{"id":49226,"date":"2024-04-09T14:57:47","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T12:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2021424"},"modified":"2024-04-09T15:21:26","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T13:21:26","slug":"abba-star-on-this-weeks-radio-times-cover","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/abba-star-on-this-weeks-radio-times-cover\/","title":{"rendered":"Abba star on this week\u2019s Radio Times cover"},"content":{"rendered":"

From nul points to pop idols, the night Britain fell for Sweden’s Fab Four \u2013 and why we still love them 50 years on. <\/p>

By Tom Loxley\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 09 April 2024 at 12:57 PM<\/p>

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Back in the days when there were just three television channels, the biggest star of Saturday-night TV was an impersonator and a novelty band inspired by a children\u2019s animation could top the singles charts, the Eurovision Song Contest<\/a> was a very serious competition indeed.<\/p>\n

In 1974, Britain had the honour of hosting the event, not because we\u2019d won the previous year (Cliff Richard came third), but because the actual winners, Luxembourg, were not prepared to host it. So it was that on 6 April, Abba took to the stage in Brighton to announce themselves to the world.<\/p>\n

Not that the British jurors were impressed at the time. In fact, they gave the Swedes nul points \u2013 unlike the millions watching all over Europe, in particular the other Eurovision juries, who quickly installed Abba and their song Waterloo as the winners.<\/p>\n

In the latest issue of Radio Times<\/strong> magazine \u2013 out now \u2013 we remember that night and hear from those who were there, from Benny Andersson of Abba to Mike Batt of the Wombles, who had donned his furry suit to provide the half-time entertainment.<\/p>\n

All this nostalgia is good clean fun, but of course Abba, who have long resisted demands to reform, remain part of our pop-cultural world. Their songs top playlists, inspire musicals and Hollywood movies and indeed their avatars still sell out shows half a century later. We explore all this and more in our feature.<\/p>\n

\"ABBA\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\n

Also in this week\u2019s Radio Times:<\/strong><\/h2>\n