Greece won its first Eurovision victory at the 50th edition, while all four 'Big Four' countries placed in the bottom four.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 50th Eurovision Song Contest
- Participating countries
- 39 countries
- Winning song
- "My Number One" by Helena Paparizou
- Winning country
- Greece — first victory after 31 years
- Venue
- Palace of Sports, Kyiv
- Previous record participants
- 36 countries (broken by 3)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ukraine earned hosting rights by winning the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest with Ruslana's 'Wild Dances', prompting the National Television Company of Ukraine and the EBU to organise the 50th edition in Kyiv.
The 50th Eurovision Song Contest took place at the Palace of Sports in Kyiv on 19 and 21 May 2005, with 39 countries competing — a new record — and was presented by Maria Efrosinina and Pavlo Shylko. Greece, represented by Helena Paparizou with 'My Number One', won the contest.
Greece claimed its first-ever Eurovision victory after 31 years of participation. The contest also saw the unprecedented result of all 'Big Four' countries (France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom) finishing in the bottom four positions, sparking debate about the contest's voting patterns.
Work
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The 50th edition set a participation record of 39 countries and delivered Greece its first Eurovision win, while the collective failure of all 'Big Four' nations intensified scrutiny of bloc voting in the contest.