NO POINTS FOR BBC WALES’ EUROVISION TWEET

BBC Wales has defended a tweet sent during the Eurovision Song Contest.

The tweet read: “Portugal in Welsh? Portiwgal. No, really. #Eurovision #ESC2017 (We still haven’t forgiven them for #Euro2016...)”.

It was taken by some as being derogatory to the Welsh language.

In a statement BBC Wales said: “This was one tweet in a series supporting Lucie Jones in the Eurovision Song Contest. The tweet was referring to a mistake made in French earlier on in the evening. It was meant to be a lighthearted reference to that mistake, and nothing else.”

But the message had prompted criticism from Twitter users, including this from Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood asking: “Dear @BBCWales – was the staff member writing this drunk last night? Do you REALLY think we in Wales need this from the state broadcaster?”.

Earlier in the evening BBC Wales got its French numbers in a muddle, mistaking deux for 12 rather than two and tweeting: “This has deux points written all over it. #Eurovision #ESC2017” in reference to Lucie’s entry.

When the mistake was pointed out, the broadcaster wrote on its Twitter feed: “Let’s focus on this, as we’ll likely never live down the deux/douze mix-up!”

Graham Norton also came under fire on Twitter for mispronouncing Lucie’s home village of Pentyrch.