It’s Euro derision

THERE’S another row brewing over Eurovision, and it’s not about whether Graham Norton is supplying the wine.

It’s about how Sweden managed to get around the Portuguese hosts’ decision to ditch flashing LED screens.

The idea was to make the contest more about the singing (gasp!).

It follows last year’s winner, Salvador Sobral, declaring that “music is not fireworks”.

This would have been the first song contest without flashy projection effects since 2010.

But Sweden will bring its own screens for Benjamin Ingrosso, because it can afford to (handily, the Swedish head of delegation Christer Bjorkman is involved in producing Eurovision this year). Others, such as cashstrapped Estonia, are struggling.

Elina Nechayeva, pictured, is among favourites to win, but her country has not been able to afford the estimated £65,000 for projectors used in her qualifying performance.

Armenia is also struggling to afford European Broadcasting Union’s charges for the fog effect it wanted for act Sevak.

A Eurovision source said: “A lot of delegations are up in arms.

“It should have been a blanket ban by the EBU but, as usual at the ESC, money talks. Portugal had the best of intentions but... a select few will now have an advantage.”

May the best singer win.