Marty Whelan has said Ireland's Eurovision hopeful, the Norwegian singer EMMY, is "a great ambassador for us" ahead of tonight's second semi-final of the song contest.
Marty also spoke to RTÉ's Evelyn O’Rourke in Basel - you can watch the video above – and he was upbeat about EMMY and Ireland’s chances of making Saturday’s Eurovision final.
"I’m always positive," he told her, with an emphatic wave of his hand. "I can’t be anything but when I come here to the Eurovision.
"Whatever it is about it, it’s the happiest little song we have. She’s a delight . . . It’s gone down well and it’s a very 'Eurovisiony’ song.
"I think we’ve a great chance to get out tonight – tonight is the one that matters. It could be our Eurovision – and we always say that – and some people will be disappointed.
"I think we’re going to be okay. We’re referring to it as like a Marty Party. And that’s actually what we have tonight because it may be our Eurovision. But fingers crossed, we’ll get it."
Speaking to Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio 1 from Basel this morning, the long-running Eurovision commentator said he has high hopes that Ireland will progress to the grand final of the competition on Saturday.
EMMY performed her track Laika Party - an upbeat synth-pop tribute to the first dog in space - in the third slot tonight.
When asked by Callan what viewers could expect, Whelan said: "We put her and her brother on a rocket and away we go!
"I think we will get through. I heard you say some of the fan sites aren't mad about it. But I think we'll get through."
"You get out there and you do your best, and she's playing a blinder," he continued. "She is the happiest... I've never met anybody as consistently happy since yourself.
"She's unreal, she never stops smiling. She's fantastic, she's a great ambassador for us."
The RTÉ broadcaster also addressed the controversy over Israel's ongoing participation in the contest amid the conflict in Gaza.
A Pro-Palestinian protest took place on the streets of Basel yesterday to demonstrate against Israel's participation in the Eurovision.
"There was a silent protest here yesterday in support of Gaza and we understand that," he said. "The contest goes on and we say ok, this is what it is.
"We have a representative (Yuval Raphael) performing for Israel tonight who was at that appalling event (the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival), she's doing her best for her country and that's up to her. They are here as part of the presentation here tonight in Basel and you say ok, it's another song tonight.
"And you separate yourself, as I and all the other commentators must, from anything else that's happening in the world, irrespective of what we may or may not think."
Whelan added: "It is very strange that you're in here with people lepping about the stage, and fireworks and all the rest of it, and you know full well what's going on elsewhere. One is super conscious of that, because none of us live in an actual bubble.
"But Eurovision gives people the opportunity to come and make music and try to make careers. It's a great, fun event and it's a great escape for many people, so in that respect we have to say, that's what it is and I treat it as such."
The Eurovision Song Contest semi-final is being shown live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 8pm.
