Olly Alexander has revealed the bizarre code name his managers used when discussing his involvement in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
The Years & Years frontman, 33, announced during Saturday’s live final of Strictly Come Dancing that he is the UK entry for the song competition next year.
He will represent the UK in Sweden in 2024 after he revealed to Hits Radio Breakfast on Tuesday that he had been keen to do it for many years.
During the interview, Olly revealed that over the last two months, his managers had a codename for his involvement with Eurovision, ‘Operation Cauliflower’.
Speaking to Fleur East, James and Matt, Olly revealed how he’s been keen to do Eurovision for many years.
Olly Alexander has revealed the bizarre code name his managers used when discussing his involvement in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
He will represent the UK in Sweden in 2024 after he revealed to Hits Radio Breakfast on Tuesday that he had been keen to do it for many years
The Years & Years frontman, announced during Saturday’s live final of Strictly Come Dancing that he would be the UK entry for the song competition next year in Sweden
He admitted that he had been in the running for it a while back but removed himself from the process, thinking the time wasn’t quite right.
Telling Fleur and the team how he found out he’d been chosen, he said: ‘I found out for sure it was going to happen about two months ago; my manager called me… both my managers FaceTimed me, and I could see their faces.’
He went on to say how he just knew from their faces, that he’d been chosen.
The King star revealed that over the last two months, they’ve had a codename for his involvement with Eurovision, and they decided on ‘Operation Cauliflower’.
When Fleur said: ‘I guess no one would guess that would they?’ Olly agreed: ‘Well there you go!’
Olly has been working on the song for a while, with pop producer Danny L Harle.
Olly and Danny – who has worked with the likes of Dua Lipa and Charli XCX – have also been working on Olly’s album, which is nearly finished, and as part of the process, they worked on the new Eurovision song.
‘This song we wrote together, right from the beginning it felt like an exciting song,’ the ‘Desire’ singer explained, admitting: ‘We didn’t know really if it was the one for Eurovision or not, and then once people heard it, and they were like ‘it’s this song’.’
During the interview, Olly revealed that over the last two months, his managers had a codename for his involvement with Eurovision, ‘Operation Cauliflower’
When Fleur said: ‘I guess no one would guess that would they?’ Olly agreed: ‘Well there you go!’
Some eagle-eyed fans have noticed the number 26 popping up a lot in one of Olly’s TikToks announcing the news, so James quizzed him on the significance, but Olly was staying tight-lipped on that one, saying: ‘If I told you, I feel like something would come down from the ceiling and like I’d get arrested!’
James then asked: ‘Is it the release date, or something to do with the song, can you at least tell us that?’
To which, Olly replied: ‘It’s not the release date.’
It comes after he promised to ‘fly the flag for the UK in the gayest way possible’.
Olly appeared on Radio 2 on Monday and told host Rylan about how he is preparing for his performance, teasing that it will require ‘extreme physical fitness’.
He said: ‘Whatever I’m going to be doing, it’s going to require some extreme physical fitness from me because I know that, when I was on tour, I started singing the songs on the treadmill… so I’ve started doing that. I’ve started hula hooping and singing the song.’
Asked to sum up what fans can expect, Olly said: ‘Drama!’ before adding: ‘I think it’s going to be one of the craziest experiences of my life.’
He also opened up about how hard it was to keep the news a secret, revealing his mum had a ‘panic attack’ when she found out because she was so excited.
He added that becoming the UK entry was ‘like a dream’ and vowed he would ‘be pulling out all the stops’ in Malmö next year.
Olly explained: ‘It’s an overwhelming feeling because obviously I’ve known about this for a little while, let’s say, and keeping it a secret was hard and I kind of forgot that people would know and, sort of, have a reaction!
‘Everyone’s been super supportive, I’m just so so excited, it’s a bit like a dream. I can’t believe it’s really happening…
‘I’m already so proud of the song and just the fact that I’m going to be taking part and you’d best believe I’m going to be pulling out all the stops for this performance.’
He went on: ‘Oh gosh my mum, she was having a panic attack. I told her when I found out – I was, like, ‘You can’t tell anyone mum’ and she was just like, ‘Oh my god, what am I going to do?’
‘She’s just been so so excited, she can’t wait and hopefully I can bring her to Sweden.’
Olly has also been given support by the UK’s last two Eurovision entrants, Sam Ryder and Mae Muller.
He divulged: ‘I’ve had some lovely messages from Sam and Mae actually…. I need to have a proper conversation with both of them. We’re part of a [Eurovision] family now!’
It comes after he promised to ‘fly the flag for the UK in the gayest way possible’ when he appeared on Radio 2 on Monday and told host Rylan about how he is preparing for his performance, teasing that it will require ‘extreme physical fitness’
