We’ll go Wild!

Presenter backing Irish entry for glory days

Bookies have Sweden’s Loreen as Eurovision favourite with Kaarija from Finland second and Canadian-born La Zarra, singing for France, in third.

Next fancied are Ukraine, Spain and Norway, with Wild Youth tipped by Graham Norton as the “little dark horses” of this year’s contest.

Norton will present the grand final for the BBC alongside Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham and BGT judge Alesha Dixon.

Marty said he feels short-changed that the contest is a stone’s throw from Dublin as the UK host in Liverpool for last year’s winners Ukraine.

The Lyric FM presenter joked: “I’m just going to bring the car over on the ferry and pitch our tent in some field and send a fax back to RTE.

“I’ve never been to Liverpool, it will be my first time. I’m a Beatles maniac so that will also be a buzz.”

Marty described Brooke Scullion’s elimination with That’s Rich last year in Turin as a shock.

He said: “I still believe Brooke should have got through, we were robbed.

“I felt so sorry for her because she was really talented.”

He believes Ireland’s chances could be bolstered because our UK neighbours are hosting.

Marty said: “They’re really into it this year more than they have been.

“We’re very conscious of that because they’re right next door.”

Ireland first entered the contest in 1965 and we had our first victory with Dana’s hit All Kinds of Everything in 1970.

Famously winning four out of five contests in the 1990s, we have won the

A TREASURE hunt around Liverpool in search of Eurovision singer Sonia (right) will lead to a pair of tickets to the song contest final. The Merseyside singer, who represented the UK in the competition in 1993, will be the face of Spot Sonia, a Where’s Wally-style search in which fans will follow clues to find images of her. Sonia said: “When I first heard about Spot Sonia I thought it was brilliant and typically Liverpool – we love to have fun in this city and this surreal game certainly ticks that box and has a great Eurovision feel to it.” The game will take place on Friday, May 12 from 11am and participants will have to take selfies once they have found an image, before getting clues to the next location. Once they have completed four clues, participants will be given a final secret location. contest a record seven times; but getting back to our victory days is easier said than done.

Marty explained: “Eurovision has changed dramatically and people don’t tend to get that.

“It was much smaller back in Ireland’s glory days.

“You were up against 22 countries, now you’re battling against 40.

“We were still sending acts that were good enough, but in the last while we haven’t been able to break through.”

He added: “Everyone stops me to talk about Eurovision, everybody has an opinion. I love it to bits.

“The way I treat it is, you say what you see, as if you are a viewer. “That gives me a certain licence to enjoy the moment.”

The broadcaster’s love affair with the contest began with his parents, who both worked in the rag trade.

He revealed: “My mum and dad would buy the RTE Guide and tick off the winners. It was a big deal in my house.

“The other boys would be kicking the football, and I was rubbish, I was into music, so to be the commentator now is quite a thrill.”

news@irishmirror.ie

The way I treat it, you say what you see, as if you are a viewer.