Sweet bar buck for Eurovision!

A seminal moment in both of the Schlagerboys' young lives came in 1983 when Sweet Dreams represented the United Kingdom at Eurovision in Munich...

We quite fancied Bobby with his tracksuit, floppy hair and leg warmers. We wanted to have the blonde girl (no-one ever knew her name) as our best friend to gossip with in the playground. But most of all, we wanted to actually BE Carrie Grant... It was the sprinkling of confetti that did it...

We've been trying to track her down ever since she looked a bit shocked to be pounced upon by a posse of gay men waiting outside BBC TV Centre for Making Your Mind Up 2004... and finally, here she is... United Kingdom schlager royalty...Oh My God! It's Carrie Grant!!!!

Schlagerboys: How does it feel to know that there are grown men across the UK who still love "I’m never giving up" and know the full dance routine?

Carrie Grant: That is just so fabulous! Perhaps they can teach me it, as I've forgotten it myself...

SBs: Well pop round to Schlager Towers for a cup of tea next time you're in Birmingham and we'll get the kitchen stools out for a practice... Can you remember much about the Song For Europe 1983? Audio were rather fab with "Love on your mind", and we have a soft spot for Ritzy. Any backstage gossip for us?

CG: I just remember feeling totally nervous and there being an act who danced and sang with mops, surreal!

SBs: That would be Des Dyer... He did look a bit strange! The stools – fabulous! Did you ever fall off in rehearsal?

CG: No, but I can still do a mean fake fall like we did in our routine...

SBs: So can we... usually after a pint of vodka... We had pre-teen crushes on Bobby. What happened to him? Still in touch?

CG: Weird, I had a crush on him too as I remember. He's now a DJ on Red Dragon in Wales. I don't see him though.

SBs: It was the leg warmers, wasn't it? What about the other one?

CG: Helen, yes every now and again we bump into each other. She's still singing and still just as beautiful as ever.

SBs: How completely fabulous! Two schlager queens nattering about dance routines and stool usage down the local Sainsbury's... That sprinkling-confetti-over-your-head-bit during the second verse in "I'm Never Giving Up" is a classic Eurovision moment. Did you have to sweep up afterwards?

CG: Ha ha! Of course not! Can you imagine if that had been 2007? We'd have had our own person, a confetti sweeper, who travelled with us just to do that!

SBs: And quite right too! It's the least that true schlager royalty should expect! And speaking of schlager royalty... Did you meet Carola in Munich? She's a schlager queen too, you know!

CG: Yes, I did meet Carola. When we first got to Munich I was so pleased, thinking I was the youngest competitor at 17, and then I found out she was a few months younger than me! Gutted! She had a good voice...

SBs: What did you think of the rubbish Luxembourg song that won? Bit dull, wasn’t it!

CG: The song was truly forgettable, but the girl was very beautiful, full of shimmering eyes and that "just had sex" look. And she has a fab pink shiny suit too!

SBs: She may have laid on the blusher, but she didn't dive off kitchen stools did she? Now you've got a proper job and teach people to sing, do you get your vocal students to sing "I’m never giving up"? And do they realise they are being taught by a Eurovision legend?

CG: Now I know you are definetly mad! I try to keep my past a secret, but it's never far away and there are always Eurovision fans there to remind me.

SBs: That's right! We met you outside BBC TV studios before the Making Your Mind Up 2004. We sang the first few lines of "I’m never giving up" to you and you looked a bit scared. Do you often get gay men jumping on you and excitedly squealing "I don’t believe in idle go-ssiiiip!"…….?

CG: That's not true, surely! I love it when gay men come up and tell me they loved Sweet dreams. In fact gorgeous gay TV hunk Jeremy Sheffield and I have walked down Old Compton Street together and for once he's been eclipsed because of it! Bring it on!

SBs: Quite right too! Would you consider forming a schlager supergroup with Dame Cheryl Baker and Sally-Ann Triplett to storm Eurovision once again? (Obviously you might have to do a bit of vocal coaching back stage with one of them)

CG: That's a brilliant idea! They are both great singers. We could call ourselves Sweet Bar Buck, rip each other's skirts off, fall off stools and crawl on the floor and promote anti-balding products at the same time! You're geniusses!

SBs: Don't you think that Fame Academy could be used to find a UK Eurovision entry? The BBC has got to do something! Mind you, we don't want another James Fox...

CG: Mmmm! I'm not sure about the Fame Academy thing, but I thought Liz McLarnon was brilliant on the last Song for Europe and should have won...

SBs: Oh, surely not! It was all about Scooch! So, what’s next for Carrie-Sweet Dreams?

CG: Britain Sings Christmas for ITV, Carrie and David's Popshop for BBC. I have a secret desire to present a little section of Eurovision, obviously not Tel's bit 'cos he's marvellous, but maybe something else...

SBs: How completely schlagertastic to have Carrie Grant back at Eurovision... Have you got a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

CG: Thank you for all your fabulous support. I will dream sweetly knowing that there are still people out there who appreciate a good stool. Love C x.

Mrs Sweet Dream, you are now officially Dame Carrie of Grant! May the schlager gods shine on you forever!

[Schlargerblog]