Graham Linehan Criticizes RTÉ Over Eurovision Boycott
Graham Linehan, known for co-creating the Irish comedy Father Ted, has accused the Irish public broadcaster RTÉ of anti-Semitism for deciding to air an episode of his show as part of a boycott against the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation.
During an interview with Irish radio station News Talk, Linehan condemned RTÉ’s action as an “anti-Semitic political gesture” and demanded the resignation of RTÉ’s director general, Kevin Bakhurst. He expressed concern over what he called a surge of anti-Semitism in Ireland, stating, “For some reason, Irish people are now completely insane with anti-Semitism.” He added that this growing sentiment is a “global shame.”
Linehan noted his surprise that RTÉ, specifically, would choose to withdraw Ireland from the competition. He was particularly disturbed by the thought of using Father Ted in a manner that could intimidate Jewish residents in Ireland, remarking it was among the “most disgusting things” he had ever seen.
He commented on the recent tensions in the Middle East, suggesting that the focus should be on the actions of Hamas rather than solely on Israel’s actions against the Palestinians. “Every death in Gaza is on the head of Hamas,” he said, mentioning the group’s October 7 attacks.
Linehan also took to social media to express his discontent, claiming that RTÉ’s plans were akin to an “anti-Semitic dog whistle.” The Eurovision final for 2026 is scheduled for May 16th, with Ireland participating in a boycott alongside Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Slovenia over Israel’s inclusion, linked to historical events from 70 years ago.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) faced pressure from those sympathetic to Hamas, urging them to exclude Israel over the ongoing conflict. However, the EBU had welcomed back countries like Moldova, Bulgaria, and Romania for the upcoming final, despite attempts to remove Israel from the event. Austria, hosting the competition, stated that it would cancel if Israel was excluded.
Instead of airing the Eurovision final, RTÉ plans to show a rebroadcast of a 1996 episode of Father Ted titled “Ode to Europe.” This episode parodies the Eurovision contest, humorously suggesting that an intentionally bad song choice would prevent Ireland from winning again.
Historically, Ireland won Eurovision three times in the early ’90s and was tasked with hosting the event in subsequent years. There was a controversy back then involving the financial strain of hosting, which some believe inspired the plot of the Father Ted
In 2014, a petition was even submitted to include “My Lovely Horse” as a Eurovision entry, but it was rejected due to a lack of “musical expertise” among parliamentary committee members.
Looking forward to the 2026 contest, RTÉ justified its decision to abstain from participating by referencing the significant humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stating it would be unconscionable to join. Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin backed this decision, expressing solidarity for journalists affected by the conflict.
Some local commentators praised RTÉ’s choice to air Father Ted instead, considering it “genius trolling.” They noted that RTÉ did not show the Eurovision semi-finals but opted to rebroadcast other programming, including Father Ted episodes.
