X Factor star to enter Eurovision

Sir Terry used his "wildcard" option to pick Andy Abraham

X Factor runner-up Andy Abraham has been chosen as the UK's entry for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest after winning a live public vote on BBC One.

Abraham, 43, beat five other competitors in the Eurovision: Your Decision contest with his song Even If.

The other hopefuls were Ex-EastEnders star Michelle Gayle, Simona Armstrong, Rob McVeigh and two girlbands LoveShy and The Revelations.

Eurovision, taking place in Belgrade on 24 May, will feature 43 countries.

'Wildcard' played

All six acts performed before judges John Barrowman, Carrie Grant and Sir Terry Wogan, who also co-presented the show with Claudia Winkleman.

This year, the six acts were split into three categories - soloists, groups and musical show finalists - and they competed head-to-head.

Gayle had a number four hit with Sweetness in 1994

The judges picked an act from each category to go through to compete in the public vote.

LoveShy performed first but failed to impress, which meant The Revelations made it to the next stage.

Former Joseph contestant McVeigh was the next to be knocked out with his competition Armstrong, who appeared in the BBC One show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, going through.

Gayle was chosen from the soloist category but Sir Terry put Abraham through after playing his "wildcard" option.

On hearing the announcement Abraham looked completely stunned saying: "Oh my God".

Earlier, he said that winning would be a "dream come true".

'Genuine love'

The former dustman appeared in the second series of the X Factor in 2005 and lost out to Shayne Ward.

A year later he released his debut album, The Impossible Dream, which reached number two in the UK Top 40 charts.

His follow-up record, Soul Man, reached number 19.

The father-of-two described his Eurovision song, which he wrote himself, as a "funky love-song about a guy who's found genuine love with a girl".

Scooch sang their song Flying the Flag at the Eurovision contest 2007

Even If will also be the title track of his third album which he is currently working on.

"A turkey is one of the contenders for this year's Irish entry. For the past few years, we've been picking a turkey for the UK," said Sir Terry.

"Let's hope that the British public will make the right decision this year and give the UK's entry a fighting chance against the Eastern Bloc in Belgrade in May."

Last year's contest to choose the UK's Eurovision entry hit the headlines after Sir Terry mistakenly declared singer Cyndi the winner.

Four-piece group Scooch had actually won the public vote, going on to perform Flying The Flag (For You) in Helsinki and finishing 23rd out of 24 competitors.