The eight songs in contention to represent the UK were presented during Terry Wogan's Wogan chat show on BBC1. Two songs were presented during each of four broadcasts between 21 and 28 March. The songs were also featured in various programmes on BBC Radio 2. A separate results show was broadcast on BBC1 the same evening. BBC Radio 2 simulcast the final and also broadcast the results show, both with commentary by Ken Bruce.
Final
The 1990 edition of A Song for Europe was held in Television Centre, London on 30 March in Studio 1. The BBC Concert Orchestra under the direction of Alyn Ainsworth as conductor accompanied all the songs, but despite performing live, the orchestra were off-screen, behind the set. Terry Wogan presided over the eight finalists and a panel of 'experts' was assembled to comment on each of the entries. The panel was composed of Gloria Hunniford, Tim Rice, Cathy McGowan and Gary Davies. Opening the contest was Kelly with a power ballad called "Better Be Good to Me". At the time, Kelly Wilde was an established act on the gay circuit. The second entry was a big show ballad, "That Old Feeling Again" performed by Stephen Lee Garden and composed by former UK entrant Mike Moran. Thom Hardwell was the singer and composer of the uptempo "Never Give Up", a song which received unfavourable comments from panelist Cathy McGowan. Composer Paul Curtis, a familiar contest figure between 1975 and 1986, returned to the national final with "Give a Little Love Back to the World". The performer of this anthemic number was 15-year-old Emma from Bridgend. Perhaps the best-known competitor in 1990 was former Bay City Rollers frontman Les McKeown. His entry was a standard middle-of-the-road rock ballad called "Ball and Chain". Jewish cantor Simon Spiro sang the ballad "Face in the Crowd". Kim Goody was a familiar face on children's television in the seventies and eighties. In the national final she sang the nostalgic ballad "Sentimental Again". Finally, another name from the 1970s, John Miles. He performed another anthemic effort, "Where I Belong", accompanying himself at the piano. As in the last two years, a national telephone vote decided the outcome of the contest. Emma won with a runaway phone poll of 97,625 calls over John Miles, who polled 38,966.
At Eurovision
The final was held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia on 5 May. Emma was supported by several backing singers including Miriam Stockley and Sam Blue. Sam would later sing at UK final 1991 with "The Life you don't yet know" by Nick Spindler and Peter Thompson. Despite being one of the favourites to win, "Give a Little Love Back to the World" only received 87 points and 6th place.
