A BBC reporter says she went "viral for all the wrong reasons" after mixing up Finnish Eurovision entrant Käärijä with a fan.
Following a preview of the first semi-final on Tuesday, reporter Katie Walderman spoke to several fans who tipped Finland to go the distance in the competition.
This included one man who was dressed in a similar luminous green top worn by Kaarija onstage, with Walderman mistaking him for the Finnish artist.
Speaking to BBC North West Tonight on Wednesday, Walderman said: "What a 24 hours…I’ve gone viral for all the wrong reasons."
Watch moment BBC reporter mistakes fan for Finland's Eurovision entry https://t.co/bDSuNdbkm6
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 10, 2023
She recalled seeing a man signing autographs and asking if he was "the Cha Cha guy" – referring to the song the Finish entrant sang.
The strapline underneath the interview had read "Kaarija – Finland entrant".
Walderman added: "I wished him luck for the semi-final – so I put them in my (news interview) package. Then I came off air last night and my phone just went boom and I was like, 'oh, no’."
The BBC then showed Walderman’s interview with the real Käärijä, who said he had found the mix-up "funny".
"It’s looking great, and I love it when people do the crazy Kaarija things," the rapper said.
"It’s so weird, but I’m so happy because people give me so much support."
CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA! #Eurovision2023 pic.twitter.com/pqm7uEP8bV
— BBC Eurovision (@bbceurovision) May 9, 2023
The first Eurovision semi-final took place on Tuesday, with Käärijä among the 10 acts selected to advance to the grand final on Saturday.
A BBC North West Tonight spokesperson said Walderman's mistake had been "a case of Eurovision fever".
You can watch the second semi-final on RTÉ 2 tonight from 8pm.
Source: Press Association
