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.
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Chapters:
01:03 What is the appeal of Eurovision?
03:16 A basic guide to Eurovision
06:13 Why are Israel and Australia in Eurovision?
07:44 No politics in Eurovision
09:37 What was so controversial at Malmo 2024?
12:00 What happened in the 2025 voting?
15:12 Why are some countries boycotting this year?
17:55 Isn’t all art political?
20:07 Do boycotts serve any purpose?
