Good news. Would imagine Jon Ola made Dnipro third choice as soon as he walked into that arena and saw the state it was in.

I like him. He's said exactly what everyone's been saying, no wonder he's got fed up!

It seems that Ukraine/NTU wants Kiev whereas the EBU wants Odessa hence the current stalemate they've found themselves in.

On another note, the queen that is Saara Aalto has auditioned for The X Factor UK.
http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/08/27/fin...dition/149286/

Bianca from this year's UK NF did too

Sh!t - means I'm gonna have to watch X Factor

I was just thinking that too. And I may end up giving telephone money to Simon Cowell if Saara gets through.

I'd better put the calendar up, as we are short of a host for the week after next.

Diamond Diary 27/08/16
BBAnne - 10 April – Best of the 2016 NF Rejects - Done
nick1990 - w/c 11 July – Fantasy – Heat 1 – Done
NightFox_Dancer - w/c 18 July – Best song from a Disney movie – Done
thengp12 -w/c 25 July – Best Bottom 10s of this Millennium – Done
Lisa B. - w/c 01 August – Fantasy – Heat 2 - Done
Lurker62 - w/c 08 August – Best Summer Song – Done
Nick1990 - w/c 15 August – Non ESC song by ESC artist – Done

ChickenfromKiev - w/c 22 August – Fantasy – Heat 3 - Running

21 Century Boy - w/c 29 August – Eurovision Comebacks – open for entries

w/c 05 September – Something – host required
Saturn - w/c 12 September – Fantasy – Heat 4
w/c 19 September – Something – host required
w/c 26 September – Something – host required
w/c 12 October – Fantasy – Heat 5 – host required

It will aid your recovery, Anne! It's just such a great show...

I haven't watched a full series in yonks. It's got worse as it's become more modern like a lot of things. No, actually, I did enjoy the 2014 series, the first in a long time. Last year's show was an abomination, in contrast.

Anyhow, anything with Saara in is always worth watching. She's practically royalty.

Josh Standing from UMK 2014 was on X Factor, I think it was last year. We seem a popular avenue for the Finns, not sure why when the Syco empire does everything it can to strip a soul clean. I dread to think what they'd do to poor Saara if she does go far into the process.

I can do the part whatever it is now of the remix round w/c 5th Sep if you like?

I'll host that week if required weedy.

I'd like to do a eurovision based contest

I'm away for a few days so won't be around to see the results... I just know I'm gonna get a low place tomorrow on Fantasy ... So I'll put my comments now I entered it as I really like the song and wanted to share it; so even if it just gets a few points I'm happy as it means some other people liked it a bit as well.

How true the Dnipro Mayor is – Kiev here we come then....

Of course it was going to go to Kiev! I know, I know, there are rules and processes, and they probably wanted to go out of their way to be seen to be looking at every possible option, but for a country which is desperately trying to define itself and assert its independence and uniqueness particularly vis a vis Russia not to go for the capital would be quite a big thing. It tends to be those countries that aren't trying to prove anything, i.e. the Nordic countries and Germany, have more freedom and confidence, they can experiment with style, tone, the Pre-show, Opening sequence and Interval acts and the hosts. Sweden and the UK are the only two places on Earth who would have dared risk offending the fans with Lynda Woodruff. Yes, yes, there are exceptions to the rules, but just about the most radical thing I can think of other-wise was Athens 2006 picking a Greek American Maria Menounos despite the fact that she'd never ever seen Eurovision before she was approached. And hey, Jamala appears to have backtracked on Odessa's bid (likes the city, not convinced of the proposed venue as a musician perhaps?) That's gonna be a blow right?

I'm guessing they are going to play to what they know how to do well and add absolutely nothing new whatsoever, which is fine, after the changes to the voting structure, we probably need a few years to see how it works in-practice. So lots of Ukrainian history, Ukrainian design and textiles (which they are very good at indeed) and obscure folk instruments, lots of crazy gimmicks of the kind they are usually renowned for, a fair bit of Crimean Tartar-ness and a hell of lot of Ruslana and Jamala whilst making a total and absolute mess of the PR and possibly logistics.... This promises to be both glorious and a tits-up all at the same time, in the finest tradition of old Eurovision before it began to believe in its own hype. And no US superstars hogging the limelight, hurrah!

PS - I suddenly realised I forgot the other non-capital host on the list. 1990 - Zagreb in Croatia, then part of the FR Yugoslavia so not a national capital at that point and chosen because Riva's 1989 winner, the annoyingly ear-wormy Rock Me was sung in Croatian.

You missed Istanbul as well!

Given the mass follow spree Saara's been doing of everything X Factor/UK media related, I guess it's safe to assume she's been doing well...

https://twitter.com/saaraaalto/following

Ok geeky, its yours.
Updated Diary:

Diamond Diary 28/08/16
BBAnne - 10 April – Best of the 2016 NF Rejects - Done
nick1990 - w/c 11 July – Fantasy – Heat 1 – Done
NightFox_Dancer - w/c 18 July – Best song from a Disney movie – Done
thengp12 -w/c 25 July – Best Bottom 10s of this Millennium – Done
Lisa B. - w/c 01 August – Fantasy – Heat 2 - Done
Lurker62 - w/c 08 August – Best Summer Song – Done
Nick1990 - w/c 15 August – Non ESC song by ESC artist – Done

ChickenfromKiev - w/c 22 August – Fantasy – Heat 3 - Running

21 Century Boy - w/c 29 August – Eurovision Comebacks – open for entries

big bro geek - w/c 05 September – Something Eurovisionary
Saturn - w/c 12 September – Fantasy – Heat 4
Lisa.B - w/c 19 September – Remix round
w/c 26 September – Something – host required
w/c 12 October – Fantasy – Heat 5 – host required

Rats! That's what, seven in 26 years? Still, a pretty low average, really counts against anybody putting together a bid that isn't a capital city. The other cities would have had to put fantastic bids in to have a small chance of beating Kiev.

It is just a theory, I confess, but I suppose the real test of this would be in the highly unlikely scenario of Belgium, Spain or the UK winning with the distinct national identities within the semi-federal higher structure.

It’s not going to be just the state of the potential venues or the logistical support, availability of good hotel rooms and transport links which are all essential and could be an absolute killer for some of the other bids over and above the problems with the venues. Limitations are to be expected, yes, Kiev is I believe the eighth largest city in Europe. There is a measure called global cities, it analyses cities global significance and influence across a number of criteria including finance, politics, R&D, cultural etc. Kiev is presently rated as being in the second-tier of cities in the ‘bubbling under’ group, it has some evidence of global city status, but not enough, give it twenty years. This low rating suggests that the capital has a lack of major facilities and the wealth and vitality to support them, despite the cities’ undeniable strategic Eastern European reach (for reference, Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester come out no better and have the good fortune of being peaceable, reasonably well governed and relatively rich). If Kiev as the capital and as an important regional centre, barely gets onto the list then you can bet that the other cities competing will find it even harder and whole countries may struggle to find anywhere that meets the kind of criteria to just miss the list. The Ukrainian’s will manage somehow, but it will be harder all round.

But over and above all that, it’s like the Olympics, Manchester put in two decent bids back in 1996 and 2000, I doubt anybody really believed in them although they had clearly thought them through, but frankly, Manchester isn’t London, it just didn’t have the same oomph, you know, it was always going to have to be London to get it and it did. It’s the Olympics, or in this case the Olympics of Pop Music. It’s just easier to do it in the capital.

This altogether suggests three fundamental questions – 1. has Eurovision gotten so big that only the fool-hardy would ever attempt to win? 2. Does it now price out countries from putting in serious entries in-case they win? 3. Did Jamala really truly believe she could win rather than just putting in the most intense protest number in the history of the Contest and if so what the hell was she thinking? It’s the darkest of dark horses. What the Director General of the NTU wouldn't do for a time machine I'll bet....

Just need 10 votes for Fantasy Heat 3 now, results should be at 5pm.

Will get my votes in shortly.

I'll unveil the playlist early this afternoon as I'm out all of tonight. You've got until 12 to send me your picks!

Have to be honest, I'm beginning to find these fantasy competitions a right struggle. I'm struggling to find 5/6 songs I like let alone 10

Have to say I felt the same thing this week and ended up giving points to songs which I didn't really care for, a very weak heat indeed. Still, 25 entries is much more bearable than the 50 odd we had to wade through back in the day.

I always say that if you find 1 song you really like then it's worth listening to the play list

Just voting now, really good playlist this week, good job guys

I do follow your song selections without actually voting. I'm not a massive EDM fan, more of an musical all-rounder who likes the occasional bit of cheese. Saying that, one dancey-pop song starts sounding very much like another after a while, particularly if they are all in English. It becomes a bit painful business if you are, like me, inclined to over-think absolutely everything, as you have no doubt deduced already!

Perhaps a narrower list to start with, 15 maybe? It would improve the quality of those on offer. Or limit it to one song an artist in a cycle?

Up to 20 entries now

My guests arrived a little earlier than expected, so haven't been able to pull the playlist together. Will either try and do it later today (if I can grab five mins) or when they leave tomorrow.