The ultimate Marmite of television, the Eurovision Song Contest will once again be gracing screens across the country this weekend, with duo Joe and Jake hoping to buck the recent trend of abject failure for UK entries.

Predictable disappointment wasn't always the case however and the capital, as well as north Kent and north Surrey, has provided its fair share of success stories.

Cheryl Baker, from Lewisham, Bobby G, from Epsom and Jay Aston, from Purley, make up three quarters of the original Bucks Fizz line-up, and are south London's most successful Eurovision exports.

In 1981, the group won the contest with 'Making Your Mind Up' ,memorable for the choreography, which involved Ms Baker and Ms Aston's skirts being gradually shortened as they were whipped off by Bobby G and Mike Nolan.

She said: "I loved Eurovision before and it was a childhood ambition to do it.

"Ever since I saw Sandie Shaw win, I thought it was like a gold medal but for music and my aim was to enter.

"It seemed like a pipe dream, things like that didn't happen to girls like me."

Ms Baker will be performing at a charity gig on May 14 but hopes to watch the competition before she goes on stage.

She will also be across television and radio before the big show, and then heading off on tour, including Bromley and Sevenoaks, for three months from September.

Of this year's entry, Ms Baker said: "I love it, it has really grown on me.

"I think you have to have the something extra that makes it now, and I hope they have the wow thing up their sleeves."

John Alfold, who grew up around Parsons Green and Putney, was one half of 1961 act, the Allisons, with good friend and musical ally Bob Day.

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The pair were marketed as brothers for their song 'Are You Sure?', which missed out on the top, scoring 24 points and coming second.

However, it was one of the most successful Eurovision songs as a single, knocking Elvis Presley off the top spot, the only Eurovision song ever, from any country, to do so.

The band had won a nationwide talent contest at Olympia in September 1960, and by January 1961, they recorded 'Are You Sure?' for Fontana records.

Their manager liked it so much he offered it to the BBC for a Song for Europe, a contest the two men had not even heard of.

Mr Alfold said: "It was accepted and we won at Shepherd's Bush Empire against all the odds.

"It became an instant hit, straight into all the charts selling 250,000 in two weeks."

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It even caught the attention of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber who both called it their favourite Eurovision entry ever as recently as 2009.

The Allisons did a huge number of television and radio shows over the years, but Mr Alfold said he felt they could have achieved more and were let down by their record company.

The pair hoped to start cabaret shows again but Mr Day died in 2013 after battling Motor Neurone Disease.

Cliff Richard, who spent a period of his childhood in Carshalton and now lives in Weybridge, also counted Eurovision success in his lengthy career.

His 1968 entry 'Congratulations' came second, scoring 28 points. In more recent times however south London has been unable to provide better fortunes for the nation.

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Last year, Beckenham's Bianca Nicholas was chosen alongside bandmate Alex Larke to fly the flag for Britain in the contest.

Their band Electro Velvet finished 24th in 2015 with their song "Still in Love with You".

An EP was available for pre-order in June last year, but the band had to cancel its release because of Ms Nicholas' ill health.

Andy Abraham, from North London, represented the UK in the competition in 2008, three years after missing out on winning the X Factor.

His entry, 'What If', came joint last, only the second ever UK entry to finish bottom.

His song was also the first to fail to reach the UK top 40, reaching number 67, the second least successful ever.