Eurovision: A song contest in turmoil
Episode description
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.)