Eurovision 2012: Engelbert Humperdinck as Sweden races to victory

Temporarly it looked like he might be set for an upsetting last place complete but luckily Engelbert Humperdinck were able to avoid total humiliation tonight.

The 76-year-old crooner opened the 57th Eurovision 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan having a performance of his ballad Love Sets You Free and although he'd hoped to get rid of the curse of opening acts neglecting to win, unfortunately it really wasn't his night.

Even taking to the level wearing a unique 'tcb' [taking good care of business] necklace directed at him through the late Elvis Presley like a good luck charm, couldn't help him defeat the Sweden's Loreen, the runaway winner on 372 points along with her track Euphoria.

For any brief moment, as UK media went right into a frenzied reminiscence of times his voluminous sideburns held the Beatles away, i was capable of delude ourselves which he might just be the right man to bring back national pride in the contest many of us stopped caring about across the same time Engelbert stopped having hits.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Hump.

Reality bit home the moment Engelbert actually needed to remain true on the vast stage in Eastern Europe, a classic man inside a sombre suit tenderly crooning an acoustic waltz, his aging voice creaking in the edges because he went to the standard big key change finale.