UK, Australia, Ireland fans brace for second Eurovision semi final

Record ID: 1672747

  • Title: UK, Australia, Ireland fans brace for second Eurovision semi final
  • Date: 12th May 2022
  • Summary: TURIN, ITALY (MAY 12, 2022) (REUTERS) SECURITY OUTSIDE VENUE, SIGN READING (English): “EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: TURIN 2022” SWEDEN FANS SHOWING TICKETS TO ENTER FANS DRAPED IN IRISH FLAGS FANS HOLDING UP PORTUGAL AND ROMANIA FLAGS EUROVISION FANS NEAR VENUE DRAPED IN IRISH, BELGIAN, LGBT FLAGS UNITED KINGDOM FAN RIKK RICHARDSON DRESSED IN SPACESUIT AND WIG AS UK EUROVISION ENTRY, SAM RYDER, STANDING WITH UK EUROVISION FAN PAUL EWING UK FLAGS ON EWING’S HEADBAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED KINGDOM FAN, PAUL EWING, SAYING: “Well, every year obviously we'd love the act to win. But if we win we win, and if we don't, everyone's a winner no matter who wins, you know, the whole thing is such an experience for everybody that attends it. Just love it.” (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDEN FAN, CATARINA SAND, SAYING: “We’re very happy, especially since it last year in Rotterdam, we couldn't go. The year before, well, you know, so we are very happy to be here and we are quite (WAVES SWEDEN FLAG) sure of ourselves.” SIGNS FOR SONG CONTEST / FANS NEAR VENUE WITH WELSH FLAG WITH PINK DRAGON VARIOUS OF FANS WITH FLAGS NEAR VENUE FANS HOLDING BANNER READING (English) “SEE YOU NEXT YEAR IN BRUSSELS" (SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALIAN FAN FROM TURIN SUPPORTING ISRAEL, STEFANO ABATE, ASKED WHY HE IS SUPPORTING ISRAEL, SAYING: “Because I think it's very original and it's something… There is no other songs like him in this Eurovision. But of course, I suppose also like other countries, like my own country, Italy, Sweden, Lithuania. Yeah, it's a very good Eurovision this year.” (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRELAND FANS, (L-R) ALEX RICE, LUCY WALKINGSHAW AND OSCAR SHIRLAW, SAYING: WALKINGSHAW: “Amazing.” SHIRLAW: “This our first time so…” RICE: “All of us.” SHIRLAW: “I have no words.” WALKINGSHAW: “So excited to be here.” (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA FAN, JORDAN VOUROUDIS, SAYING: “Brilliant. We've been waiting a long time, about two, three years since COVID hit. So it's great to finally be here.” IRELAND FANS POSING TOGETHER, SINGING IRELAND’S EUROVISION ENTRY BROOKE’S SONG, “THAT’S RICH”
  • Embargoed: 26th May 2022 19:40
  • Keywords: Eurovision Song Contest arrivals fans music semi final
  • Location: TURIN, ITALY
  • City: TURIN, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Music
  • Reuters ID: LVA001745712052022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Fans were eager to arrive for the second Eurovision Song Contest semi final in Turin on Thursday (May 12), the biggest version of the event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Eighteen acts are vying for one of 10 spots in the grand final, set for Saturday (May 14).
    They will then be up against the 10 qualifiers from Tuesday's (May 10) semi final, as well as the "Big Five" who automatically qualify: the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany and hosts Italy.
    This edition is the first time the songfest has been back at capacity after 2020's contest was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, and 2021's Rotterdam event was only open to a limited number of mainly Dutch fans.
    Outside the venue, Swedish fan Catarina Sand was confident that their entry, Cornelia Jakobs, will progress to the final show.
    "We are quite sure of ourselves," she told Reuters, waving a Sweden flag.
    Australia are one of Thursday's hopefuls with singer Sheldon Riley.
    Despite not being in Europe geographically, the country have entered since 2015 due to its popularity with audiences back home - promising that if they ever will, they will agree to host the competition in Europe.
    (Production: Cristiano Corvino, Tara Oakes)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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