The time has come for the public to decide who it will send to Moscow to represent the UK for Eurovision 2009.

After his heartfelt plea last October when Andrew Lloyd Webber told the UK, “Your Country Needs You”, Andrew and his casting team have scoured the country for the finest Euro-wannabes the UK has to offer, and scrutinised more than 1,000 showreels and audition tapes deep in his BBC bunker.

Now, Andrew Lloyd Webber and his team of music industry professionals have decided on the all-important six final acts.

They are: Charlotte, aged 17 from Essex; Damien, a London-based pianist/musician/songwriter and performer; the five-piece Emperors of Soul; identical twin sisters, Francine and Nicola, from South Yorkshire; Jade, a soul-singer from London; and, currently playing Prince Charming in panto, Mark, 23, from North Wales.

These acts were revealed at the end of BBC One’s Your Country Needs You tonight (Saturday 3 January 2009).

The programme also followed Andrew’s fact-finding tour around Euro-hot spots, and was interspersed with glimpses of some of those who were going through the call-back process.

From Saturday 10 January, Your Country Needs You viewers get their chance to have a say in the proceedings.

Over the next four live shows, hosted by Graham Norton, one act will leave the series until the winner is found who will represent the UK in Moscow in May.

In the meantime, the world famous musical maestro is chomping at the bit to begin composing the song that will be performed in the enormous Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Moscow, for the 54th annual sing-off.

Andrew Lloyd Webber says: “Our chosen acts face a terrific challenge if they make it to Moscow. On the one hand they have to entertain more than 20,000 people in a vast arena, on the other they have to engage with over 100 million viewers sitting at home watching in their front room.”

He also had this insight into his own challenge as the song’s composer.

“I think everybody would’ve loved to have written Waterloo wouldn’t they?,” he says.

“Are you Sure? by The Allisons (1961, UK entry) and Love Is Blue (Vicky Leandros’ entry for Luxembourg, 1967, sung in French – L’amour est bleu) are also really good songs. Over the years, it’s quite surprising what has come through.

“But I believe the key is to get back to concentrating on song itself and not being formulaic. I think that’s the right way to approach Eurovision.”

Your Country Needs You first live show is on BBC One, Saturday 10 January 2009, 6.45pm.