BBC Breakfast hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay came under fire after over-reporting about the Eurovision Song Contest ahead of its grand final on 13 May.
BBC Breakfast is one of the UK's most popular morning TV shows, with millions of viewers tuning in every day to catch up on the latest news and entertainment. However, the show has recently come under fire from some viewers who are already 'sick to death' of its coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest and commonplace technical blunders.
Why are viewers unhappy with BBC Breakfast?
Before the semi finals yesterday evening, the host Jon Kay, aged 53, shared to his colleague Sally Nugent, aged 51, that he was excited about the initial preview. He said: 'You might have heard, the wait is over. The first of the semi-finals for Eurovision takes place tonight in Liverpool. And it's fair to say the city, all of us... the whole country is buzzing.'
On #BBCBreakfast Carol is on a magical mystery tour of Liverpool ahead of the Eurovision final.
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) May 11, 2023
Where will she pop up next with the weather pic.twitter.com/TKHdVWqBSi
He continued, introducing the show's format: '15 countries competing for the 10 places in the final from this semi-final and there is so much interest because what we have are some of the most fancy songs in the competition.'
However, not all viewers of the morning show have shared the same level of enthusiasm for the event, with many viewers expressing their displeasure at the amount of airtime the show has dedicated to the event.
According to The Sun, some viewers have even gone as far as to say that they are 'sick to death' of the coverage, while others have described it as 'overblown c**p'.
One sarcastically said: 'Does anyone know when Eurovision is on? The BBC have barely mentioned it... #BBCBreakfast.'
Another blaseted: 'Sick to death of the Eurovision coverage. #BBCBreakfast.'
A third complained: 'SECOND f***ing Eurovision piece in half an hour on @BBCBreakfast.'
The first 10 finalists for Eurovision 2023
Despite the backlash, the Eurovision Song Contest is still one of the biggest events on the European music calendar, and this year's contest is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent years. The first round of semifinals was held on Tuesday night, and there were some clear trends that emerged from the performances which led to 10 finalists.
One trend that was particularly evident was the move towards up-tempo, electronic pop. According to DW.com, Scandinavian countries, in particular, are looking strong this year, with acts from Sweden, Finland, and Norway all making it through to the final.
Loreen, who represented Sweden for the second time after her win in 2012, is this year's favorite and qualified for the Eurovision final on Saturday, May 13. Her gloomy electro-pop act was a highlight of the first semi-final, and she is sure to be a strong contender in the final.
Another favorite of the competition, Käärijä from Finland, also made it through to Saturday's final. Wearing a neon green jacket, the young Finn galvanized the audience with his performance combining metal, hip hop, and electro-pop. Alessandra from Norway also qualified with a powerful up-tempo number featuring amazing vocals.
There were also some surprises in the first semi-final, with experimental entries from Serbia and Croatia both winning over the audience. Luke Black, who performed a dark and very idiosyncratic electro song, accompanied by an impressive stage show between fantasy and science fiction, was a standout performer, while Croatia's Let 3 impressed with a crazy mixture of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Village People, drag revue, and military march. Moldova also made it through to the final with a powerful folk number sung by Pasha Parfeni.
Who will be representing the UK in the final?
Twenty winners from the first and second heats of the semi-finals will go through the final round, along with last year’s winner, Ukraine, and the 'Big Five' countries.
As mentioned previously, the United Kingdom is one of the 'Big Five' countries that are automatically guaranteed a place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest - along with France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. This is due to the financial contributions made by the country to the EBU.
The United Kingdom has been a part of the Eurovision Song Contest since its inception in 1956 and has won the competition a total of five times. The country's most recent win was in 1997 with the song 'Love Shine a Light' by Katrina and the Waves.
According to The Guardian, Mae Muller will be representing the United Kingdom at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Muller first gained recognition in 2018 with her debut EP, Frankly, which received critical acclaim. Since then, Muller has released several more EPs and singles, including Therapist and I Don't Want Your Money. Her music has been described as a blend of pop and R&B, with themes of self-empowerment and independence. Muller has been compared to artists such as Lily Allen and Dua Lipa.
Read more:
⋙ Eurovision: This is what the prize winners receive and it's not money
⋙ Who is Mae Muller? Meet the UK's choice for Eurovision 2023
