Eurovision live: Delta Goodrem tipped to win contest

The event opens with a VT featuring the paper boat from JJ’s winning performance last year.

JJ continues to perform in front of 10,000 ecstatic fans at the Wiener Stadthalle as the acts are welcomed on to the stage.

Vibes are high in the audience tonight.

As the contest prepares to celebrate its 70th year, it couldn’t be more fractured as divisions over Israel’s participation hangs over the event.

Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland are boycotting the competition over Israel’s inclusion, with Israel’s act Noam Bettan storming into the final.

Spain announced its boycott in December, after the European Broadcasting Union said Israel would be allowed to compete, and was subsequently joined by the other countries.

As Eurovision finals take place in Vienna, Spain’s RTVE will air a tribute to the network’s musical history.

It will feature a performance by Tony Grox and Lucycalys, the musicians who RTVE would have dispatched to represent Spain at Eurovision.

Ireland’s national broadcaster will play a Eurovision-themed episode of sitcom Father Ted instead.

Slovenians will be shown an episode of a 10-part program about Palestinians.

Despite withdrawing from the competition, broadcasters in the Netherlands and Iceland will still screen the contest to their audiences.

Get your flags ready and prepped as it is finally time, the Eurovision grand final has now started.

In true British fashion, the nation has kept their upper lip stiff and showed up in force at tonight’s event…despite the UK’s questionable act., Look Mum No Computer.

Some went that extra mile, boiler suits and all.

Israel sailed through to the final of the competition, with the lovestruck pop song Michelle, performed by 28-year-old Bettan.

The contest’s festive atmosphere has been upended in recent years by a controversy over Israel’s military action in Gaza. Five countries have boycotted the 2026 event, including seven-time winners Ireland.

Bettan faced a mixed reception during the semi-final as a few audience members booed and shouted anti-Israeli slogans, while others chanted his name in support.

The negative reaction to Bettan’s performance was audible on the TV broadcast, after Austrian broadcaster ORF, which is hosting the show, said it would not censor protests or negative reactions to any of the contestants.

The contest has been hitting headlines this week, from countries boycotting the event in protest against Israel’s participation to the UK entry Look Mum No Computer’s national ’embarrassment’.

Odds on who could be crowned the winner have, therefore, been fluctuating. However…one act seems to keep a constant champion standing.

Bookies are backing Finland as the favourites, represented by Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen with their song Liekinheitin, to claim the Eurovision Song Contest trophy.

The top 10 contenders, according to William Hill:

Finland: 11/10

Australia: 15/8

Bulgaria: 9/1

Greece: 14/1

Denmark: 28/1

France: 66/1

Israel: 12/1

Malta: 66/1

Italy: 40/1

Romania: 18/1

Sweden: 80/1

……..

UK: 125/1

Divisions over Israel’s participation are hanging over the event’s 70th anniversary.

Host city Vienna has been decked in hearts and the contest’s ‘United by Music’ motto this week, in which singers and bands from 35 countries have been competing onstage for Europe’s musical crown.

But Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland have decided to boycott the competition over Israel’s inclusion.

Pro-Palestine groups staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner ‘no stage for genocide,’ while a demonstration against Israel’s participation is planned ahead of tonight’s show.

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The hosts for this year’s competition are Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski.

Victoria from Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria, is a TV presenter, entrepreneur, model, designer and singer.

She signed her first record deal at 16 with Sony Music and later celebrated her big breakthrough in 2016 with a victory on the TV show Let’s Dance – where she has been a permanent host since 2018.

Michael, from Leoben, Austria, has graced the screens in both TV and film, as well as becoming a presenter.

His big breakthrough came with the 2004 film Nacktschnecken. He has hosted events including the Nestroy Theater Prize and the Amadeus Awards.

The audience have started filling the stadium and taking their seats, as supporters of Israel drape their national flag around themselves.

The United Kingdom has competed in Eurovision on 65 occasions, taking part in every contest since 1959.

One of the so-called ‘Big Five’ nations, alongside France, Germany, Spain and Italy, the UK gains automatic qualification to the final every year because it is one the largest contributors to the European Broadcasting Union.

Despite finishing in last place on four occasions including twice in the past five years (2019 and 2021) including latterly scoring “nul points” with James Newman, the UK remains one of the most successful countries in the competition.

Here are the UK’s five previous wins:

• 1967: Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String
• 1969: Lulu Boom Bang-a-Bang (joint winner with France, Spain and The Netherlands)
• 1976: Brotherhood of Man – Save Your Kisses for Me
• 1981: Bucks Fizz (pictured above) – Making Your Mind Up
• 1997: Katrina and the Waves – Love Shine a Light

Eurovision acts performed last-minute dress rehearsals ahead of tonight’s live final in Vienna, Austria.

UK’s entry Look Mum No Computer will compete against favourites including Finland, Greece and Australia.

Look Mum No Computer, real name Sam Battle, will perform his zany entry Eins, Zwei, Drei.

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Excitement builds across the UK and the continent with one hour to go before this year’s grand final kick off. Lets look at some Eurovision superfans who were pictured at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna earlier today.