Stage stormed during UK's Eurovision song

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Stage stormed during UK's Eurovision song
12 May 2018 Entertainment & Arts
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Watch: Protester interrupts the UK's Eurovision entry in Lisbon
Image caption Watch: Protester interrupts the UK's Eurovision entry in Lisbon
A man stormed the stage while the UK's entry, SuRie, was performing at the Eurovision Song Contest.

SuRie was singing her song Storm when a man wearing a rucksack ran onto the stage, grabbed her microphone, and appeared to say: "Nazis of the UK media, we demand freedom."

He was swiftly dragged off stage and SuRie continued performing the song.

Israel won the contest with 520 points while SuRie's song was third from bottom, gaining 48 points.

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The invader is in police custody, the European Broadcasting Union said. He is understood to be a European citizen but not British.

It is thought the same man invaded the stage at the National Television Awards this year, and The Voice in 2017.

SuRie was given the chance to perform again, but declined. The BBC said: "SuRie and her team are extremely proud of her performance and have together decided that there is absolutely no reason to perform the song again."

Image copyright EPA SuRie performing at the Eurovision Song Contest
Image caption The stage invader took the microphone off SuRie, before being dragged off stage
The Eurovision 2018 final in Lisbon, Portugal, was watched by an estimated TV audience of 200 million.

Israel's entry Netta won the contest with the song Toy, and stood out with an unconventional singing style likened to chicken clucking.

The Cypriot entry Eleni Foureira came second with the song Fuego.

The voting was weighted so that half the points come from public telephone votes from viewers in each country, and half from a jury of musical experts in each nation.

Image copyright REUTERS Netta accepting the trophy for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018
Image caption Netta won the Eurovision Song Contest with her song Toy
Although SuRie was left without a microphone for about 10 seconds - during which she clapped along to the song - the music track continued with backing vocals.

Graham Norton, who presented the UK's coverage, said: "There was a stage invasion, SuRie coped incredibly well. I can't stress enough what a brilliant job she did - she must have been terrified."

The 29-year-old was also praised on Twitter for her composure.

Former work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper said SuRie "pumped it up even better for being interrupted".

TV presenter Scarlett Moffatt added: "Hope SuRie is ok, she is an absolute star."

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Before becoming the UK's Eurovision entry, SuRie worked with Belgian contestants as a backing singer in 2015, and as a music director last year.

The Harlow-born singer is classically-trained and went to the Royal Academy of Music.

Image copyright REUTERS
Image caption SuRie continued singing and declined the opportunity to perform again
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