The main joke is based on the fact that ireland kept winning the contest and it always cost dublin a fortune to stage the event, therefore they wanted to lose it

Ted losing his shit with dougall is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. First time I saw it I nearly choked 😂

Many years ago my sister put 'My Lovely Horse' on my Ipod without my knowledge.  It was quite the surprise as I waited on the bus stop.

The writers said the name Dick Byrne was completely accidental, and if they had realised what it sounded like they would have changed it.

In 2008 Ireland was so desperate to lose the European Song Contest that they entered a puppet turkey called "Dustin the Turkey".   It's certainly worth watching this real turkey on YouTube.

I love how Fred is all disheveled and incoherent when he's going out on stage and he's suddenly all nicely groomed and coherent, when he steps out from the wings! A great episode from one of my favourite comedies of all time.

The presenter mumbling gibberish is a massive caricature of the accents you sometimes hear around County Cork in Ireland.

I love it that one of the songs on the board is called "You dirty English b*stards" 😂

Teds voice cracking when he screams "I SAID GET THE GUITAR!!!" at Dougal lol 😆 😂 🤣 😂 ❤ XxXxX

This came about from real life. Ireland won the Eurovision in 92, 93 and 94. The winning country hosts the event the following year. It was rumored that it was so expensive to host that Ireland purposely put a shit song entry so they wouldn't have to host it again.
Funnily enough the year this was made, 1996 is actually the last time Ireland really won the Eurovision.

This episode is actually based on a real life conspiracy theory. Ireland is the most successful country in winning The Eurovision Song Contest. The problem is that if you win the contest, then you have to host the contest the following year. It is a very expensive event to host, so the the theory was that Ireland started to select acts for the Euros that were not very good, so that they would lose and not have to host the competition again. Its a great episode.

nessun dorma was the tune he was humming in the beginning. it is believed by many that Ireland did purposely submit a bad entry because of the costs. This episode is a National favourite here in Ireland.

god this show was such a masterpiece

The 'play the f***ing note' scene is perhaps the funniest comedy scene ever made. I was in my 20s when this stuff came out. Genius. Thanks Mr Linehan!

WE GOTTA LOSE THAT 🎷 SOLO

Father Ted singing
Mrs Doyle loves it
…can’t wait for the scene to play out

Fun fact the 3 priests from Rugged Island were 2nd choices to play father Ted,Jack and Dougal

Ted's rehearsal meltdown ( just play the...note) is based on an infamous recording made of 60s band, The Troggs (Wild Thing etc),  having a studio bust up during which their frustrations with each other boiled over. It a great "in-joke"!

Vienna, huge hit for Ultravox in the 80s, lead singer Midge Ure.

I have watched this show over and over again , never gets old . My lovely horse 🐴 🐎

The guy who we couldn't understand, also played the cinema owner in the episode called 'The Passion of St Tibulus.