BBC Eurovision viewing figures revealed as millions snob final after boycott

Eurovision audiences have plummeted, with the BBC recording a sharp drop as millions tuned out of this year’s Song Contest final. Saturday night’s much-anticipated show saw a significant drop in ratings following a global boycott that obviously resonated with viewers.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, which supports Palestinian rights through various forms of protest against Israel, called for a boycott of the contest. This call for action came amid controversy surrounding Eurovision’s decision to include Israel in the competition despite ongoing tensions with Palestine, while Russia was banned due to its military involvement in Ukraine.

The impact of the boycott was clear, with a marked drop in viewers tuning in compared to previous years. On Sunday, renowned TV critic and podcast host Scott Bryan tweeted: “Eurovision was watched by 7.6 million last night, down from 9.9 million – a 23% drop.

Read more Eurovision star Olly Alexander breaks silence after UK ‘nil points’ nightmare

“Doctor Who had 2.6 million and 2.4 million for its opening two episodes – but debuted on iPlayer,” as the Mirror reported. He added: “BBC Eurovision ratings (average viewers) 2024: 7.6 million 2023: 9.9 million 2022: 8.9 million 2021: 7.4 million.”

Just before the Eurovision final, pop icon Olly Alexander found himself embroiled in tense pleas as fans implored him to “do the right thing”. Just hours before his scheduled UK performance in Sweden, the star’s fervent followers urged him to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest.

The outpouring of requests was sparked by protests outside Sweden’s Malmo Arena over Israel’s participation in the event. Olly, frontman for Years and Years, found himself caught in a whirlwind over the political implications of Israel’s involvement in Eurovision amid Benjamin Netanyahu’s military actions against Palestine.

Fans reminded Olly that it’s not too late to “do the right thing and boycott Eurovision”. Olly had previously publicly criticized Israel’s policies, labeling the country an “apartheid regime” in a letter signed before his place as UK representative was announced in December.

Olly has been candid about his feelings about the heated situation surrounding his place at the Eurovision Song Contest in a BBC documentary. The “It’s a Sin” helmer, visibly affected, shared insights into the controversy and the strong backlash it sparked. In previous conversations, Olly addressed these heightened concerns and said: “A lot of the contestants and I have had a lot of comments like, ‘You’re complicit in genocide by going to Eurovision’, which is pretty extreme. very extreme, I understand where that feeling comes from, but I think it’s not right.”

Sam Ryder went on to say: “It’s an incredibly complicated political situation, one I’m not qualified to talk about. The background is real immense suffering. It is a humanitarian crisis, a war. There happens to be a song. the contest is happening at the same time I’m a part of.”