Ireland tops Eurovision press poll ahead of Bambie Thug's semi-final performance

Topping the prestigious Eurovision press poll has all eyes on Ireland at the song contest’s media centre.

The poll, run by ESCXTRA, is where media representatives vote on their top three favourite performances and with a total of 53 votes, Bambie Thug secured the top spot.

“Most of the time, it’s pretty bang on,” says Conor Devlin from Irish Eurovision podcast, Éirevision.

Devlin says he cannot believe the hype coming from the media centre.

The loudest cheer from the rehearsal came after Bambie’s nod to the trans flag, where they revealed a pink and blue dress underneath their costume halfway through their performance.

“Ireland is the highlight of the show,” says Roy Postema of ESCUnited (Netherlands) while Liv from Aussievision believes it is their captivating staging selling people on the song that’s winning people over.

And not only that, but Ireland ranked second in this year’s Eurovision Audience Exit Poll.

Following the success of the poll throughout the preview shows in Liverpool, fan sites ESCXTRA, ESC Insight, The Euro Trip Podcast, and OGAE Sweden decided to partner together to conduct it this year.

Members of the four participating platforms approached audience members leaving the Malmö Arena after each evening preview show to ask them who their favourite of the night was.

With an impressive 16% (445 votes), Ireland placed marginally behind Croatia, who placed in the number one spot.

Across Malmö, anyone with a Tricolour draped across their shoulders is met with hugs and preemptive congratulations.

Bambie Thug on stage in Malmö. Picture: Andres Poveda

Bambie Thug on stage in Malmö. Picture: Andres Poveda

Shouts of ‘Crown the Witch’ are loud and clear, along with praise for Bambie’s out-of-the-box concept and intense staging.

Even whispers of ‘Dublin 2025’ have been heard.

Cork-born Bambie is competing in the semi-final on Tuesday with ‘Doomsday Blue.’

They will be the fourth performer to take to the stage, just before the United Kingdom.

Ireland’s 2018 competitor Ryan O’Shaughnessy was the last to reach the final with ‘Together’ and came in 16th position.

Ireland has not won since 1996 with Eimear Quinn’s ‘The Voice.’

The semi-final on Tuesday also sees current favourite Croatia’s Baby Lasagna with the infectious ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ and the absurd Finish entrant Windows95Man with ‘No Rules!’ featuring an egg-shaped denim patchwork prop try to earn a place in the top 10.

Ahead of the event at Malmö Arena, fans have also been warned not to bring Palestinian flags or symbols to the event or bags and have been told that there will be “vigorous security checks”.

The terrorist threat level is on four points out of five, but the Swedish Police Authority has said that this is not related to the contest.

There is not expected to be protests until later in the week, when Israel’s Eden Golan performs ‘Hurricane’ at the second semi-final on Thursday.

Bambie and and UK entrant Ollie Alexander, along with Norway’s Gate, Portugal’s Iolanda, San Marino’s band Megara, Switzerland’s Nemo, Lithuanian singer Silvester Belt, and Windows95Man previously put out a joint statement following calls that they boycott the event amid the conflict in the Gaza strip.

They called for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages” but rejected not competing saying that they “firmly believe in the unifying power of music”.

• Additional reporting from PA

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