Ireland to air Father Ted classic instead of Eurovision final in Israel protest

Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, has announced it will replace the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest final with a classic episode of the beloved comedy Father Ted, as part of a wider boycott over Israel’s participation in the competition.

On Saturday night, RTE 2 will air "A Song For Europe", the Eurovision-themed instalment featuring priests Ted and Dougal performing "My Lovely Horse". This decision aligns with Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia’s stance not to send competitors or broadcast the final, protesting Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza.

While the Netherlands and Iceland are also not sending acts to compete, they will still broadcast the final. The boycott highlights a perceived double standard, given Russia was banned from Eurovision following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, yet Israel continues to participate. The Hamas-run health ministry estimates that 72,300 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas attack on October 7 2023.

- YouTube Watch Father Ted on All 4: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/father-ted.

The decision to boycott follows concerns raised at a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) general assembly in Geneva. New rules were discussed to deter countries from organising campaigns for their acts, prompted by the significant public votes Israel received in 2025. Israeli singer Yuval Raphael secured the largest number of public votes last May, ultimately finishing as runner-up after jury votes were factored in.

Following the 2025 competition, RTE requested a breakdown of voting numbers from the EBU, while Spain’s public broadcaster, Radio Television Espanola (RTVE), called for a "complete review" of the voting system to prevent "external interference".

RTE2 will also feature alternative programming during the semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday. Similarly, the Slovenian broadcaster plans to air a series of documentaries on the Middle East under the theme "Voices of Palestine".

Ireland holds a joint record with Sweden for the most Eurovision wins, with seven victories, the last being Eimear Quinn in 1996.