Olly Alexander reveals the intense emotions he faced representing the UK at Eurovision 2024, amid political tensions surrounding Israel. “The experience was very stressful.”
The British star Olly Alexander, former lead singer of Years & Years and representative of the UK at Eurovision 2024 with the song “Dizzy”, opens up about the complex feelings he experienced during the contest. Despite a disappointing result—finishing 18th and receiving zero points from the public—Alexander now expresses pride for the opportunity alongside admitting that “now that I’ve had a bit of time away, I’m so proud I got to do it, but it was also very stressful; it can be very vulnerable and isolating.”
“I’ve never had so much pressure put on a song. People are brutal anyway, but because we’re in a competition, people are really going for you. I was like, ‘God, I’m just trying to give people a fun time‘“, the singer added in an interview with the prestigious British magazine Tatler.
Olly Alexander and the Attitude Towards Israel
Eurovision 2024 was marked by significant political tension caused by protests and calls to boycott Israel’s participation over the ongoing Gaza conflict. Before the contest, Olly Alexander signed letters supporting Palestinians, wore protest badges during Eurovision events, and participated in a campaign with the LGBT organization Voices4 London, accusing Israel of apartheid policies and acts of genocide against Palestinians. These actions led to harsh criticism and calls for his disqualification from the competition.
In interviews since then, Alexander has repeatedly addressed the consequences of his political involvement, including the heightened sense of vulnerability and massive pressure he experienced during the event. Entering the contest as a well-known icon with an extensive background and hits that conquered European radio waves such as “King” and “Shine”, he said: “Everyone said, ‘You’re going to bring it home, Olly,’ but I knew I wouldn’t,” referring to the high expectations set upon him after ranking first on early betting charts before the song was revealed.
However, he described how his solo concert tour following the competition reinforced his love for live music and gave him a different feeling than the difficult moments he faced during Eurovision.
United Kingdom at Eurovision 2025
The song “What The Hell Just Happened?” was performed by the girl group Remember Monday, representing the United Kingdom at Eurovision. The group finished 19th in the Grand Final with 88 points – all from the juries. While the juries ranked the group 10th, the public gave the Unoted Kingdom zero points, placing the song last.
Despite the United Kingdom’s storied Eurovision history, in the past 25 years, it has managed to reach the Top 10 only three times – in 2002, 2009 and 2022.
Eurovision 2025: This was the 67th participation of the United Kingdom in Eurovision. The United Kingdom joined the competition in 1957 and has won it five times over the years. The United Kingdom’s last victory was in Eurovision 1997 with the song ‘Love Shine A Light’ performed by the band ‘Katrina and the Waves’.
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Avi Zaikaner is an editor-in-chief, content creator, commentator, and international expert on all things related to the Eurovision Song Contest. Avi has followed the contest for nearly 30 years, and for the past seven years has served as the founder and editor-in-chief of EuroMix, one of the top Eurovision websites in the world, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Since 2021, Avi has provided on-the-ground coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest from the press center in the host city, bringing readers exclusive firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and direct reactions from audiences, artists, and experts. His extensive experience and deep familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date information.
Avi is recognized as a leading Eurovision opinion maker in Israel, frequently interviewed by major media outlets, collaborating with international experts, and publishing professional content on additional platforms. Every article is written with a commitment to accuracy, transparency, and understanding the audience, with a strong emphasis on fact-checking and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
