on Eurovision."

Last year, the UK signalled a change of direction in its approach to the contest when Andrew Lloyd Webber and American songwriter Diane Warren collaborated to produce It's My Time, performed by Jade Ewen.

The aim was to restore some much-needed national pride in the competition after the UK had fared so poorly in recent years.

The strategy was successful as the UK finished in a respectable fifth place with, by common consent, a vastly-improved entry.

There were also changes to the song contest itself with voting split in each country between the public and a panel of industry experts.

PA/JD