X Factor’s Saara Aalto to represent home country Finland in Eurovision 2018
SAARA Aalto will represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, The Sun’s Bizarre column can exclusively reveal.
The X Factor runner-up has snubbed numerous offers from the BBC to be the UK’s entrant at the annual song contest.
Instead she has opted to represent her home country at next year’s event in Lisbon, Portugal.
In an exclusive interview, Saara revealed: “I am very honoured and very excited to be representing Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest next year.
“Because I did so well in X Factor UK, Finland were really keen to have me.
“It has always been my dream to do Eurovision since I was a child."
She added: “I’ve tried to get to Eurovision many times in Finland - this is my fifth time lucky.
“I have really wanted this for years so I am very, very excited and I think this is the perfect timing for it.
“All the experience from X Factor UK I can use that – I know what I’m doing on a big stage.
“It’s very exciting and it’s going to be my biggest performance yet.”
Saara will also be teaming up with X Factor choreographer Brian Friedman on production for her Eurovision set.
She said: “He did all the creative for X Factor UK and we were a perfect match so we are getting back together.
"It’s going to be just like X Factor but bigger.”
Last week The Sun revealed that Saara had been approached by the Beeb to be the UK’s representative.
And while Saara will now be the UK’s rival competitor – the star is glad her UK fans will be able to vote for her.
Eurovision rules state viewers cannot vote for their home competitor.
She said: “It’s still something I’ll do for my British fans as well as my British fans can vote for me you know."
“They couldn’t vote for me if I did it for Britain.
“Lots of people were voting for me on X Factor UK so I’m excited we can now do it again.
“It’s like going back to X Factor but it’s even bigger because Eurovision has so many more viewers.”
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