Sweden picks singer who claimed gay sex is ‘not natural’ for Eurovision
Sweden has selected singer Måns Zelmerlöw to represent the country at Eurovision – despite previous controversial comments about gay sex.
The singer – who first came to prominence on Swedish Idol in 2005 – last night took home the crown at Melodifestivalen, winning the right to represent the country at Eurovision in May.
However, Zelmerlöw was forced to apologise last year – after claiming that gay couples should not have children on celebrity cooking show ‘Pluras kök’.
According to wiwibloggs, he stunned other guests into silence at the time by calling homosexuality abnormal – before claiming “it isn’t equally natural for men to want to sleep with one another”.
He continued: “There isn’t anything wrong with it at all, but the more natural thing of course is that men and women make children together.”
The singer later said in a statement: “I want to apologise to all who take offense. I believe and hope that the vast majority know that I respect differences and all forms of love.”
Sweden is one of the hot favourites to win this year’s contest thanks to Zelmerlöw’s song Heroes, meaning he could succeed drag artist Conchita Wurst, who has become a champion of LGBT rights since winning.
Conchita Wurst performed at the Melodifestivalen final last night – though’s the show’s executive producer Christer Björkman had to stand in for the drag artist during the dress rehearsal, when she failed to make it to Stockholm in time.
The producer valiantly slipped on a dress and wig to perform the number ‘Rise Like a Phoenix’ in place of Conchita – and delivered an unexpected belter, nailing the song.
Watch Måns Zelmerlöw’s winning entry below:
