The Brits are back again. It might be 20 long years since their last victory, but the United Kingdom’s Eurovision spirit keeps going. The BBC have today opened their song selection process for Eurovision 2018, confirming a third year of Eurovision: You Decide.

Songwriters have until October 27, 2017 to submit their entries. As with previous years, the BBC are receiving songs both from the public, as well as those sourced from the music industry.

Members of OGAE UK — the Eurovision fan club — will help shortlist the public entries. Meanwhile record industry executive Hugh Goldsmith will help curate the industry entries.

Speaking about the selection process, Goldsmith says: “I am, again, looking for songs with emotive lyrics, memorable melodies and brilliant productions. However, success at Eurovision can also be about originality and the element of surprise. So, please also send us your songs if they are creatively fresh, brave and a little bit different!”

Big names join UK Songwriting Camp

Even before submissions opened, a crack team of Eurovision and industry experts have been working on entries. Much like last year, a UK Songwriting Camp has been taking place in recent days. The team is made up of singers, writers and producers from Canada, Iceland, the UK and Denmark.

Amongst the most familiar names involved is Icelandic fan favourite, Greta Salóme. Emmelie de Forest participated in the songwriting camp last year and co-wrote Lucie Jones’ “Never Give Up on You”. Could Greta do the same and return to Eurovision behind the scenes?

Speaking of Emmelie, part of the songwriting team for “Only Teardrops”, Lisa Cabble and Julia Jakobsen, have also been involved in this year’s camp. Other names with Eurovision connections include Ashley Hicklin (writer of “Me and My Guitar” and Axel Hirsoux’s “Mother”) and Chief1 (“Should’ve Known Better”).

Of course, we likely won’t find out whether any of these songs make it until early in 2018. The BBC have not revealed any further details or dates of Eurovision: You Decide. It’s already looking like another promising year for the UK though.

What do you think of the return of the You Decide format? Are you excited to see the talent working at the songwriting camp? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments section below!