Eurovision lost almost a quarter of its UK viewers compared with last year’s Liverpool extravaganza, amid a row over Israel’s participation.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside the Malmö Arena before the final, including the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was among those escorted away by police.
In March, Olly Alexander and several other entrants rejected the demands, stating their belief in “the unifying power of music, enabling people to transcend differences and foster meaningful conversations and connections”.
Alexander posted a response on Instagram, writing: “I wholeheartedly support action being taken to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the return of all hostages and the safety and security of all civilians in Palestine and Israel.
Alexander’s father, David Thornton, told BBC News he was surprised by the result, but that it had been a “fantastic learning experience” for his son.
The Labour MP Stella Creasy congratulated Alexander on his performance, writing on X: “In any other competition, the UK entry is objectively an actual pop song.
The original article contains 776 words, the summary contains 168 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Eurovision lost almost a quarter of its UK viewers compared with last year’s Liverpool extravaganza, amid a row over Israel’s participation.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside the Malmö Arena before the final, including the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was among those escorted away by police.
In March, Olly Alexander and several other entrants rejected the demands, stating their belief in “the unifying power of music, enabling people to transcend differences and foster meaningful conversations and connections”.
Alexander posted a response on Instagram, writing: “I wholeheartedly support action being taken to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the return of all hostages and the safety and security of all civilians in Palestine and Israel.
Alexander’s father, David Thornton, told BBC News he was surprised by the result, but that it had been a “fantastic learning experience” for his son.
The Labour MP Stella Creasy congratulated Alexander on his performance, writing on X: “In any other competition, the UK entry is objectively an actual pop song.
The original article contains 776 words, the summary contains 168 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!