Bonnie Tyler hopes for UK ‘hero’ at this year’s Eurovision

The veteran Welsh singer will peform a track called Believe In Me at the event in Malmo, Sweden.

“I am truly honoured and delighted to be able to represent my country at Eurovision and especially with such a fabulous song,” she said. “I promise to give this everything that I’ve got for the UK.”

The competition is on Saturday 18 May and commentary will be provided by Graham Norton.

Ms Tyler’s career was almost over before it started when in 1976 she had surgery to remove nodules from her throat.

But the singer credits the operation with helping develop her trademark husky vocals and later that year scored her first hit when her second single, Lost In France, made the top 10.

@channel4news That promises to be a heartache, nothing but a heartache

— Gordon Burgess (@GBLeith) March 7, 2013

“@channel4news: Singer Bonnie Tyler will represent the UK at this year’s Eurovisioncompetition #C4news” Total eclipse of the career.

— Danny Duberstein (@D_Duberstein) March 7, 2013

Other hits included It’s A Heartache and Holding Out For A Hero.

Ms Tyler will be hoping she improves on last year’s performance by Engelbert Humperdinck who scraped into last-but-one place in the contest.

He opened the show in Baku, Azerbaijan, with ballad Love Will Set You Free, but seemed to have been forgotten by the time voting started, 25 songs later.

The singer, nicknamed The Hump, scored a total of 12, ending up just one position above Norway.

the UK needs a hero… getit? RT @channel4news: Singer Bonnie Tyler will represent the UK at this year’s Eurovisioncompetition #C4news

— dalliasd (@dalliasd) March 7, 2013