BBC respond to Eurovision complaints: “Some aspects of the broadcast…didn’t appeal to everyone”

nme.com:

BBC has responded to complaints about this year’s Eurovision coverage saying “some aspects of the broadcast…didn’t appeal to everyone.”Viewer ratings for this year’s competition plunged amid multiple controversies and calls for a boycott.This year, the contest faced criticism for its inclusion of Israel amid their role in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.Due to this political neutrality clause, the EBU announced they reserved the right to remove Palestinian flags and symbols, and would go on to censor Irish contestant Bambie Thug for wearing the word ‘ceasefire’ and ‘freedom for Palestine’ as a hidden message on their costume.Israel’s inclusion prompted boycott calls from the LGBT+ community towards UK entry Olly Alexander, reasoning that the competition was “providing cultural cover and endorsement for the catastrophic violence that Israel has unleashed on Palestinians.”Over 1,000 Swedish artists called for Israel to be banned this year – including Robyn, Fever Ray, and First Aid Kit – and more than 1,400 Finnish music industry professionals have signed a petition to ban the country from taking part in the contest as well.

Over 400 Irish artists also called on Bambie Thug to boycott the contest too.However, Israel’s broadcaster Kan later issued a statement claiming that the Israeli delegation “faced immense pressure and an unprecedented display of hatred, notably from other delegations and artists, publicly and collectively, solely because of the simple fact that we are Israelis and that we were there,” it said.“Throughout the journey, the delegation maintained a dignified and respectful approach towards artists and other delegations, striving to foster unity around music while adhering to the competition’s rules,.