Eurovision 2023: Seven-time winners Ireland out in first semi-final

Fans watched on from the Eurovision village. Credit: PA Images

Seven-time Eurovision Song Contest winner Ireland was the big-name casualty of the first semi-final in Liverpool last night.

The Dublin band Wild Youth were among the five acts eliminated during the 15-strong first live semi-final of the week at the M&S Bank Arena.

Ireland has participated in Eurovision more than 50 times and has a record seven wins, but has failed to qualify for the final since Ryan O’Shaughnessy entered with his song Together in 2018.

Frontman Conor O’Donohoe wore a green shamrock necklace and a sparkling gold jumpsuit as the band took to the stage.

But pyrotechnics and shimmering gold lighting were not enough to win over the voting public.

Eurovision Song Contest fans were given a royal surprise as they settled in for the first semi-final of the song contest on Tuesday night.

Ireland entry Wild Youth - fronted by Conor O’Donohoe - failed to make it through. Credit: PA

Fans filled the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool as the international competition got under way, with the King and Queen making a cameo during the opening film titled 'Welcome to Liverpool'.

As 160 million people watched on, the film began with the moment a young Liverpudlian boy discovers that his home city is set to host the 2023 contest before travelling across the city telling his friends and family the news.

Throughout the journey, a number of celebrities and recognisable faces make an appearance who have their own personal connection to the city.

These included Wirral-born baker Paul Hollywood, Ukrainian Everton footballer Vitalii Mykolenko and Liverpool Women's footballers Sofie Lungaard and Emma Koivisto, from Denmark and Finland respectively.

The King and Queen made a surprise appearance in a film. Credit: PA Images

The King and Queen revealed the new-look stage in Liverpool last month before appearing in the pre-recorded clip, with Subwoolfer, who represented Norway with the song Give That Wolf A Banana in the Eurovision Song Contest last year, seen walking in front of them in the film.

The late Paul O'Grady also featured during the introduction, with the Wirral-born TV personality and comedian recording the cameo before his death last month.

Other famous faces include actor Ricky Tomlinson, Strictly Come Dancing star Nikita Kuzmin and Drag Race UK contestant Sister Sister among others.

Rita Ora performed for fans at the first semi-final Credit: PA Images

The 10 countries who made it through to the grand final were:

  • Croatia

  • Moldova

  • Switzerland

  • Finland

  • Czechia

  • Israel

  • Portugal

  • Sweden

  • Serbia

  • Norway

The night saw standout performances from Sweden's Loreen, this year's favourite to win with her song Tattoo.

Loreen wowed crowds in Liverpool. Credit: PA Images

The 39-year-old is returning to compete for her country more than a decade after triumphing at the 2012 contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, with her dance-pop anthem Euphoria.

Finnish act Kaarija gave a high-energy performance of his track Cha Cha Cha, a surreal combination of techno and anthemic pop, prompting a raucous response from the audience as he smashed his way out of a giant wooden box on stage and rode his backing dancers across the stage.

Twenty-year-old Alessandra from Norway also received a rapturous response with her anthem of female self-empowerment, Queen Of Kings, which features the highest vocal note of this year's contest.

The three women were the hosts for the evening. Credit: PA Images

Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon and Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham hosted alongside Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina of the band The Hardkiss, and all three wore extravagant outfits featuring an array of leather, giant bows and rainbow colours.

Waddingham joked they were "honorary Liver Birds for the evening" while Sanina welcomed viewers with a message in her native Ukrainian.

She later thanked "beautiful Liverpool" for welcoming Ukraine and its people "with open arms".

Dixon harked back to her time in girl group Mis-Teeq with a rap that paid tribute to the people of Ukraine and the trademark pink bucket hat of Kalush Orchestra frontman Oleh Psiuk.

She then led the crowd in a chant of "Liverpool, Liverpool".

Credit: PA Images

There was also an appearance from The Fizz, whose members were part of 1981 winning act Bucks Fizz, and were seen queuing outside a red phone box in the venue.

The acts were cheered on inside the venue by fans from across the UK, Europe and further afield - while thousands more watched screens at the Eurovision Village at the city's historic Pier Head.

For the first time in the competition's nearly seven-decade history, people from countries outside the contest were able to vote for their favourite act.

Their votes were converted into points that had the same weight as one participating country.

In another change for 2023, only viewers' votes decided which countries qualified onwards from the semi-final stage.

This meant acts will not have to face the judges until they reach the grand final stage.

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