TikTok star Sam Ryder is reportedly being lined up to represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

According to the The Mirror, BBC bosses are preparing to reveal the viral star as this year’s entrant with his recent single ‘Space Man’.

Ryder found viral acclaim after he started posting covers and at-home karaoke tracks at the beginning of lockdown in March 2020. By the end of the year, he was crowned TikTok’s most popular artist account.

With 7.7million followers and a range of famous fans including Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys, Ryder recently performed for an NME Home Sessions performance.

It was announced last year that TaP Music – the global music publishing and management company behind the likes of Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey – will collaborate with the BBC to choose a track and artist to represent the UK at the Song Contest.

Meanwhile, Russia was recently banned from competing in this year’s Eurovision following backlash to an earlier statement from organisers saying the country would be allowed to compete despite launching a military assault on Ukraine.

Ukraine officially severed diplomatic ties with Russia, and declared martial law, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation last month.

Ukraine’s entrant, Alina Pash, will also no longer represent her home country at this year’s event, the competition also recently announced.

Among those vying to compete are Iceland’s Daughters of Reykjavík and Scandinavian neighbours The Rasmus.

Eurovision 2022 will take place at the PalaOlimpico in Turin, Italy, with the Grand Final set for May 14. Last year’s Eurovision was won by the Italian band Måneskin.