Eurovision semi final chaos as camera crashes off stage during live performance
THE semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest was plunged into chaos as a camera crashed during a live performance.
Viewers tuned into BBC One to watch the first instalment of action from Basel with Rylan Clark and Scott Mills.
Although most of the broadcast ran smoothly, there were problems towards the end of the show.
The host country, Switzerland, was the penultimate act to take to the stage for their exhibition performance.
As per tradition, last year’s winning country and the big five (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain,) automatically qualify for Saturday’s grand final.
The Swiss artist Zoë Më still took to the stage for a special exhibition performance.
The 24-year-old appeared for her first televised performance as she showed off her unique staging.
It featured one steady camera shot that would stay with her throughout the duration of her song.
However, during the penultimate act the camera dramatically froze, leaving viewers confused.
After a number of freeze frames flashed on the screen, before the cameras cut back to a wide shot of the audience.
It looked like the maneuver was not planned as audience directions appeared on the archway of the stage.
The lit up sign read: “Please turn on your phone light now.”
After the song ended before Cyprus took to the stage Rylan addressed the issue.
He explained: “Gorgeous song there from Zoë, she’s like a young Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
“We should say there as well, I think there was a couple of little tech problems with that one single shot camera.”
Despite Ryan trying to play it down, Eurovision viewers took to X – formerly known as Twitter – as they demanded ‘justice’ for the act.
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One wrote: “Oh no Switzerland staging is really cool but they had some problems with the cameras,” along with a crying emoji.
A second suggested: “JUSTICE FOR ZOE ME AND KALEEN ROBBED DIVAS WITH THE CAMERAS.”
“The cameras breaking???”, enquired a third user.
While someone else excitedly posted. “THE CAMERAS CRASHED.”
We should say there as well, I think there was a couple of little tech problems
Rylan Clark
Another joked: “Not the Swiss delegation’s Head of Finance unplugging all the cameras at the end of Zoe’s performance.”
And a sixth fan added: “Oh no. It went a bit wrong with the cameras there.”