Eurovision’s brand-new Director, Martin Green, believes the contest’s Executive Supervisor “should be applauded” for his contribution to the growth of the competition.
Martin Österdahl has been in his role as Executive Supervisor for four-and-a-half years after taking over from his predecessor, Jon Ola Sand, in the early stages of the pandemic.
Österdahl has faced heaps of criticism from Eurovisions fans, most notably in Malmö when decisions were made by the EBU which made headlines around the world.
Israel was allowed to compete, despite the country’s involvement in an ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and having twice submitted a song deemed too political for the contest.
The decision to disqualify the Netherlands’ Joost Klein for what the EBU dubbed “threatening behaviour directed at a female member of the production crew” also irked some fans who thought the punishment was too severe.
In an exclusive broadcast interview with The Euro Trip, Green defended his colleague’s stewardship of the Eurovision family of events.
“My presence for Martin is one of support and to help him to achieve the ambitions he has, and not necessarily [let him] shoulder it all himself.
“Martin has changed this contest into something unrecognisable from what it was – and only for the better. And for that he should only ever be applauded.”
Österdahl succeeded Sand just after the one-off Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light show which replaced the cancelled 2020 contest.
He guided Eurovision through the pandemic, and was instrumental in ensuring it was one of the first live, in-person international broadcasts as the world emerged from the worst of COVID-19.
Green first worked with Österdahl in 2023 when the Brit was Managing Director of the BBC-hosted and produced contest in Liverpool.
“Martin and I had a great relationship in Liverpool. I was on the other side of things – it helps because I’m halfway up the path coming onto this side of things.
“My job now is to sit over the team and to run the whole team now, and hopefully to build the team.
“We had such a great relationship to begin with, it’s only going from strength to strength.”
The Euro Trip Podcast 
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