(realise I sound odd only referencing one song - I've seen Daði before so have luckily heard his bops from esc live already, first time for Montaigne though!)

Hannah from Southend, you have my heart on this, you're actually speaking for us all so well despite not thinking you're in the bubble

He was in 2024 tbh, he talked down someone so dismissively who clearly was a eurofan but still very eloquently explaining why the country participating wasn't a good thing as it stood, because they spoke in specifics on the act etc. I wonder if it'll happen with this topic too?

This isn't, as the host is suggesting, irrelevant because it's small potatoes in relation to actual genocide. No, 6 or so countries pulling out won't stop the conflict tomorrow, but it does show state broadcasters aren't going to continue associating with the perpetrator's messaging service /3

And in real terms, there is a massive chance that the country will win in 26, because of the clear manipulated public voting we already know goes on and have seen this past year. The contest is finished if that happens, full stop /2

To actually answer his question, the broadcasters giving their position on withdrawing are fairly saying they're fed up of sharing a platform with the state messaging service (not, of course, anything to do with religious heritage), with ambivalence (at best) from the EBU already /1

Indeed I am, the whiplash I had at suddenly hearing a discussion on Eurovision (I think the last time this happened was ESC week in 2024, yet again about that country participating)

it's so odd hearing someone on Proper Grown Up Radio talking about broadcasters and what their stance is likely to be, when we in our world have known these views for months

The lady talking about it sounded a delight though, Gåte getting some love on a Thursday afternoon ❤️

(and now there's disco Nel blu dipinto di blu, what a world)

And finally, I only accurately predicted one position correctly (which out of 26 is shameful and I should hang up my stats hat) - I did indeed have 🇬🇷 finishing 6th, a very strong result for yet another sleeper agent of a song that I'm surprised did better with the tele than the jury (only just)

Never count out 🇮🇹 - I said a lot in the real world this year that they could sneak up if there were clear tele/jury splits - it ended up not really happening that way but Lucio getting a good score and doing it his own way shows how much authenticity can be appreciated

I am so proud of 🇱🇻 - I had actually expected a better televote points haul over jury but it clearly worked regardless, and if this leads to more Latvian down the line I'm here for it

The most balanced jury/televote outcome (J 23 / T 24) being 🇱🇺 makes total sense

Neither 🇫🇮 nor 🇫🇷 finishing top 5 is a big surprise for me (some might say 🇨🇭/🇳🇱 but their televote scores were never going to flourish - the 0 for Zoe though was harsh) - obvs that country and 🇪🇪 hoovered up televote points but we've got to ask how much of 🇫🇮's momentum especially was wishful thinking?

🇺🇦 winning their semi and still being announced last to qualify, when was the last time that happened? You have to wonder if it lost them some momentum, we'll likely not see another winner announced last in the near future

And like I said yesterday, that is the tip of the iceberg to the whole mess with that country and likely won't even make a real dent in limiting their pull, but that's for the EBU to decide if they care more on one country or the entire legacy of their show