Eurovision Fans Slam Cameo

San Marino’s Eurovision 2026 bid ended in disappointment after Senhit’s performance with Boy George failed to secure a spot in the Grand Final.

The latest stage of the contest aired live from Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, May 12, with acts competing for the right to continue in the competition and return for Saturday’s final.

Senhit represented San Marino with “Superstar,” a performance that featured a guest appearance from Boy George. The singer, born George Alan O’Dowd, became a defining figure in British pop through Culture Club and enduring 1980s hits such as “Karma Chameleon” and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.”

Boy George was introduced partway through the staging, dressed in a black suit and positioned on a silver throne. His entrance added a theatrical celebrity moment to the number, but it did not change the outcome for San Marino.

The country finished among the bottom five entries and missed qualification for the Grand Final. Senhit previously appeared at Eurovision in 2021, when she performed for San Marino in Rotterdam with American rapper Flo Rida.

Viewers were split over Boy George’s role in the routine. Some social media users felt the cameo distracted from Senhit and did little to strengthen the song, while others welcomed the collaboration and said San Marino deserved to advance.

The appearance also placed fresh attention on Boy George’s long-running music career, including his Culture Club years with Roy Hay and Mikey Craig, as well as his continued visibility within pop culture.

Before taking to the Eurovision stage, Boy George praised the scale of the event’s production in comments to Wiwibloggs, saying: “It is very different to how it is on TV. It is such a well run ship.”

The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final airs Saturday, May 16 at 8pm BST on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.