RTÉ is overhauling its Eurovision team following a disappointing result in the 2024 contest and amid reports of internal tensions,with the co-creator of the critically panned ‘Toy Show’ musical among those appointed to the revamped lineup.The changes come as the competition prepares for its 70th anniversary in 2025.
The shake-up signals a important response to Ireland‘s failure to qualify for the grand final in Basel, Switzerland, this year with Emmy’s song “Laika Party.” It also follows previous accounts of friction within the RTÉ Eurovision operation and a history of intense public scrutiny directed at its head of delegation. The restructuring aims to inject fresh perspectives and perhaps address the challenges faced by the team in delivering a prosperous eurovision entry.
Alan Tyler, who has served as Ireland’s head of delegation, previously worked at the BBC on shows including Strictly Come Dancing, All Round to Mrs Brown’s, and Comic Relief. In 2022, Tyler revealed the pressure of the role, stating on the Irish Eurovision podcast, Éirevision, that no “other producer in RTÉ has to put up with the abuse I get” and that “you wouldn’t want to have too thin a skin” to take on the position. He also disclosed receiving complaints directly addressed to the RTÉ director general,then Dee Forbes,demanding his removal.Reports of backstage tensions between Tyler and production staff on The Late Late Show surfaced in 2023.
The Eurovision Song Contest originated in Lugano, Switzerland, in 1956, conceived as a means of uniting a post-World War II europe through music.