Fans of the Eurovision Song Contest are divided, after the semi-final of the contest in Helsinki produced some surprising results.

A number of fan favourites and bookies picks were eliminated on Thursday night, as bloc-voting helped entries from the Eastern European countries to qualify for the final on Saturday night. Ten countries out of 28 were chosen to join the other qualifiers in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 final, with no Western countries making it through.

The biggest upset was Switzerland's entry DJ Bobo, with the highly tipped "Vampires are Alive". Other fancied entries dipping out at the semi-final stage were Denmark's drag queen diva DQ, with the disco entry "Drama Queen", Malta's Olivia Lewis with "Vertigo", and the Andorran "McFly-lite" duo, Anonymous.


Bookies are now favouring Eastern European countries to take out the final on Saturday night. For pop fans, the best picks there are Russia's female pop/rock trio Serebro with Song #1, and Dmitry Koldun from Belarus with Work Your Magic.

The UK's unashamed pure-pop-fun entry Scooch, with Flying the Flag (For You) could also pick up some extra votes, with the absence of many other big pop entries in the final

* Esc Today - Semifinal shock in European press
* Helsingin Sanomat - Eastern European countries among surprise winners in Eurovision Song Contest semifinals

* UPDATE: Unfortunately, the ESC 2007 Final in Helsinki went almost as badly as the semi-final. Serbia's Marija Šerifović won the final with her song Molitva, ahead of embarrassing Ukranian drag queen Verka Serduchka with the amateur sounding Dancing Lasha Tumbai.

Despite a good song and entertaining performance, Scooch finished near the back of the pack for the UK with Flying the Flag (For You). However the group did score a #5 hit single on the UK charts with the song, making them the highest charting UK Eurovision entrant since Katrina and the Waves in 1997.

A date has been set for the US television premiere of High School Musical 2...

The long awaited sequel to the original Emmy award-winning movie High School Musical will premiere on TV on the Disney Channel in the USA on Friday, August 17th.


All the stars of the original hit film have returned for this sequel. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) lands a summer vacation job at a posh country club that Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan's (Lucas Grabeel) family belong to.

Troy helps Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) get a job as a lifeguard, as well as landing summer jobs for his other East High Wildcats friends including Chad (Corbin Bleu), and Taylor (Monique Coleman).

As well as working through their summer vacation, everybody's also getting ready for the country club's annual Midsummer Night's Talent Show, where Troy and Gabriella are to perform a duet written by Kelsi.

There are high expectations for High School Musical 2, after the huge success of the original movie helped the young stars launch big careers.

Zac Efron has been shooting the movie version of the Broadway musical Hairspray, where he stars alongside John Travolta. The new movie-musical is due for release later in the year. Meanwhile, Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, and Corbin Bleu, all released albums, while Bleu also starred in a new Disney movie-musical Jump In!.

The High School Musical soundtrack was the top-selling album last year in the United States (selling over 3.7 million copies), as well as many more songs through itunes. As well as being a top rating movie, over 7.5 million HSM DVDs have been sold, along with a sellout nationwide High School Musical Concert tour.


* More High School Musical gifts and High School Musical merchandise available now at the High School Musical Shop.