The moment a Eurovision song ended a war and overthrew a government
Paulo de Carvalho ‘s 1974 Eurovision song literally started a revolution
Eurovision is no stranger to controversial moments, but it’s one of the only TV shows which has also lead to a revolution.
Some of Eurovision’s biggest controversies have led to audiences and entrants alike taking a stand for what they believe in.
This year, some fans have decided to boycott the event over Israel’s inclusion, owing to the country’s ongoing war with Hamas.
During Thursday night’s semi-final, pro-Palestine protests took place outside the arena in Eurovision host city Malmo, and Israeli entrant Eden Golan was drowned out by boos in the Jury Show.
Nevertheless, Israel has qualified for The Grand Final of The Eurovision Song Contest 2024, and the latest Eurovision odds show they stand a good chance of winning the competition.
But back in 1974, Eurovision sparked an actual revolution when Portuguese radio played their entry to that year’s song contest, hosted in Brighton and later won by Sweden’s Abba performing Waterloo.
At 10.55pm on April 24, a song by Paulo de Carvalho, e depois do adeus, which translates in English to And After Goodbye, was a signal for soldiers to take to the streets for an armed coup.
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In 1966, Cathy Come Home showed homelessness in an entirely new light, and later led to charity work and viewers motivated to help those in need.
The fictional drama followed a young family evicted from their home and their descent into poverty and homelessness, forced into illegal squatting, and trying to be homed in decent accommodation by the local council.
The end of the drama sees Cathy’s children taken away from her by social services after her time at a shelter – where her husband was not allowed to stay – expires.
Days after airing, the homelessness charity Shelter was launched, and, alongside Crisis which was founded later, credited the programme for generating support around the issue.
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