Vatican City is now eligible to enter the competition, according to Eurovision Song Contest bosses who have spoken out about one nation taking part.
Eurovision bosses have shared a major update on one country taking part. Top dogs behind the song contest are beckoning new Pope Leo XIV to grace the stage of their famed song contest. They’re eager for Vatican City to throw its hat into the ring for next year’s musical showdown. They reckon the Pontiff’s involvement would be a smash with Eurovision fans.
Martin Green, the brand director for Eurovision, spilled the beans on the podcast The Rest Is Entertainment: “You can compete in Eurovision if you are a member of the European Broadcasting Union. According to what I understand, Vatican Radio is an EBU member. They might be able to enter an act because of this technically. A line-up of dancing cardinals, to be honest… I’m all for it.
Further stirring excitement, Eurovision’s Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl jumped in with: “Me too. I think that could do really well.” To which Martin Green chimed: “Let’s cross our fingers. It would be a moment.”, reports the Daily Star.
READ MORE: Eurovision scoreboard – rate best and worst songs LIVE during show with Mirror’s interactive tool
Vatican City’s inclusion in the Eurovision lineup will evoke Father Ted’s unforgettable entrance scene from “My Lovely Horse.” Although the Vatican may be the world’s smallest, Eurovision has never been a small-minded country.
Though San Marino has yet to clinch the win at Eurovision, Vatican City entering would surely turn heads. And if it seems odd, well, it might be less perplexing than why non-European nations like Israel and Australia are hitting up the Eurostage.
At the 2015 60th anniversary bash, Australia was invited to the contest. Their most recent entry, Go-Jo, bowed out in the semi-finals of this year, which is probably for the better because they are not scheduled to host, even if they do so in first place.
Israel is eligible to take part in the competition because they are members of the European Broadcasting Union, which is the required membership. Israel has participated in the contest 49 times and won on four occasions since their debut in 1973.
An ironclad security presence surrounded Saturday night’s Grand Final in addition to Eurovision updates. In response to concerns about a potential terrorist threat, the contest’s director has increased security measures at Basel’s St. Jakobshalle arena.
Throughout the duration of the event, armed guards patrolled the location. Additionally, all entry points implemented strict airport-style security checks, with visitors informed that bags cannot be brought inside.
“Organizators are taking no chances,” a source said. Everyone is in safe hands thanks to them. Following Israel’s contentious participation in the competition, bosses later released a statement. They claimed that two people tried to storm the stage during Yuval Raphael’s performance and that a Eurovision Song Contest crew member had been hit with paint.
A spokesman for SRG SSR said: “At the end of the Israeli performance, a man and a woman tried to get over a barrier onto the stage. They were stopped. One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit. The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police.”
Source: Mirror
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