Austria's Conchita Wurst wins the Eurovision song contest
Austria's Conchita Wurst has won the Eurovision song contest, winning the prize for the first time since 1966. Britain's hopeful Molly Smitten-Downes came 17th.
Austria's Conchita Wurst has won the Eurovision song contest, winning the prize for the first time since 1966. Britain's hopeful Molly Smitten-Downes came 17th.
Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a
grandiose James Bond-theme-like ballad "Rise Like a Phoenix", before an international TV audience of around 180 million people in 45 countries.
Wurst, sporting high heels, butterfly eyelashes and a full beard, won the competition, defeating the Netherlands' modern country duo The Common Linnets.
It was Austria's first victory since 1966. The contest has been held every year since 1956.
Austria was ridiculed for sending a drag queen to Eurovision but Conchita Wurst, previously Tom Neuwirth, won for the first time since 1966.
UK hopeful Molly Smitten-Downes had been among those tipped to place highly, but the night was for Austrian drag-queen Conchita Wurst.
The UK has had some embarrassing disasters at Eurovision, from out-of-tune twins to dubious experiments with rap.