In an interview with The South China Morning Post, the British Eurovision commentator, Graham Norton, spoke about the rumours surrounding China’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Irish-born chatshow host says it would not come as a great surprise if China began partaking in Eurovision.

When asked about Australia’s recent wild card entries and whether or not he would like to see China take part,  Norton responded:

The Eurovision is a wonderful thing, but one thing it doesn’t need is any more songs in it! No one at the end goes, ‘If only that had been longer!’ Will China enter it? I would not be at all surprised. It would make sense from Eurovision’s point of view because it’s such an enormous market – and also, in a way, it would be quite nice to have China join in because I find Eurovision a very optimistic way to look at the peoples of the world.

Graham Norton was also asked why he thinks his very British/Irish sense of humour works so well internationally:

I don’t know why it works anywhere!” He went on to say how it could be because of him, but it’s more likely because he’s interviewing world famous stars, or commentating on a huge international music event that people would watch anyway.

As a closing question, Norton was asked what advice he would give to his younger self.

Young people think it’s got to happen now. But the ’plugging away’ years are not wasted. You’ve got more time to fail than you think, because you’ve got time to start again. You know, at 53, I’m a debut novelist, whereas my 30-year-old self would have thought, ‘Oh, Why bother? You’re 53, you’re almost dead.

Graham Norton has been the commentator for the BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2009.

The United Kingdom finished in 24th place with 62 points in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with Joe and Jake’s You’re not alone. The UK will compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kyiv.