UK's entry was kicked out in the semifinal, I thought.

Yes, that is correct:
http://www.eurovision.tv/english/2038.htm

Eventhough there is a lot of music to select from in the UK, I always get amazed that they manage to find things that both are so boring, so bad and so crappy year after year. Because they do try to find the worst stuff, don't they?

The same goes for France too.