Ahead of Friday night’s announcement of Ireland’s Eurovision 2022 entry, the Queen of Ireland, Panti Bliss, has launched her campaign to present the Irish votes at this year’s Song Contest.

Last night she tweeted, “My 2022 campaign to announce the results of the Irish vote on this years #Eurovision starts here!”.

My 2022 campaign to announce the results of the Irish vote on this years #Eurovision starts here! pic.twitter.com/vIHkHqgmiA

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) January 31, 2022

This is the second year running that the delectable diva has petitioned RTÉ to consider her for the role and she thinks it’s high time that they sat up and listened.

She told GCN, “If RTÉ want people to keep paying the license fee they need to give the people what they want. And what the people want is for ME TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE IRISH JURY AT EUROVISION!”

Shortly after her tweet announcing her candidacy, she put out a second tweet declaring, “Twink and Linda have felt passionately enough about only two causes to put their differences aside: Dogs. And my campaign to present the Irish #Eurovision2022 results.”

Twink and Linda have felt passionately enough about only two causes to put their differences aside:

Dogs. And my campaign to present the Irish #Eurovision2022 results. pic.twitter.com/0O46wAKpjE

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) January 31, 2022

Although last year’s campaign was unsuccessful, it was endorsed by celebrities such as Imelda May, Bressie, then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Hazel Chu, and of course, former Eurovision winner, Linda Martin.

Linda tweeted, “Panti my dearest friend. Supporting you by chaining myself to the railings in RTÉ would be small fry considering the support you’ve given me over the years. Europe would love you.”

Panti my dearest friend. Supporting you by chaining myself to the railings in RTÉ would be small fry considering the support you’ve given me over the years. Europe would love you.

— Linda Martin (@RealLindaMartin) April 18, 2021

The 66th Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place at the PalaOlimpico Arena in Turin, Italy from May 10 to 14, 2022. This will be Italy’s third time to host the contest after the rock band, Måneskin won in Rotterdam last year with the song, ‘Zitti E Buoni’.

The theme for Eurovision 2022 is “The Sound of Beauty” and it will see 41 countries competing for the coveted prize and the chance to host next year’s event. It will follow the now-familiar format of 36 countries battling through two semi-finals to reach the grand finale. The top 10 entries from each semi-final will join the ‘Big Five’; France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, to compete on Saturday, May 14.

Ireland is set to compete in the second semi-final on Thursday, May 12. Since the semi-finals were introduced in 2004, Ireland has only managed to make it out of the heats eight times. And sure, we’ve had a bit of a dry spell since 1996, but I must also point out that we STILL hold the record for the most ever wins.

As well as asking ‘who’ll deliver the Irish verdict?’ we’re still wondering who’ll sing our next winning entry. Thankfully, we only have to wait until this Friday, Feb 4, when Ryan Tubridy will announce our next great hope on The Late Late Show.

Here’s what’s on offer – Who gets your ‘douze points’? We’ll let Panti announce the verdict from the GCN jury… whenever we get around to making up our minds!

Brendan Murray – Real Love

Brooke Scullion

Janet Grogan – Ashes (of Yesterday)

Miles Graham – Yeah We’re Going To Get Of It

Patrick O’Sullivan – One Night, One Kiss, One Promise

Rachel Goode – I’m Loving Me