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| Russia scoops Eurovision victory | Russia scoops Eurovision victory |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Russian singer Dima Bilan has won this year's Eurovision Song Contest. | |
| Bilan is one of Russia's biggest pop stars and his heartfelt ballad Believe, produced by US R&B star Timbaland, gave Russia its first ever Eurovision win. | |
| Ukraine's Ani Lorak came second, followed by Greece with upbeat pop song Secret Combination by Kalomira. | Ukraine's Ani Lorak came second, followed by Greece with upbeat pop song Secret Combination by Kalomira. |
| But British talent show runner-up Andy Abraham came joint last with his song Even If, gaining just 14 points, the same as Germany and Poland. | But British talent show runner-up Andy Abraham came joint last with his song Even If, gaining just 14 points, the same as Germany and Poland. |
| Before the voting, Terry Wogan, who is commentating for the BBC, said Abraham was "our best entry for years", adding: "He deserves to do well with that." | Before the voting, Terry Wogan, who is commentating for the BBC, said Abraham was "our best entry for years", adding: "He deserves to do well with that." |
| British talent show finalist Andy Abraham sang his entry Even IfBut the former X Factor contestant only received points from San Marino - who took part for the first time - and Ireland. | British talent show finalist Andy Abraham sang his entry Even IfBut the former X Factor contestant only received points from San Marino - who took part for the first time - and Ireland. |
| Dimar Bilan won with a stage show that included Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko performing on a small ice circle. | Dimar Bilan won with a stage show that included Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko performing on a small ice circle. |
| Bilan is a well-known performer throughout Russia and beyond, winning the best awrist prize aty the country's MTV Awards for the past three years in a row. | |
| He took part in Eurovision in 2006, finishing second behind Finnish rock monsters Lordi. | |
| He has recorded an album in English with Timbaland, including a duet with Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, and hopes to use it to mreak the international market later this year. | |
| EUROVISION TOP FIVE 1. Russia: 272 points2. Ukraine: 2303. Greece: 2184. Armenia: 1995. Norway: 182 This year's other entrants included Latvian pirates, a Finnish heavy rock group, a 75-year-old Croatian rapper and French dance musician Sebastian Tellier, who has worked with Daft Punk and Air. | |
| Swedish singer Charlotte Perrelli, who won the event in 1999, was another hot tip and was picked as the winner in a Europe-wide BBC poll before the event. | Swedish singer Charlotte Perrelli, who won the event in 1999, was another hot tip and was picked as the winner in a Europe-wide BBC poll before the event. |
| But she failed to become the first female singer to win the contest twice. | But she failed to become the first female singer to win the contest twice. |
| The show was opened in front of 20,000 fans at the Belgrade Arena by last year's winner Marija Serifovic. | The show was opened in front of 20,000 fans at the Belgrade Arena by last year's winner Marija Serifovic. |
| The 20 countries that came through the semi-finals joined hosts Serbia plus the UK, France, Germany and Spain - the contest's four biggest backers. | The 20 countries that came through the semi-finals joined hosts Serbia plus the UK, France, Germany and Spain - the contest's four biggest backers. |