Eurovision song contest

[LilacLobster]

I couldn't be arsed to vote this year, as none of the songs really grabbed me (although I quite liked Serbia's brave effort to bring heavy metal back, and the Croatian tattoo'd ladies with their shamanistic chanting were rather nice).
I was a bit surprised that Israel did as well as they did, as their song was nowhere near as strong as last years. In 2025, Yuval Raphael clearly won a huge public sympathy vote for surviving the Nova music festival massacre and really should have won.
This year, with a much weaker song, I can only guess that their huge public vote was the public desire to stick two fingers up to the islamists and the far left who are doing their damnedest to make antisemitism the acceptable and even trendy form of racism.
Enjoy Eurovision for what it is - a camp and rather silly excuse for a get-together and a booze up! The more that the bigots try to get the Jewish people and their homeland cancelled, the more I will oppose such bigots!

I didn't really want to get dragged into this, but I think the issue is more that Israel has been accused of war crimes by the ICC, of genocide by groups like Amnesty International, has killed over 70,000 people in two and a half years, has long had illegal settlements in Gaza, and it seems reasonable to me to ask why they aren't facing similar sanctions on entertainment and sport as Russia are. Antisemitism is real and sadly is growing, but the term is also being weaponised by some to silence any criticism of Israel and its government, and it's very important not to conflate the two. There is no other country where anyone would argue that criticism of its government means you have a problem with the primary religion there.

But yes, the political element to it is increasingly hard to ignore. Greece and Cyprus should be told to pack in it with the constant awarding of 12 points to each other, especially from the judges. That bland Israel entry wouldn't have got many points at all if any other country had entered it, and it does seem like we're seen as one of the big powers that most of Europe would rather not vote for, although Germany and France could probably make the same complaint.

I don't think they hate us, but we are failing to connect with them and if we're being serious, maybe we need to look at our attitude towards the competition and the songs we're entering. I think we should remember that almost everyone who we want to vote for us will speak English as a second or third language, if at all. It's disrespectful in a way because other countries are doing the whole thing in our language, and then we're not helping them by throwing in Britishisms and overly specific language they're not going to understand, then thinking we're doing our bit for international relations by throwing in a bit of token German. I couldn't really understand what the UK entry was all about myself to be honest, so how can we expect someone in Moldova or so to pick up on references to jam roly-poly and custard or whatever it was? Same with the woman who announced the UK's votes, she was gabbling and you could tell the Austrians weren't following her.

If you want to be understood, keep communication clear, and music is a form of communication after all. I imagine most of the songs that have won Eurovision have had pretty simple and direct lyrics that don't require much analysis, Bangaranga being a good example.

[George 1978]

I bet that in six months' time, Look Mum No Computer (or Sam Battle) will be completely forgotten about apart from in Kent where he's based, I assume. Even then I don't think anyone would bat an eyelid if he walked down his local High Street. He did look as if he was parodying a 1980s Kwik-Fit advert in those boiler suits! LMNC was just the wrong type of person for the contest. Italy's entry was really quirky and memorable and the tune inflicts the brain, not to mention the fact that their song was played towards the end.

Perhaps the UK should be an outsider looking in from the outside as from next year onwards? What I mean is that the BBC can still broadcast the contest but not participate just like a lot of non-European countries? Or get Lloyd-Webber, Elton John or McCartney to pen the next song?

[zabadak]

I didn't watch this year - first one I've missed in ages - as it was Cup Final day. Looks like I didn't miss much although the game was terrible and my team lost anyway!

[Cartimand]

I couldn't be arsed to vote this year, as none of the songs really grabbed me (although I quite liked Serbia's brave effort to bring heavy metal back, and the Croatian tattoo'd ladies with their shamanistic chanting were rather nice).
I was a bit surprised that Israel did as well as they did, as their song was nowhere near as strong as last years. In 2025, Yuval Raphael clearly won a huge public sympathy vote for surviving the Nova music festival massacre and really should have won.
This year, with a much weaker song, I can only guess that their huge public vote was the public desire to stick two fingers up to the islamists and the far left who are doing their damnedest to make antisemitism the acceptable and even trendy form of racism.
Enjoy Eurovision for what it is - a camp and rather silly excuse for a get-together and a booze up! The more that the bigots try to get the Jewish people and their homeland cancelled, the more I will oppose such bigots!

[George 1978]

Bulgaria received 516 points, which of course is 516 times more than the number of points that the UK received. I am just glad that Israel didn't win - I like to think of them in their late 1970s Milk and Honey heyday.

Oh, I also had the Lithuanian coverage of the contest on my computer just like last year - so much for no computer...

[George 1978]

Bulgaria won for the first time which seems rather rare these days. Thank you to Ukraine who gave the UK its only point - the lowest we have been without scoring zero. Dara is just one letter difference from the 1970 winner, Dana. I nearly had a heart attack when it looked as if Israel was going to win - probably four countries would have taken part next year if that was the case, and the war was still going on.

Spent 15p (ironically enough, the lowest amount of money I have ever paid with my debit card) in order to vote for Delta Goodrem and Australia online at esc.vote - at least the UK doesn't have those Premium Rate telephone numbers this year which pleases me. It would be ironic considering the title of the UK entry that if I did have no computer, then I wouldn't have been able to vote for them.

[TubThumper]

Well, Eurovision 2026 certainly seemed to continue the trend of the contest becoming as much about headlines and controversy as the actual music itself.

In the end, Bulgaria won with Dara’s song Bangaranga, which apparently was something of an upset victory as Finland had been heavily tipped beforehand. Australia also did very well again with Delta Goodrem’s Eclipse, which probably adds even more fuel to the “why is Australia even in Eurovision?” debate!

What struck me from reading about this year’s event was how much discussion centred around politics, protests, boycotts and voting controversies rather than the songs themselves. There were even countries refusing to participate because of wider world events. Years ago, Eurovision felt more like a harmless, eccentric music competition with questionable outfits, smoke machines and Terry Wogan.

[TubThumper]

And of course, another controversy when the guys of Bucks Fizz ripped off the outer garments of their female counterparts.

[TubThumper]

I heard that Canada could even join as well - I wonder if that would become a reality in the years ahead?

That’s part of the reason I’ve gradually lost interest in Eurovision over the years. It used to feel like a uniquely European event with countries bringing their own musical styles and identities to the table. Now it sometimes feels like it’s drifting into a much broader entertainment brand rather than what it originally was.

Australia joining still feels odd to me, even after all these years. I understand why they were invited — the contest has a huge fanbase there — but it did slightly blur the boundaries of what Eurovision actually is. If Canada ever joined, then where would it stop? You could end up with half the globe taking part eventually!

Mind you, Eurovision has always evolved. Older viewers probably said the same thing when it moved away from orchestras, formal ballads and singers standing perfectly still in evening wear. Perhaps every generation has its own “it’s not like it used to be anymore” moment with it.

I still have a soft spot for the classic era though — when the biggest controversy was whether the UK got “nil points” and Terry Wogan was muttering sarcastic comments over the postcards!

[TubThumper]

I must admit, Eurovision is something I’ve drifted away from over the years. I used to enjoy it purely for the music, the different cultures, the oddball performances and the sense of a shared European event. There was always an element of neighbour voting and politics lurking in the background, but nowadays it feels like the political side often overshadows the songs themselves.

That’s probably why I struggle to become invested in it now. The actual songwriting almost feels secondary at times, which is a shame because Eurovision has produced some genuinely great pop songs over the decades.

I can understand why some people feel uncomfortable about current events influencing the atmosphere surrounding the contest, whichever side of the argument they fall on. At the same time, Eurovision has always reflected what is happening in Europe culturally and politically to some extent — perhaps more now than ever because of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.

I do miss the days when it simply felt like a slightly cheesy but enjoyable Saturday night music event where everyone argued over key changes, terrible outfits and whether the UK entry had any chance whatsoever!

[George 1978]

I heard that Canada could even join as well - I wonder if that would become a reality in the years ahead?

[darren]

I saw it a few yrs ago.
Its changed so much too much.

It should be straight forward.

No australia in it.
Only european nations.

[George 1978]

Azerbaijan has "just gone" and won't appear in the final. ("Just Go" is such an apt phrase for Starmer at this moment in time!)

I will officially endorse Australia in the televote this year with Delta Goodrem and her song Eclipse.

[George 1978]

Also, never mind Eurovision songs with political lyrics, but perhaps Sir Keir Starmer should take advice from the title of this year's entry from Azerbaijan, perhaps?

Just a thought...

[George 1978]

San Marino and Estonia out - Israel has managed to fluke it into the final which is insulting to those who have been affected by the recent war. Carry on like this and I don't think that I will see Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia participating for many years to come, and other countries will probably join them depending on how long it will go on for.

So Boy George wasn't popular enough, then? I am certain that from a UK perspective, as well as the LGBT communities in this country, they would have given the song enough support to keep it afloat and onwards into the final - or perhaps San Marino is too much of a small minnow in the Eurovision pond to have some backbone? Out of the second semi-final, I am going to endorse Delta Goodrem for Australia, probably because she seems to be the only person in the second semi-final that I have heard of. Besides, in 2022 I endorsed Sheldon Riley who had represented Australia as soon as he had made it into the final; the main reason for my endorsement was because Riley had Asperger Syndrome.

I also think that it's time that the semi-finals were abolished and only the first 25 countries which had declared their participation would immediately make it to the final on a first come, first served basis; or make it a seven hour show with all 35 countries taking part. The winning song would no doubt get well over 1,000 points in total from the jury and televotes.