Love Shine a Light branch of the Samaritans. In a 1997 interview Katrina and the Waves lead vocalist Katrina Leskanich indicated that it was members of the Samaritans who opined that "Love Shine a Light" "was the type of song which would win the Eurovision Song Contest and [so] at the last minute, [Katrina and the Waves] submitted the song with our £250 [entrance fee]" for consideration to vie in the "", the national preselection round for the UK in Eurovision 1997. It was also reported that Carmina Cooper, the manager of Katrina and the Waves and the wife of Alex Cooper, met up
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 Italy was represented by Enrico Ruggeri, with the song '"Sole d'Europa", at the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 15 May in Millstreet, Ireland. The song was chosen internally by broadcaster RAI; Ruggeri was the winner of the 1993 Sanremo Music Festival, but RAI decided against sending his winning song "Mistero" to Eurovision. Following the 1993 contest, RAI withdrew from Eurovision for the following three years. They made a brief reappearance in 1997, but then withdrew again until 2011. On the night of the final Ruggeri performed first in the running