Emmy's judge dread

EUROVISION Song Contest hopeful Emmy Kristiansen has said she was “scared” of the Irish judges who chose her to represent Ireland.

- BY CHARLOTTE MCLAUGHLIN

The Norwegian singer, 24, was voted through as the 2025 Ireland Eurovision representative after performing her song Laika Party – about a dog that was sent into space by the Russians – on The Late Late Show.

Samantha Mumba, an Irish actress and singer who appeared in a movie based on HG Wells’ The Time Machine of the same name, criticised the judging in February saying they “were unnecessarily rude” to the finalists, after she entered with My Way for Basel 2025.

Emmy said: “I love Samantha, we are good friends, and I feel like... I was also scared of the panel.