Uber glam singing competition Eurovision is happening as we speak in Liverpool in the UK with the Swedes reportedly the early favourites to win and Australia’s entrant, Perth band Voyager, sadly failing to make much impact with the judges.
Amid all the Euro love and sequins, a BBC reporter has found herself in the news after she vox popped a man she thought was Finland’s entrant, a chap by the name of Käärijä, who turned out to be a badly dressed member of the public.
Speaking to the unidentified man in a similar luminous green top worn by Käärijä onstage, the reporter remarked “we even managed to catch up with the main man himself”.
The strap line underneath the interview even read “Käärijä– Finland entrant”.
Asked about how Liverpool was as a host city, the man replied: “Incredible. In comparison with all the other countries that I have been (to), this is better organised. Everything is walking distance, and it’s just so friendly. Everything is just so easy around here. It’s incredible.”
OH MY GOD BBC North West Tonight interviewed a Käärijä fan thinking it was HIM pic.twitter.com/FweG13pwoz #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/cUwAEy85rO
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) May 9, 2023
Viewers soon took to social media to point out the interviewee wasn’t Käärijä, but instead a super fan who did bear an uncanny resemblance to the singer. See the real Käärijä below:
The BBC quickly realised the error of its ways and issued the following statement: “This was a case of Eurovision fever. We hope the real Käärijä will join us on North West Tonight so we can say sorry and wish him well for the Grand Final.”
TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan was one of many who tweeted about the situation, writing: “OH MY GOD BBC North West Tonight interviewed a Käärijä fan thinking it was HIM. ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL.”
Another person posted: “BBC North West, hate to break it to you but this is not Käärijä.”
A third said: “Noooooooo BBC North West thought they were speaking to Käärijä but it was a fan cosplaying.”
