Rylan Clark defends Eurovision ahead of Israel's semi-final performance: 'It’s all about the music'

Eurovision host Rylan Clark has defended the Eurovision Song Contest ahead of further protests over Israel’s participation.

Israel 2024 entry Eden Golan is set to take to the stage on Thursday for there second semi-final, where she will perform the song Hurricane.

The EBU has declined requests to ban the country from participating despite the conflict in the Gaza, where the estimated Palestinian death toll has reportedly reached 34,000.

Clark addressed the ongoing controversy and said people have “the right” to take part in protests over Israel’s participation but the song contest is “just about the music”.

Clark, who is hosting the BBC’s coverage of the competition alongside Graham Norton and Scott Mills, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Malmo is doing an amazing job of hosting Eurovision.

“The climate in the world at the minute isn’t great and you know we’re not silly to not understand that there’s a lot going on in the world, but I think in the Eurovision bubble it’s a song contest, it’s all about the music and that’s what we’re here for.

“The city has done an amazing job, there’s a lot of demonstrations happening and people have got the right to do that and but it’s just about the music.”

Mills added: “It does feel a little different but it’s about the music and the joy that we have every single year at Eurovision.”

Golan, 20, will take part in the semi-final in Malmo, Sweden on Thursday with her emotional track Hurricane, which was reworked from a previous track called October Rain, which was thought to reference the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Thousands of people are expected at a pro-Palestinian march on Thursday, which the Swedish Police Authority said would cause “disturbance to traffic”.

There have been continued demonstrations in Sweden over Israel’s participation, and the week of Eurovision has already seen small gatherings in Malmo and at the Eurovision village when Austrian 2014 winner Conchita Wurst was on stage.

Meanwhile, Golan told ITV News this week that she could not have asked “for a better year to be representing my country”.

Eurovision contestants and attendees have been cautioned that the EBU retains the authority to confiscate any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestine symbols during the event.

The second Eurovision semi-final airs Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 8pm