Gosh, last night was surprising. Switzerland out, Andorra out, Norway out, Israel out, and, er, all three acts I’ve featured this week – Norway, Estonia and Belgium – out.

Which big-hitters does that leave then? With a string of Eastern European countries qualifying from the semi-final, the chances to be leaning their way. The odds will be shortening on Serbia’s powerful ballad. Belarus’s catchy number – which actually came across better live than on the video – must stand a good chance. Qualifying puts both Latvia’s Il Divo knock-off and Georgia’s upbeat wailing in good positions, while early tips Russia and Germany still look strong. The BBC reports that Sweden – with their glam rock number – are third favourites, and that Ukraine are favourites to win. Sigh.

But that’s not until tomorrow. Today, it’s back to “Then and Now”, and the country currently fifth favourite at the bookies’: Greece.

Greece won with their 2005 entry, so last year’s competition was based in Athens, co-hosted by Sakis Rouvas. Two year’s earlier, Sakis was Greece’s entrant, finishing third with a dramatic bodice-ripping performance of Shake It!:

(Anyone else think Sakis has something of the Stephen Talls about him?)

This year’s contender from Greece is London ex-pat Sarbel, who already has a successful Hellenic pop career. His catchy, English language song, which should have an energetic live performance in the Sakis mould, is Yassou Maria: