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The 1987 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Brussels, Belgium. Viktor Laszlo was the host of the 32nd edution of the competition which was won by Ireland. 

Belgium had the honour of hosting the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in the country's history. The highest number of participants ever, 22, entered the contest in 1987. Greece and Italy returned to the contest after a year of absence. The 1986 contest was won by a Walloon entry, but in 1987 the Flemish broadcaster, BRT, was responsible for the Belgian entry. BRT also wanted to co-organise the contest, but the Walloon broadcaster, RTBF decided to organise the event on its own. The presenter of the 3-hour-show was the successful Belgian artist Viktor Laszlo who opened the contest presenting her latest song Breathless.

Johnny Logan makes history

The winner of the 1987 contest was Hold Me Now performed and written by Johnny Logan, who had already won in 1980 with What's Another Year and had written the second-placed song in 1984 Terminal 3 performed in Luxembourg by Linda Martin. Johnny is the only singer to date to win the contest twice as a singer.

Facts and figures 

  • Germany came second this year with the song Lass die Sonne in dein Herz by the group Wind. For the group, it was the second silver ranking after being the runner up in 1985. The song still ranks as one of the best-known Eurovision hits in Denmark.
  • Italy sent two internationally-known stars to Eurovision this year; Tozzi & Raf. Raf had written the worldwide hit Self Control three years earlier which was both a hit for him and for the cover-version by Laura Branigan.
  • The UK scored its worst placing at the time, 13th, with the song Only The Light performed by Rikki.