Turkey will return to Eurovision in 2018 announces former winner Sertab

In 2012, Can Bonomo represented Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku. His performance of Love Me Back remains Turkey’s last entry into Europe’s favourite entertainment show. Throughout the past few years, several claims have been made stating that Turkey will return to the contest. Unfortunately, these claims never came to fruition. However, in the last few hours, news broke once again that Turkey may indeed be heading to Portugal.

Sertab wishes the best of luck to Turkey’s 2018 representative

According to 12puan.com, last night in an Instagram live story, Turkish Eurovision winner Sertab Erener announced that TRT would return to Eurovision in 2018. During the webchat, Sertab explained how happy she is to be the one and only Turkish Eurovision winner. Nevertheless, she wishes the best of luck to the artist that represents her country in Portugal next year.

In 2003, TRT internally selected Sertab to represent Turkey in Riga. Everyway That I Can beat three other songs in order to be chosen as Sertab’s entry for the contest. Therefore, TRT and Sertab have previously had a very good relationship although it remains unknown just how much insider knowledge Sertab may have 14 years on.

Atiye internally selected for the 2016 contest

Nevertheless, a Turkish return to Eurovision does seem to be consistently on the brink of happening. In an interview with radio station AlemFM, Sinan Akcil revealed that Atiye had been internally selected to represent Turkey in the 2016 contest in Stockholm. Akcil, who had previously Düm Tek Tek for Hadise in 2009, was to be in charge of composing Atiye’s song. Nevertheless, TRT later decided to withdraw their application to take part.

A change of team at TRT

However, Akcil is optimistic that a return for Turkey is on the cards in 2018. He explains that the team at TRT has changed. Therefore, the reluctance of the previous team to compete at Eurovision is no longer an issue.

Do you think Sertab’s revelation is reliable? Furthermore, do you agree that the stars are beginning to align and that Turkey’s Eurovision return in 2018 really could be on the cards? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and via our social media pages @ESCXTRA!