BBC faced an awkward blunder when a reporter appeared to confuse Finland's Eurovision entry Käärijä with a fan.
The entirety of the UK is gearing up for the most exciting night in music on Saturday night (May 13) when the Eurovision final takes place in Liverpool.
Ahead of the final, the semi-finals have kicked off this week – with the first starting on Tuesday (May 9) and the next expected to take place on Thursday (May 11).
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However, on Tuesday, BBC North West Tonight thought they had bagged an interview with Käärijä – who made it through to the final – but it turns out they were wrong.
During a segment on the show, the reporter interviewed fans during the semi-final performances – many of whom tipped Finland to go all the way in the competition.
But things took an awkward turn when one fan was mistaken for Finland’s act Käärijä – who had just been performing their song Cha Cha Cha on stage at the M&S Bank Arena.
The unidentified man was wearing a similar bright green top worn by Käärijä onstage – and it didn’t take long for the reporter to swoop in.
Speaking to the camera, the reporter remarked “we even managed to catch up with the main man himself".
While the strapline underneath the interview read “Käärijä– Finland entrant".
The man was asked about how Liverpool was as a host city, to which he replied: “Incredible. In comparison with all the other countries that I have been to, this is better organised. Everything is walking distance, and it’s just so friendly. Everything is just so easy around here. It’s incredible.”
However, Eurovision fans straight away noticed that the interviewee was not Käärijä, but instead a superfan.
Taking to social media, one person wrote: “OH MY GOD BBC North West Tonight interviewed a Käärijä fan thinking it was HIM. ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL."
A second agreed and penned: “Noooooooo BBC North West thought they were speaking to Käärijä but it was a fan cosplaying.”
“BBC North West, hate to break it to you but this is not Käärijä," proclaimed someone else.
Käärijä has stood out from the crowd during this year’s contestant of Eurovision thanks to his neon green outfit and spiked collar.
He breezed through to the final after a jaw-dropping performance at the semi-finals on Tuesday.
He was joined by nine other countries making it through to the live final including the likes of Sweden’s icon and previous winner Loreen, as well as acts from Moldova, Switzerland and Finland.
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