Eurovision: Iceland out of live shows due to Covid

Lead singer Daði Freyr said it was a "huge surprise" for his fellow band member to test positive

Iceland's entrant for the Eurovision song contest will not perform in this year's live shows after a band member tested positive for coronavirus.

Daði og Gagnamagnið will stay in the competition but won't perform live at Wednesday's rehearsal, Thursday's semi-final or the final on Saturday.

Footage recorded during a recent rehearsal will be used instead.

Band member Jóhann Sigurður Jóhannsson said he was "shocked and disappointed" at finding out he had tested positive.

"I'm generally very sad about the whole situation," he said in a clip on the band's Instagram story.

"I'm healthy. It's difficult because we've worked so hard and I really wanted this and it's been so long in the making.

"We're really proud of our rehearsal [performance] and I'm hoping we will make Icelanders proud and make our supporters proud."

Lead singer Daði Freyr said the news was a "huge surprise", but added: "We are very happy with the [recorded] performance and super excited for you all to see it."

Eurovision organisers said in a statement: "In close collaboration with the EBU and the host broadcaster, Daði og Gagnamagnið have taken the difficult decision to withdraw from performing in this year's live Eurovision song contest shows.

"They only want to perform together as a group. Their song will remain in the competition and we will broadcast their rehearsal performance, recorded on the stage on 13 May."

Eurovision's 'hivemind' entrant

Analysis by Steve Holden, Newsbeat music reporter

Daði and his group will be devastated to lose their big moment in the live Eurovision spotlight, which is something they've been working towards for two years.

One of the group - Árný - is Daði's wife, and the song 10 Years is about their lasting relationship.

Daði's DIY approach to Eurovision, eccentricity and deadpan humour is one of the reasons he's proved so popular.

When we caught up with the band in their matching green jumpsuits last week, they were in good spirits and described themselves as "a hivemind" - where they all think as one person.

Eurovision bosses had factored in artists getting positive Covid tests, so they'll use last week's rehearsal footage to make sure Iceland can still compete in the second semi-final.

If the band gets through to the final it's expected the pre-recorded performance will be used again.

A member of the Iceland team had tested positive at the weekend but on Monday the band said all tests had returned negative.

They have all been isolating in a hotel and taking regular tests during the week.

Daði and his band missed out on representing Iceland in 2020 when the event was cancelled because of coronavirus.

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