Eurovision hopeful Engelbert Humperdinck fury over Panorama ambush – Daily TV round-up

British Eurovision entrant Engelbert Humperdinck is said to be furious after being ambushed by the BBC show 'Panorama' over the contest's host country Azerbaijan.

The veteran crooner was confronted unexpectedly by the show's reporter Paul Kenyon as he left an interview with Radio 2.

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He was pressed over what his views are on the country's human rights record, following claims that this year's Eurovision Song Contest is being used as a 'tool of intimidation'.

Humperdinck was then given a t-shirt with the phrase 'Please Release Them', a play on his single 'Please Release Me', in a reference to political prisoners held in the country.

His agent hit back in an email to the show, saying: “[I wanted to] make very clear how surprised and disappointed we all were that ‘Panorama’ felt it appropriate to ambush Engelbert Humperdinck on BBC property in order to force a reaction from him, without even giving him the courtesy of time to frame his thoughts.

“As you know Eurovision is a BBC show, and he was invited by the BBC to participate, and we feel that these actions by another BBC team were at best ill-judged.”

The ‘Panorama’ show, 'Eurovision's Dirty Secret', goes out tonight on BBC One. [Daily Telegraph]

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