We all know now that the UK are hosting Eurovision 2023 in the city of Liverpool in May and that Mae Muller will this year be representing the UK with her song ” I wrote a Song”. However, what has become of the acts who proudly flew the UK flag at past contests? We at Eurovision Ireland,during the build up to the 2023 contest and in honour of the host country, have decided to bring you special editions of our Here Today, Gone tomorrow series , looking at how this year’s host country’s past acts have fared since their time at Eurovision. Today, we are turning back time all the way to 1991 , when Samantha Janus was the UK’s representative at the 1991 contest in Rome, Italy.

About Samantha Janus

Samantha Janus , now known as Samantha Womack, is an English actress , singer . model and director , who has worked in film, television and stage. She was just 19 years old when she won the UK National selection to choose who would represent the UK at the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rome, Italy . Her song was called ” A Message to your heart “, which was about children around the world experiencing hunger . She came 10th in the contest,with Sweden being the eventual winners , a result which in recent times for the UK since the turn of the Millenium, would be much welcome . For those of you old enough to remember the 1991 contest or those of you too young to remember, here is Samantha’s performance in Rome on 4th May 1991 .

After Eurovision

Message to your Heart was Samantha’s only single and it reached number 30 in the UK music charts in 1991. After the contest , Samantha went on to star in theatre and TV roles, including the TV series “Game on ” .She also appeared in the theatre production of Grease , playing the role made famous by another former Eurovision UK participant, Olivia Newton-John, in the film version .She also starrred in Guys and Dolls and portrayed the role of Morticia in The Adams Family .However, UK TV viewers will perhaps know her best for her role as Ronnie Mitchell in the BBC TV soap drama Eastenders under her married surname of Womack.

Where is she now?

Today, Samantha is mother to two children and is in a relationship with UK actor Oliver Farnworth. Following the death of Dame Olivia Newton-John in August 2022 , she announced that she too , had been diagnosed with breast cancer, the illness that was the cause of Olivia ‘s death . She has recently announced that she is now cancer free.She has recently been back on the London West End, playing the part of the White Witch in “Narnia”.

You can see clips of Samantha in her role of Ronnie Mitchell in Eastenders via this YouTube link HERE

Let us know what you think about our HERE TODAY ,GONE TOMORROW Series and the United Kingdom at Eurovision in our comments box below,or you can leave us a comment via Facebook or Twitter.

Author: Sarah Rudman

Source & Image Source : BBC, You Tube, Wikipedia.