Rylan Clark-Neal: I’ll represent UK at Eurovision

Rylan Clark-Neal has put himself forward to represent the UK at the next Eurovision Song Contest.
The ‘Up Late with Rylan’ host first shot to fame as a contestant on ‘The X Factor’ and he would be up for singing for his country at the music extravaganza after watching the weekend’s British entry of ‘You’re Not Alone’ by Joe and Jake come in 23rd place.
During his regular showbiz reporting slot on ITV’s ‘This Morning’, he said: "I would definitely … oh no, I’m not going to say it because they’ll be a story out of it! There is a part of me that thinks I’ve done muggier stuff before – I could do it."
Holly Willoughby joked that she and co-host Ben Shephard could perform as the former talent show hopeful’s backing dancers, since Ben has a "contemporary dance degree".
And keen to seal the deal, Rylan said: "Look, if we’re going to lose we might as well lose with a bang. I will represent the country if you two dance with me, deal?"
To which an enthusiastic Holly vowed: "Deal!"
But Ben refused to commit, and wouldn’t even answer Rylan’s question.
The 27-year-old TV star has the credentials for the role since he finished in fifth place on the ninth series of ‘The X Factor’ in 2012 and was in several Take That and Westlife tribute bands in Ibiza as well as a member of a Spanish boy band called 4bidden.
And despite nabbing the UK’s first 12 point offering – the highest a country can be awarded – in seven years, it wouldn’t be difficult for Rylan to trump Joe and Jake’s song, ‘You’re Not Alone’, as it seemed to fall on deaf ears in the public vote, as they finished up with a meagre 62 points.
Ukraine won the contest, after finishing on 534 points.
Fans who heard his interest have begged for him to take part, with one posting the link to a petition calling for him to enter on Twitter: "Petition for @Rylan to represent the uk in Eurovision 2017 #RylanForEurovision2017. (sic)"
And another wrote: "Can @Rylan pls do eurovision next year. (sic)"
One user tweeted: "Rylan representing our country at Eurovision 2017 with Holly and Ben as backing dancers? SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN, PLEASE @itvthismorning. (sic)"