Eurovision’s greatest fails: Every cringe-worthy moment in the contest’s history, from technical failures to political scandals, fully exposed. What unfolded behind the scenes?

1. Israel 1977 – Awkward Subtitles and British Backing Vocalists

During the 1977 final in London, England, Ilanit represented Israel with “Ahava Hi Shir Lishnayim”, the song’s title appeared in clunky subtitles: “Aa-haa-vah Hee Sheer Lish-naa-yim”, it should have said “Ahavah Hee Shir Lishnayim”. Additionally, the delegation used British backing vocalists – Katherine Dyer, Kiera Birch, and Susan Galloway – a rarity at the time. Israel finished 11th, with 49 points.

2. Israel 1979 – Yardena Arazi’s Language Confusion During Rehearsals, Nearly Sparking a Diplomatic Incident

At the 1979 Eurovision in Jerusalem, Yardena Arazi, one of the evening’s hosts – spoke to Belgium’s spokesperson in the wrong language during the rehearsal, causing embarrassment with the Belgian delegation.

As a result, it was decided that starting the following year, Belgium would announce points in English when the Flemish-language broadcaster was responsible for the contest, and in French when the Walloon broadcaster hosted, to avoid similar errors. An exception occurred at Eurovision 1987 in Brussels, when the Flemish broadcaster announced points in French during the Walloon broadcaster’s hosting.

It is important to note that no official document from the broadcasting authority publicly confirms this rule, but the story remains part of oral tradition among veteran Eurovision fans.

3. Finland 1982 – Why Israel Received 12 Points and Finland’s Embarrassing Result

In 1982, Finland awarded Israel 12 points for Avi Toledano’s song “Hora”. Some claim Finland gave Israel 12 points because the word “hora” in Swedish, one of the country’s languages, is a vulgar term that Finnish and Swedish people (who also gave Israel 10 points) found very humorous, as the word means “whore” in Swedish.

Finland itself finished the contest with zero points – a very embarrassing result – with the song “Nuku pommiin” (in English: “Oversleeping”) by the singer Kojo.

4. Gothenburg 1985 – The Host’s Dress “Ripped”

At the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest held in Gothenburg, Sweden, the evening’s host, Lill Lindfors, deliberately “ripped” her dress as part of a comedic sketch – it was a staged gimmick!

She appeared to stand embarrassed before the audience, then suddenly pulled out a new dress from under the torn one. There was no real wardrobe malfunction; it was a playful joke about costume mishaps.

5. Israel 1985 – Tali Sinai-Riklis’s Vocal Slip and Staircase Performance

Tali Sinai-Riklis served as a backing vocalist for Israel’s entry “Olé, Olé” alongside singer Izhar Cohen. During the performance, a slight vocal slip was audible, primarily from Sinai-Riklis’s microphone, and the staging placed the group on stairs-not the main stage – a controversial and unprecedented sanction imposed unexpectedly by host country Sweden. Despite this severe obstruction, Israel finished fifth, with 93 points, and even received 12 points from France.

6. Spain 1990 – The Song Started Midway

The duo Azúcar Moreno represented Spain with the song “Bandido” (in English: “Bandit”). At the start, the playback track was activated from the middle instead of the beginning, causing them to wait much less time than the cue to start singing. The sisters left the stage angrily, then after a few minutes returned and performed again with the playback track started from the beginning. Ultimately, the duo finished fifth in the contest held in Zagreb, scoring 96 points.

This event is considered one of the most famous incidents in the history of the contest.

7. Israel 1992 – Did the Court Intervene in Eurovision?

The 1992 Israeli national selection ended with extremely close results: Dafna Dekel with the song “Ze Rak Sport” (in English: “It’s Just Sport”) won first place with 61 points, Anat Atzmon with “HaTikvah” (in English: “The Hope”) placed second with 60 points.

After the selection, Anat Atzmon sued Dafna Dekel in the Tel Aviv District Court, arguing that Dekel’s song ran for 3 minutes and 17 seconds – exceeding the 3-minute limit. During the court hearing, Judge Uri Goren ordered the song to be shortened by 17 seconds for the Eurovision contest, stressed that Atzmon’s song also exceeded the limit by 2 seconds, ruled in Dekel’s favor, and mandated strict adherence to song lengths in future competitions.

This followed Atzmon’s appeal to the Israeli national broadcaster, IBA to disqualify the song over the 17-second overrun, which was rejected on the grounds that ‘Hallelujah’ by Gali Atari and Milk & Honey – Israel’s 1979 Eurovision-winning entry, the country’s second consecutive victory – had also exceeded the limit by 19 seconds and was shortened for the competition.

8. Norway 1997 – 0 Points

At the 1997 Eurovision in Dublin, Ireland, Norway sent Tor Endresen with the song “San Francisco”. A playback and earpiece synchronization failure caused him to start singing late and remain out of sync throughout the performance, resulting in off-key vocals. The song ended with zero points – Norway’s fourth last-place finish with nul points in its participation history (after 1963, 1978 and 1981). Since then, Norway has finished last four additional times, a total of 12 times in Norway’s participation history. but since 1997, Norway always got some points, even when finishing last.

9. Dana International at Eurovision 1999 – The Famous Fall with the Trophy

After winning Eurovision 1998, Dana International, who gave Israel its third victory with the song “Diva”, returned at the 1999 contest in Jerusalem to present the prize to the next winner – Charlotte Nilsson from Sweden.

During the live broadcast, while holding the large trophy, she tripped on her dress and fell on stage. The incident became very famous and turned into a symbol of unforgettable moments in the contest.

10. Israel 2008 – Boaz Mauda’s Vocal Slip

Boaz Mauda represented Israel in Eurovision 2008, held in Belgrade, Serbia, with the song “The Fire in Your Eyes”. During the final, minor vocal slip was audible in the last chorus, particularly when the music paused and resumed – his voice cracked on a high note. Despite this, Israel finished ninth in the final – a relatively strong result.

11. Spain 2008 – The Slipping Dancer

During the performance of Rodolfo Chikilicuatre with the song “Baila el Chiki Chiki” (in English: “Dance the Chiki Chiki”), a dancer from the group fell while dancing. She got up after a few seconds and continued dancing as if nothing had happened, but we-didn’t forget. Ultimately, the song finished 16th with 55 points.

12. San Marino 2008 – Amateurish Performance and Poor Result

San Marino debuted with the band Miodio and the song “Complice” (in English: “Accomplice”). The performance was extremely simplistic, poorly lit, and plagued by technical issues-including unfocused camera angles and frequent vocal slips by the lead singer. The staging appeared amateurish compared to other entries. San Marino finished last in the semi-final with 5 points, and last overall in 2008, 43rd out of 43 participants.

13. Georgia 2009 – The Anti-Putin Song

Georgia sent to Eurovision 2009 in Moscow, Russia, the song “We Don’t Wanna Put In” by Stephane & 3G. widely interpreted as a direct jab at Russian President Vladimir Putin. The European Broadcasting Union demanded lyric changes, citing a ban on political content. Georgia refused and withdrew from the competition, marking its first and only withdrawal in Eurovision history.

14. Estonia 2010 – The Backing Vocalist Fainted

The group Malcolm Lincoln & Manpower 4 represented Estonia with the song “Siren”. In the first semi-final, at the end of the song’s performance, lead singer Robin Juhkental appeared to prepare for the conclusion of the act, while all backing vocalists turned their gaze to the final camera angle one by one. When it was the turn of the third backing vocalist from the right, immediately upon turning his gaze, he fainted backward and fell to the floor. The Estonian entry finished 14th in the semi-final with 39 points but remains one of the most memorable moments in the competition’s history.

15. Israel 2010 – Harel Skaat’s Vocal Slip

Harel Skaat represented Israel in Eurovision 2010, held in Oslo, Norway, with the song “Milim” (in English: “Words”). It is possible that the pressure and the occasion overwhelmed the singer, as during the final performance, a vocal crack was heard in the last chorus when Skaat’s voice broke on several high notes, resulting in a noticeable flaw. Despite this, the song ranked 14th in the grand final.

16. Spain 2010 – Jimmy Jump’s Stage Invasion

Spanish activist Jimmy Jump (Jaume Marquet i Cot) stormed the stage midway through Spanish singer Daniel Diges‘s performance, remaining there for approximately half a minute. Security personnel intervened to remove him, and he eventually jumped off the stage. Despite the interruption, Diges continued his performance as if nothing had happened. However, the production team decided that, for fairness, the singer-who had performed second that evening-would be allowed to perform the song again at the end of the night after Denmark’s entry, which closed the running order.

17. Bulgaria 2012 – Sofi Marinova Without an Earpiece

Sofi Marinova represented Bulgaria with the song “Love Unlimited”. During the second semi-final, Marinova performed without an earpiece, likely due to a technical malfunction. The earpiece is designed to isolate crowd noise and allow the performer to hear the playback track without interference. Ultimately, she finished 11th in the semi-final and did not qualify to the grand final.

18. Israel 2015 – Doron Medalie Falls Off the Stage During the Second Semi-Final

Doron Medalie was part of the team that wrote the song “Golden Boy“, performed by Nadav Guedj, and was also a member of the Israeli delegation to Vienna. Israel was among the 10 countries announced to advance to the final. As the broadcast concluded with the winning songs on stage, Medalie climbed onto the stage to celebrate qualifying for the final and was caught on camera stumbling and plunging into one of the stage fans.

19. Cyprus 2015 – Slipping Due to Rain

The Cypriot representative John Karayiannis nearly slipped during a rehearsal due to a wet stage caused by heavy rainfall on rehearsal day, with rain penetrating the venue’s walls. Karayiannis performed the song “One Thing I Should Have Done”, and finished in 22nd place, though the actual performance proceeded as planned.

20. Australia 2017 – The Note That Escaped and Became an Icon

Isaiah Firebrace represented Australia with “Don’t Come Easy”. During the first semi-final performance, Firebrace attempted to elevate one of the notes in the song’s central chorus-but the note overshot the intended pitch, culminating in a strained falsetto attempt that became one of the most memorable vocal missteps in Eurovision history. Despite this, Firebrace finished 6th in the semi-final and qualified to the grand final.

21. Estonia 2017 – The Dreadful Microphone Malfunction

Koit Toome and Laura Põldvere represented Estonia in Eurovision 2017, held in Kiev, Ukraine, with the song “Verona”. At the start of the performance, Laura’s handheld microphone malfunctioned during the first two words. The issue was quickly resolved, but it affected the entire performance as Laura struggled to hear herself, resulting in pitch inaccuracies on high notes. The song finished 14th in the semi-final and did not qualify to the grand final.

22. Spain 2017 – The Most Memorable Off-Key Note in Eurovision History

Manel Navarro represented Spain with “Do It for Your Lover”. During the climax of the final performance, he notably off-key on several central notes, particularly when attempting to project his voice during a musical pause, resulting in a harsh vocal crack. This moment is widely regarded as one of the most notorious vocal mishaps in the competition’s history.

23. United Kingdom 2018 – The Stage Invader Controversy

SuRie represented the United Kingdom with “Storm”. During her performance, a man named Dr. ACactivism stormed the stage, seized her microphone, and shouted “Nazis of the British media-we demand freedom!”. She was offered the chance to perform again but chose not to. The official Eurovision website uploaded the UK’s jury rehearsal performance to YouTube instead of the live grand final performance, and the United Kingdom finished 24th with 48 points.

24. Madonna 2019 – The Off-Key Notes and Rule Violation

Madonna performed as a guest at the 2019 Eurovision grand final in Tel Aviv, Israel, alongside rapper Quavo. Her rendition of “Like a Prayer” was riddled with vocal flaws, including missed notes and jarring vocal tremors, drawing significant criticism toward the iconic singer. Additionally, during the performance, two dancers displayed Israeli and Palestinian flags on their backs – a violation of Eurovision’s rules against political messages. The version uploaded to the official Eurovision YouTube channel featured edited audio that masked the vocal issues, but the internet never forgets.

25. Iceland 2019 – Palestinian Flag and Flight Response

Members of the band Hatari displayed a Palestinian flag scarf during the voting results, violating Eurovision’s rules. On their return flight to Iceland, delegation members were questioned by Israeli security personnel and seated consecutively in middle seats near the lavatories – a move perceived as retaliatory action by Israel against the defiant act.

26. Ireland 2021 – The Unforgettable Broadcast Glitch

Lesley Roy, performing “Maps”, faced a memorable technical malfunction during the semi-final. As the performance cue began, technical equipment wasn’t ready, causing the broadcast to abruptly switch to the green room for approximately a minute and a half before returning to the singer.

27. Ireland 2022 – The Stuck Drone Camera

Once again Ireland, the following year. Before the Irish song “That’s Rich” by Brooke Scullion was performed, the drone camera became stuck mid-air at a poor angle, appearing folded on the right side of the stage with its back facing the performance area and unprepared for the act. The footage continued in the background until the issue was resolved.

28. Turin 2022 – Laura Pausini and the Curse

During the first semi-final, host Laura Pausini struggled to pronounce “Sixth” in English, accidentally exclaiming the Italian phrase “Porca Vacca” – an expression equivalent to “Holy Cow”. The moment became one of the most iconic in the competition’s history.

29. Turin 2022 – The Grand Final Drone Camera Malfunction

Once again in Turin, another drone camera issue. During the 2022 Eurovision grand final in Turin, Italy, the drone camera malfunctioned for most of the evening, with its use effectively halted almost from the start. This same camera was responsible for capturing the opening cues of songs but remained stuck near the arena’s ceiling throughout the event. Every attempt to use it for song introductions or specific camera angles failed as the drone remained completely immobile.

30. France 2023 – The Contestant and the Middle Finger

France’s 2023 Eurovision representative, singer La Zarra, performed “Évidemment” (in English: “Obviously”) and placed 16th in the grand final with 104 points, 54 from juries, 50 from televoting. When the televote results were announced, cameras captured La Zarra visibly displeased with her score, followed by her raising a middle finger toward the camera.

The incident sparked backlash within the Eurovision community and French media, who criticized her reaction. Post-final, La Zarra stated on Instagram that the “gesture” reflected disappointment, with no ill intent intended.

Despite the blunders, glitches, and off-key moments – Eurovision remains one of the world’s largest and most beloved cultural events. Perhaps precisely because of the unscripted moments, when the glitter cracks and raw humanity peeks through, the competition manages to stay alive, vibrant, and passionately relevant year after year. Who knows what unexpected moment will join this list at Eurovision 2025?

Special thanks to Guy Solo for assisting in building and writing this article!

Eurovision 2025: Dates and Time

The Eurovision Song Contest for 2025 will take place in May, as per tradition. Here are the exact dates:

• First Semi-Final: Tuesday, May 13th, 2025

• Second Semi-Final: Thursday, May 15th, 2025

• Grand Final: Saturday, May 17th, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Eurovision 2025: This will be Switzerland’s 65th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland joined the competition in 1956, being one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Its most recent victory was at the last Eurovision in 2025, with Nemo’s song “The Code.” This win follows Switzerland’s previous victory in 1988 with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi,” performed by international singer Céline Dion.