Donal Skehan has taken to Instagram to respond to Samantha Mumba's comments calling the Eurosong judging panel 'rude and vile' to the six finalists on Friday night
Celebrity chef Donal, alongside Dancing with the Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian, 2FM broadcaster Laura Fox and Ireland's 2024 Eurovision representative, Bambie Thug, were the panel on Friday's Late Late Show Eurosong special, which saw Norwegian singer EMMY selected to represent Ireland in this year's Eurovision with her song Laika Party.
Donal took to his Instagram stories this afternoon to respond to what he called "completely unprofessional" criticism from Samantha. "To insult the credentials of myself and my fellow panelists, Laura Fox and Arthur Gourounlian is completely unprofessional. Each of us was chosen for our experience, insights, and passion for Eurovision. Everyone on that panel took their role seriously and approached the night with thoughtfulness, integrity, and respect for the artists. The reality is that Eurosong is ultimately about the strength of the song.
"As I mentioned on the night, there is work to be done to create Eurosong as a standalone platform for established and emerging talent to reflect the standard across Europe. Ultimately, feedback and criticism are never easy to give or receive, but the goal has always been to support Ireland's Eurovision journey. I stand by my role on the panel, and I wish Samantha and all the contestants the very best as they continue their artistic journeys.
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