Martin Österdahl steps down as Eurovision Executive supervisor

[Sean]

https://www.ebu.ch/news/2025/06/martin-osterdahl-to-step-down-as-executive-supervisor-of-the-eurovision-song-contest-this-summer

!!!

 

[jatojo]

https://www.ebu.ch/news/2025/06/martin-osterdahl-to-step-down-as-executive-supervisor-of-the-eurovision-song-contest-this-summer

!!!

What will that mean to Eurovision?

 

[Petar]

 

[goncalovieira]

Go Carla Bugalhoh

 

[Looren]

Good riddance yeah, but right now it doesn't change much, let's see what happens the next few weeks

 

[ESC94]

I really hope we´ll get someone from another part of Europe and not the next Dane, Swede or Norwegian.

 

[Realest]

He did a great job.

 

[Sean]

He did a great job.

He took a contest with an improving reputation and in good hands and was a direct cause of some of the most chaotic, controversial and negative headline-grabbing situations it's seen this side of the millennium all in the space of 5 years. He brought the contest into disrepute which was always his tagline for what he didn't want to do.

He did NOT do a great job.

 

[ESC94]

He did a great job.

Says the founder, leader and only member of the Österdahl fanclub here in this forum.

 

[DirtyFalcon]

VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION and i might receive insults for sharing this opinion I think Martin Osterdahl was just a puppet and couldn't what really wanted to. Most of you are demonizing him but in reality, i think he was a complete punching bag for the EBU and took the blows from the fans instead of everyone else in the EBU who are in the shadows and who really make and impose the decisions. He certainly had bad decisions but was mostly influenced by people around him. Having met him after Eurovision and spoken with him for a few minutes, I can assure you that he is a very nice person and loves Eurovision. He took the time a few minutes to speak with me and my friend and we had a great conversation. I think he would have liked to do better, but he arrived at the worst possible time for being an Executive Supervisor. That's why it's a bit sad that many people demonize him.

And little disclaimer : Again, yes he was still part of the EBU and i'm not excusing everything he has done against the contest, but i think he has way less responsability than what the fandom wants to believe. If he was the Executive Supervisor in a way more peaceful and zen period of our history, in particular geopolitcally speaking, i then think that he would done way better as an Executive Supervisor. I now wish him a good reconversion.

I don't think many of the people who are blaming him at the moment would have done better.

 

[ESC94]

VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION and i might receive insults for sharing this opinion I think Martin Osterdahl was just a puppet and couldn't what really wanted to. Most of you are demonizing him but in reality, i think he was a complete punching bag for the EBU and took the blows from the fans instead of everyone else in the EBU who are in the shadows and who really make and impose the decisions. He certainly had bad decisions but was mostly influenced by people around him. Having met him after Eurovision and spoken with him for a few minutes, I can assure you that he is a very nice person and loves Eurovision. He took the time a few minutes to speak with me and my friend and we had a great conversation. I think he would have liked to do better, but he arrived at the worst possible time for being an Executive Supervisor. That's why it's a bit sad that many people demonize him.

And little disclaimer : Again, yes he was still part of the EBU and i'm not excusing everything he has done against the contest, but i think he has way less responsability than what the fandom wants to believe. If he was the Executive Supervisor in a way more peaceful and zen period of our history, in particular geopolitcally speaking, i then think that he would done way better as an Executive Supervisor. I now wish him a good reconversion.

I don't think many of the people who are blaming him at the moment would have done better.

Wow, the Österdahl fancblub has a second member, @Realest will be happy!!

 

[Judas]

Wow this news was around about 10 days ago, but released by the least reliable Eurovision sources (if you know what I mean) and no one believed it was true even the slightest, to the point the discussions on these platforms were removed due to the news being fake. What a turn of events!

 

[rasmuslights]

VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION and i might receive insults for sharing this opinion I think Martin Osterdahl was just a puppet and couldn't what really wanted to. Most of you are demonizing him but in reality, i think he was a complete punching bag for the EBU and took the blows from the fans instead of everyone else in the EBU who are in the shadows and who really make and impose the decisions. He certainly had bad decisions but was mostly influenced by people around him. Having met him after Eurovision and spoken with him for a few minutes, I can assure you that he is a very nice person and loves Eurovision. He took the time a few minutes to speak with me and my friend and we had a great conversation. I think he would have liked to do better, but he arrived at the worst possible time for being an Executive Supervisor. That's why it's a bit sad that many people demonize him.

And little disclaimer : Again, yes he was still part of the EBU and i'm not excusing everything he has done against the contest, but i think he has way less responsability than what the fandom wants to believe. If he was the Executive Supervisor in a way more peaceful and zen period of our history, in particular geopolitcally speaking, i then think that he would done way better as an Executive Supervisor. I now wish him a good reconversion.

I don't think many of the people who are blaming him at the moment would have done better.

I agree, it's often like that.

The reference group actually has the power to ban Israel, Martin had no such power; but guess who got blamed?

 

[Judas]

VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION and i might receive insults for sharing this opinion I think Martin Osterdahl was just a puppet and couldn't what really wanted to. Most of you are demonizing him but in reality, i think he was a complete punching bag for the EBU and took the blows from the fans instead of everyone else in the EBU who are in the shadows and who really make and impose the decisions. He certainly had bad decisions but was mostly influenced by people around him. Having met him after Eurovision and spoken with him for a few minutes, I can assure you that he is a very nice person and loves Eurovision. He took the time a few minutes to speak with me and my friend and we had a great conversation. I think he would have liked to do better, but he arrived at the worst possible time for being an Executive Supervisor. That's why it's a bit sad that many people demonize him.

And little disclaimer : Again, yes he was still part of the EBU and i'm not excusing everything he has done against the contest, but i think he has way less responsability than what the fandom wants to believe. If he was the Executive Supervisor in a way more peaceful and zen period of our history, in particular geopolitcally speaking, i then think that he would done way better as an Executive Supervisor. I now wish him a good reconversion.

I don't think many of the people who are blaming him at the moment would have done better.

These are bold claims but honestly it doesn’t go anywhere aside from “I think” statements and a few minutes of a conversation which may or may not be sincere to begin with.

 

[Harry]

I hope his collection pot is filled with urine and loads of glitter that he’ll never be able to hoover up

 

[SpiritofKeiino]

Not surprised he's moving on. Too many controversies in recent years. I actually don't mind him btw although don't agree with him or the EBU on several things.

 

[Mainshow]

We could be dealing with Christer Björkman as the next executive producer and therefore, I'm not sure whether I should be celebrating or not (or be even more worried?).

Honestly, Österdahl wasn't bad. It wasn't his fault that Covid, ruZZia's colonial and imperial war and the Gaza/Israel war happen(ed) and his hands have been tied several times.
He handled the jury fiasco alright-ish and did a lot for the brand (making it more appealing to young viewers, sticking to a slogan, creating safe spaces for artists this year).
I don't mind long-term partnerships either. They secure parts of the funding for years.

Getting the whole world involved by coming up with the rest of the world vote was a great idea - as well as ditching the juries in the semis.

I just hope that the new executive producer will be more transparent regarding some choices, e.g. keeping Israel in the competition or if someone can't participate (e.g. Joost).

I know that we like to cherish Jan Ola Sand but we should keep in kind that some shit hit the fan under his "rule" as well, e.g.
- neglecting Kazakhstan whilst inviting Australia
- 2013 voting (which isn't transparent at all leading to Top 5 televoting song not qualifying)
- the 2011 "televoting fraud" regarding Azerbaijan's victory
- politically charged (interval) performances
- Russia 2016
- disqualifying Romania in 2016 3 weeks before the contest
- introducing the producer's running order
- we lost Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey for good
- Poland and Portugal didn't take part for 2 years
- juries voting upside down in 2019 making Lithuania NQ


Both executive producers left their mark on ESC, for sure but I think it's not really "fair" to demonise Osterdahl whilst admiring Ola Sand.
I'm furious about some things as well but bot all of this was Osterdahl's doing.

 

[Leydan]

I wouldn't expect huge change from his replacement. A lot of decisions went through the reference group and tbh i'm fairly sure the EBU will replace him from their inner circle.

 

[Realest]

- juries voting upside down in 2019 making Lithuania NQ

In 2019 3 jurymembers voted upside down. One from ::ct which caused s NQ and s Q.
In SF2 one from and one from voted upside down. One benefitted and one .
I cant find the "corrected" result from then anymore, but even without these mistakes, would have nqed. Even with 2 or 3 points.

 

[ESC94]

We could be dealing with Christer Björkman as the next executive producer and therefore, I'm not sure whether I should be celebrating or not (or be even more worried?).

Honestly, Österdahl wasn't bad. It wasn't his fault that Covid, ruZZia's colonial and imperial war and the Gaza/Israel war happen(ed) and his hands have been tied several times.
He handled the jury fiasco alright-ish and did a lot for the brand (making it more appealing to young viewers, sticking to a slogan, creating safe spaces for artists this year).
I don't mind long-term partnerships either. They secure parts of the funding for years.

Getting the whole world involved by coming up with the rest of the world vote was a great idea - as well as ditching the juries in the semis.

I just hope that the new executive producer will be more transparent regarding some choices, e.g. keeping Israel in the competition or if someone can't participate (e.g. Joost).

I know that we like to cherish Jan Ola Sand but we should keep in kind that some shit hit the fan under his "rule" as well, e.g.
- neglecting Kazakhstan whilst inviting Australia
- 2013 voting (which isn't transparent at all leading to Top 5 televoting song not qualifying)
- the 2011 "televoting fraud" regarding Azerbaijan's victory
- politically charged (interval) performances
- Russia 2016
- disqualifying Romania in 2016 3 weeks before the contest
- introducing the producer's running order
- we lost Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey for good
- Poland and Portugal didn't take part for 2 years
- juries voting upside down in 2019 making Lithuania NQ


Both executive producers left their mark on ESC, for sure but I think it's not really "fair" to demonise Osterdahl whilst admiring Ola Sand.
I'm furious about some things as well but bot all of this was Osterdahl's doing.

Well, it wasn´t his fault that these countries were either sore losers or quit because of homophobia.