Ireland’s Eurovision entry Bambie Thug ‘cried’ when Israel qualified for grand final-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Bambie Thug said Irsael’s inclusion was ‘overshadowing everything'(Picture: AP)

Ireland’s Eurovision Song Contest 2024 entry Bambie Thug has said they cried after discovering Israel would compete in the grand final.

Israel’s entry Eden Golan qualified after Thursday’s semi-final with her song Hurricane amid pro-Palestinian protests in Malmo, Sweden over the country’s inclusion.

Bambie, who uses the pronouns they/them, wore a keffiyeh material, commonly used to suggest pro-Palestinian leanings, and carried Irish flags when they spoke to journalists ahead of the event at Malmo Arena.

Asked how they felt when Golan qualified, the singer, who has become the first Irish entry to make the final since 2018, said: ‘I cried with my team.’

Discussing Israel’s inclusion, they added: ‘It is a complete overshadow of everything, goes against everything that Eurovision is meant to be.

‘It’s a big, big community together and their contestant was never allowed to even meet us.

Bambie said they cried with their team when Israel qualified for the final (Picture: Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty Images)

‘God forbid we have some conversation where minds might be changed.

‘It’s definitely putting a cloud above it for everyone.’

Bambie, along with UK entry Olly Alexander and acts from Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Switzerland, Denmark, Lithuania and Finland, previously signed a shared statement addressing Israel.

In it, they said they do ‘not feel comfortable being silent’ and ‘stand united against all forms of hate’.

Previously speaking about their decision to sign the statement, Bambie, 31, told Metro.co.uk: ‘We couldn’t stay silent on the matter. I basically said what I wanted to say in my statement, but it is down to the EBU and it is down to even my broadcaster.

There have been repeated calls for the EBU to drop Israel from the competition (Picture: Reuters)

‘I’m getting a lot of targeted abuse that I don’t think it’s entirely fair, actually, when I’m not the one that’s making the decisions, but I am extremely pro Palestine and it is disappointing that the EBU has made this this decision because I don’t think it’s correct.’

Since it was announced Israel was competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 there has been a huge backlash, with dedicated fans deciding to boycott the event.

The annual singing competition’s organiser, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), even made a rare comment on the country’s inclusion but refused to ban them as a ‘non-political’ body.

Despite the EBU’s stance, campaigners have repeatedly put pressure on the body to reverse its decision due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has now claimed thousands of lives.

Bambie said the controversy had put a ‘cloud over’ everybody’s heads (Picture: Jessica Gow/TT/Shutterstock)

Golan was also forced to change the lyrics of her song October Rain, after it caused controversy as they were thought to reference the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Golan’s Jury show performance was booed and filled with chants of Free Palestine from the audience. One X user called the atmosphere ‘horrible’ and tension-filled.

However, during the semi-final on Thursday, Golan was applauded and cheered by the audience while singing Hurricane, which some fans suspected was ‘fake’ and later inserted into a stream of the performance.

The EBU denied censoring the audience and said in a statement to Metro.co.uk: ‘Just like in all major TV productions with an audience, SVT work on the broadcast sound to even out the levels for TV viewers. 

Golan qualified for the finals after her semi-final performance (Picture: Jessica Gow/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images)

‘This is solely to achieve as balanced a sound mix as possible for the audience; and SVT do not censor sound from the arena audience. 

‘The same principle applies to all competing performances and opening and interval acts.

‘The EBU and SVT encourage all audiences to attend in the spirit of the Contest, embracing its values of inclusivity, celebrating diversity and being United By Music.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted the EBU for comment.

The Eurovision Song Contest grand final airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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