The UK couldn’t be prouder of Sam Ryder after his amazing run in Eurovision 2022, after being beaten by ’s Kalush Orchestra at the .
His incredible achievement of finishing in second place has been lauded across social media, with fans dubbing the singer a ‘national hero’ and some calling for him to receive a knighthood.
Throughout his run in the competition, Sam has proven hugely popular among his fellow Eurovision acts and viewers alike, astounding audiences around the world with his stunning performance of Space Man.
During the jury vote, it seemed like the UK had a strong chance of victory, earning 283 points and storming ahead of Sweden, Spain and Ukraine.
However, the televote saw Ukraine be awarded with an additional 439 points, finishing on 631 points as they raced ahead of their competitors.
Numerous people have gushed over how proud Sam made them feel, both due to the calibre of his performance and as a worthy representative of the nation.
‘Congrats at #SamRyder what a freaking performance and awesome show. Proud of what you have done,’ one person wrote.
‘Sam Ryder is officially a national hero,’ someone else said.
Another person celebrated his run in the contest, tweeting: ‘Huge congratulations to all countries and especially our own Sam Ryder, who has made us super proud and will return as a national hero.’
Meanwhile, one fan enthusiastically put: ‘Sam Ryder needs sports personality of the year, knighthood, everything we can throw at that man we should even if he’s unqualified for it.’
Several celebrities also voiced how incredibly inspired they felt by Sam, with Blue – who competed in Eurovision in 2011, writing: ‘Well done @SamRyderMusic. We are so proud of you, thank you for carrying the flag.’
‘Well done #Ukraine ?? Brilliant stuff @SamRyderMusic … you took us to the left side of the leaderboard & showed us that maybe everyone doesn’t hate us as much as we thought ? #Eurovision,’ tweeted news broadcaster Dan Walker.
Radio presenter Scott Mills shared a video of himself with Sam and TV presenter Rylan Clarke behind the scenes at Eurovision after the final result was announced, as Sam celebrated ‘destroying the stigma’ that appears to surround the competition in the UK.
‘Just destroyed the stigma! Thanks everyone for supporting. That was an incredible, incredible, rewarding journey. I hope you enjoyed it!’ he said to the camera, as chants for the UK could be heard in the background.
Eurovision is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
