Eurovision: A song contest in turmoil

欧洲歌唱大赛:一场动荡中的歌曲竞赛

The Global Story

2026-05-14

26 分钟
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This Saturday, the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest final takes place in Vienna, and this year’s competition is again mired in controversy. A boycott over Israel’s participation by several countries, including Spain and Ireland, threatens to put the competition’s stance of political neutrality to the test. And it is part of a wider debate over which countries should be allowed to compete in prestigious international arts and sports competitions. We speak to William Lee Adams, a culture reporter at the BBC who also runs a Eurovision YouTube channel, to unpack the controversy surrounding this year’s contest and discuss whether politics and art can ever really be separated. Producer: Sam Chantarasak Sound engineer: Travis Evans Executive producer: James Shield Senior News Editor: China Collins (Photo: Noam Bettan of Israel performs during the first semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, 12 May 2026. Credit: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA/Shuttershock.)
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  • Welcome our amazing 26 finalists.

  • It's the now traditional flag parade kicked off in style by the drum corps from Basel.

  • There 's a moment every year when dozens of singers, probably dressed in sequins or latex or maybe even leather,

  • parade across a huge stage to the sound of screaming fans and some pretty heavy Euro pop beats.

  • And they're waving the flags of their countries.

  • This is the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.

  • The Eurovision Song Contest has been described as the most watched entertainment show in the world.

  • Last year, more than 160 million people tuned in.

  • Now, to put that in American terms, for some context, that is a bigger audience than the Super Bowl.

  • And this year, Americans can watch it all on YouTube.

  • But this weekend, when that flag parade takes place, it'll be missing a handful of countries.

  • Within minutes of the announcement that Israel would be competing, the boycott began.

  • It's one of the biggest TV events of the year in the world.