Former UK Eurovision finalist slaps down calls for BBC to BOYCOTT contest amid Israel row: 'Let singers do their job!'

TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The controversy has also escalated beyond participation itself, with several broadcasters now refusing to air the competition entirely.RTVE has confirmed Spain will not broadcast either the Eurovision semi-finals or grand final for the first time since making its debut in 1961. RTÉ has also confirmed it will neither participate in nor broadcast the contest, describing it as “unconscionable” to air the event while the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues.Meanwhile, RTV Slovenia will replace Eurovision coverage entirely with a documentary series titled Voices of Palestine during the scheduled broadcast slots.Despite the mounting controversy, Mr Larke argued the focus should remain on the artists themselves rather than wider geopolitical tensions.“I would say that music is an entertainment show, and carry on,” he said.“Let politicians make their arguments in different ways about how things should or shouldn't be handled, and let musicians and singers just sing and do their job.”The singer acknowledged Eurovision has long carried political undertones, particularly when it comes to voting patterns between neighbouring countries.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSWill Smith wins legal battle as sexual harassment lawsuit thrown out by judgeKelly Brook shares rare health admission after anxiety-inducing scan: 'Lumps and bumps everywhere'Avatar boss James Cameron faces legal battle as indigenous actress sues over likeness to character“I would have said (it is all political) years ago,” he explained.I always remember, as a kid watching it, Greece voting for Cyprus and Cyprus always voting for Greece, and the Balkan countries would kind of get together.”However, he said he was unconvinced that politics entirely determines the final result.Reflecting on his own experience in 2015, Mr Larke pointed out that Russia still performed strongly despite backlash over the country’s invasion of Ukraine the previous year.“There was a lot of booing and stuff, which was out of order,” he recalled.“She actually placed really, really well, did a lot better than we did. So, I don't know. I'm not convinced.”The EBU has also introduced several anti-fraud measures for this year’s competition following allegations that voting was manipulated during the 2025 contest.Viewers will now be limited to 10 votes each rather than 20, while new monitoring systems will allegedly track suspicious voting patterns and restrict third-party promotional campaigns aimed at influencing the result.Mr Larke also revealed he received death threats after the UK finished 24th out of 27 countries with Still in Love with You in 2015.People can reach you by social media, and, of course, people did and were able to reach me,” he said.“And some of the messages weren't so complimentary. There were a couple of death threats, which I found quite amusing.”The performer warned that online abuse directed at artists has only worsened in the years since his Eurovision appearance.“I don't think things have got better. I think things are probably worse,” he said.“There are still no real ways of stopping people from sending you really, really awkward stuff. Just unnecessary stuff.”Despite the criticism and controversy surrounding the contest, Mr Larke insisted representing the UK remained “a huge honour”.“I love the theatre of it, and I really, really enjoyed being part of something so huge,” he added.The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is scheduled for the second week of May, culminating in the Grand Final on Saturday, May 16 2026.The United Kingdom's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is the electronic artist and YouTuber Look Mum No Computer (Sam Battle) with the song Eins, Zwei, Drei. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter