John Lydon bizarrely brands Eurovision ‘disgusting’ despite attempting to star on the show

John Lydon has hit out against Eurovision despite vying to represent Ireland at the contest

(Picture: PA Archive)

John Lydon has called Eurovision “disgusting” and said he’s never watched it, despite hoping to compete in the upcoming competition.

During a radio appearance on Tuesday night, Lydon, 66, whose band Public Image Ltd have announced that they will compete to represent Ireland at this year’s contest in Liverpool, hit out at the contest.

Chatting about the annual music competition, he told Cormac Ó hEadhra on RTE’s Radio 1: “It’s absolutely awful, the songs.

“The whole thing of it is disgusting to me. I’m a songwriter, I perform live, and these shows just come across as so dreadfully phoney to me.

“But look, we’re giving it a chance to break out of that mould.”

Despite slamming Eurovision, Lydon said he and his band Public Image Ltd (PiL) are grateful to have been invited to compete to represent Ireland (Getty Images)

When  the host asked how he plans to shake Eurovision up, he replied: “I’ve no idea. Apparently, I have to do karaoke over a backing track.”

Lydon, however, did say he was grateful for being invited to compete to represent Ireland.

“What a fantastic opportunity these people have given me,” he said.

His band previously revealed they would compete with an unheard song titled Hawaii, which would be dedicated to Lydon’s wife Nora, who has Alzheimer’s.

The UK has won Eurovision five times in the show’s 67 year history, including in 1963, when all the contestants gathered for this snap (Getty Images)

Lydon admitted on the radio show that he “cried his eyes out” when writing and recording the song.

“My wife when she sees this, it’s going to melt her, Alzheimer’s or not," he said.

“It’s the most rewarding thing."

Irish broadcaster RTE previously announced that Lydon – whose mother is from County Cork and his father from Galway – and his group PiL are among the six entries vying to represent Ireland in May.

Lydon (second from left) with his name-making band The Sex Pistols (PA Archive)

They will compete against Wild Youth, Adgy, Connolly, Leila Jane and K Muni & ND during a televised contest on The Late Late Show on Friday February 3.

Lydon made his name with The Sex Pistols in the Seventies alongside guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bassist Glen Matlock. Matlock was replaced by Sid Vicious in early 1977.

In 1978 he formed Public Image Ltd, which he put on indefinite hiatus in 1993.

But now they hope to make a comeback at the Eurovision.