Eurovision: Anggun

It's the weekend when UK viewers get reminded that there's music made outside the English language world. Eurovision is mocked as much as it is enjoyed in the UK, and while the staging of many of the acts certainly merits mockery, there's usually a sneering tone about how the foreigners really can't really do proper music.

It will take more than a televised music contest to rid the English speaking world of its xenophobia, but at least its a step in the right direction.

This year there's a controversy over the host country and its human rights record. I'm sure there are similar problems in many of the countries in eastern Europe. Again, it will take more than an international TV event to sort these out, but hopefully the attention given to these issues by the international media will at least raise awareness of the problems.

Meanwhile, with the show itself  attention will no doubt focus on the alleged political skullduggery in the voting, with claims of favouritism and partiality. But it was always like this, and much of it is down to acts being established performers in culturally similar countries.

Meanwhile, Spain are asking their entrant not to win because they can't afford to stage it, and the Euro crisis hangs over the event, and a number of countries have withdrawn this year.

Other rows focus on the performers: Are Jedward good enough to represent Ireland? Is Englebert too old to represent the UK?

But we should put our pre-concieved ideas to one side and enjoy the entertainment, because that's what it is.

At its best Eurovision is television entertainment at its finest, as ridiculous as it is spectacular. It's a throwback to a time of more utopian ideas, that a continent could settle its political and cultutral differences in a sing-off, and that a song could unite different peoples regardless of linguistic differences.

Of course, it never quite achieves its lofty ideas, adrift on a sea of kitsch, ropey acts and bad songs, but that distance between its ideals and the reality is where the enjoyment exists.

There will certainly be memorable moments. Many for the wrong reasons. Will Anggun's Echo (You and I) take the prize? We'll see. In the meantime, there will be some quality - in some form or other - TV to watch on Saturday night.