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Petition to stop BBC broadcasting Eurovision song that glamorises sexual strangulation (before the watershed!)

110 replies

DreamyHedgehog · 23/04/2026 01:21

Someone has created a change.org petition calling on The BBC and The EBU to not broadcast “Choke Me”, a song competing at Eurovision this year which glamorises sexual strangulation - unless the lyrics are changed.

The song is due to be broadcast on May 14th shortly after 8pm on BBC One - before the watershed.

I’ve just signed, sharing here in case anyone else wants to sign and share too.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women

These are the full lyrics to the song:

Phantom
You feel like a phantom
Why do you wanna tame me?
It's hard to breathe in
Do you feel me?
Do what I say
And don't you ever betray me
You are here to obey me
Are you not?
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control
I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh…
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Choke me
Choke me
Choke me
Save me
Inside I'm blazin'
I want you to call me, call me, call me
Call, my body is begging
Do what I say
And don't you ever betray me
You are here to obey me
Are you not?
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control
I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh…
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control
I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode like oh oh oh…
All I need iѕ your love
I wаnt it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me

Petition to stop BBC broadcasting Eurovision song that glamorises sexual strangulation (before the watershed!)
OP posts:
Giraffehaver · 28/04/2026 00:20

Signed. Puerile and dangerous

OurLine · 28/04/2026 00:10

@DreamyHedgehog apologies, I realise you shared our petition. Thank you. Also thanks for your comments - I agree with them completely.

OurLine · 27/04/2026 17:02

Thank you everyone who has signed so far! If anyone can share on other social media channels, that would be fab. Thank you

TabbyBeast · 27/04/2026 14:20

Signed

Babaar · 27/04/2026 13:30

Signed.

OurLine · 27/04/2026 13:06

ACIGC - the BBC has its own standards that it will breach if it allows that song in its current form. The petition is not asking that the song to be banned - it has asked the BBC to request the EBU to require changes to the song lyrics. The EBU has done this before for other songs.

ACIGC · 27/04/2026 12:12

We don’t know yet whether it will be broadcast before the watershed because the running order hasn’t been decided yet. We don’t even know if it will make the grand final at all.

The BBC can’t decide not to broadcast it if the EBU are allowing it to be in.

OurLine · 27/04/2026 12:07

Thank you! The YouTube video is age restricted (we applied that restriction just because this mentions strangulation) but it can be viewed here too: https://www.tiktok.com/@ourlinehq/video/7632638511333592342?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7547488277419558422. There are no graphic images but we do give the facts on non-fatal strangulation and the law.
Thank you for the signatures and support!

TikTok - Make Your Day

https://www.tiktok.com/@ourlinehq/video/7632638511333592342?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7547488277419558422

hallouminatus · 27/04/2026 11:01

OurLine · 26/04/2026 16:50

@IwantToRetire this was my petition and I am incredibly grateful that you shared this, and to everyone who signed it.

The petition link is here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women

Strangulation is a high-risk, high-harm behaviour. I wrote an article explaining the rationale behind the petition: https://medium.com/@support2report/theres-a-eurovision-song-called-choke-me-this-is-why-it-matters-1cd1e2b9df14.

The petition hasn't taken off into the numbers I'd hoped so yesterday I worked with a collaborator to create a video to support the petition. We posted that here: https://youtube.com/shorts/XgEX9dAI-w?si=KWjJgNv26ULuwKa.

We don't have social media reach (we've only just set up). Most of the signatures so far are from other people who've signed, shared and promoted. So thank you to everyone who has shared. If anyone can help us make more noise about it on other social media, we'd be very grateful.

Thanks

Edited

Thank you for your work on this. I've signed the petition, but the other two links didn't work for me. The Medium link did work when I deleted the last bit, leaving this: https://medium.com/@support2report
I haven't been able to find the YouTube video, but I did find this one from ITV news, which is also good: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/KdqrWPZ7WTU

Before you continue to YouTube

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/KdqrWPZ7WTU

CleanSkin · 27/04/2026 10:13

Thats horrific, I’m lost for words on the number of ways that such lyrics are so wrong and damaging.
Signed & shared on sm.
I hope it gets some traction & that this awful entry is stopped.

GCScot · 27/04/2026 09:54

Ok, I did sign, confirmation email just went to my junk folder

usedtobeaylis · 27/04/2026 09:46

That's is disgusting. Songs like that will exist but it doesn't mean Eurovision and the BBC should endorse them. They absolutely shouldn't.

GCScot · 27/04/2026 09:37

At least, I think I've signed it. Quite a few steps to go through and didn't get a confirmation message/email at the end 🤔

GCScot · 27/04/2026 09:30

Signed, thanks for sharing @DreamyHedgehog & thanks for setting it up @OurLine

I watch Eurovision every year. I won't watch it this year if this song isn't changed/removed

OurLine · 26/04/2026 16:50

@IwantToRetire this was my petition and I am incredibly grateful that you shared this, and to everyone who signed it.

The petition link is here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-bbc-airing-eurovision-content-that-normalises-violence-against-women

Strangulation is a high-risk, high-harm behaviour. I wrote an article explaining the rationale behind the petition: https://medium.com/@support2report/theres-a-eurovision-song-called-choke-me-this-is-why-it-matters-1cd1e2b9df14.

The petition hasn't taken off into the numbers I'd hoped so yesterday I worked with a collaborator to create a video to support the petition. We posted that here: https://youtube.com/shorts/XgEX9dAI-w?si=KWjJgNv26ULuwKa.

We don't have social media reach (we've only just set up). Most of the signatures so far are from other people who've signed, shared and promoted. So thank you to everyone who has shared. If anyone can help us make more noise about it on other social media, we'd be very grateful.

Thanks

Before you continue to YouTube

https://youtube.com/shorts/XgEX%3Cu%3E9dAI-w?si=KWjJgNv26ULuw%3C/u%3EKa.

UtopiaPlanitia · 24/04/2026 14:41

BellsoftheCarols · 24/04/2026 04:50

Eurovision seems to be for pornsick pervs these days.

20-odd years ago, Eurovision rebranded and made a conscious decision to start appealing to the male gaze and the entrants are playing along. The issue of pop music being overtly sexualised worldwide is also an influence on Eurovison that I dislike.

BellsoftheCarols · 24/04/2026 04:50

Eurovision seems to be for pornsick pervs these days.

AstonScrapingsNameChange · 23/04/2026 20:35

Erin1975 · 23/04/2026 09:23

Eurovision has always had acts that go for the "shock" performance.

There have been numerous acts with almost naked dancers writhing around on stage. There was the band which dressed up as demons, the transvestite band which spanked each other on stage and the two milkmaids who pretended to have sex on stage. Those are just the ones I can remember.

Show quote history

IKWYM but there's a massive difference between near nakedness / simulated sex / provocative dancing / spanking, and normalising a dangerous and illegal sex act which too many women experience non consensually and feel like they 'ought' to enjoy/ tolerate. And it's nearly always men doing it to women so the song is misogynistic too.

I read (can't find source sorry) that choking during sex is the no 1 cause of stroke in women under 40. That really shocked me. I mean ofc the numbers are probably still small - but we're talking risk of DEATH/life changing injury. I don't think people realise what a risk they may be taking, they think of they only do it 'a bit' it will all be fine. And bs like this excrable song encourage it.

munchbunch12 · 23/04/2026 20:22

Signed! Thanks for highlighting the petition.

Mixerfixer · 23/04/2026 20:13

Erin1975 · 23/04/2026 09:23

Eurovision has always had acts that go for the "shock" performance.

There have been numerous acts with almost naked dancers writhing around on stage. There was the band which dressed up as demons, the transvestite band which spanked each other on stage and the two milkmaids who pretended to have sex on stage. Those are just the ones I can remember.

Show quote history

No,not "always" at all.

ClassyCuckoo · 23/04/2026 20:07

Dangerous and vile. Signed

Original poster
DreamyHedgehog · 23/04/2026 18:51

MissyB1 · 23/04/2026 17:43

How the heck was this song allowed to be entered? Surely the organisers should have refused to allow it? Eurovision has been going to shit for years, I won’t be watching it.

Tinfoil hat, but the EBU lobbied Romania and Bulgaria to come back this year, and gave them a discount on the entry fee to avoid low numbers following Spain, Slovenia, Ireland, Iceland and Netherlands deciding to boycott.

It’s Romania’s entry so they are probably scared of annoying them so much they drop out and there would be a semi final with only 14 countries competing for 10 spots in the final… which would look really bad for the 70th anniversary edition.

Either that or they genuinely don’t care about violence against women.

OP posts:
ASingleDayOnVenus · 23/04/2026 18:29

Urgh. Signed. What posessed the Romanian judges and the EBU to approve such material for Eurovision?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 23/04/2026 18:22

Waheymum · 23/04/2026 16:43

It's a shame it's such a catchy song! I'm not sure that, in the age of the internet, only having it on TV after the watershed will make much (if any) difference.

So is Blurred Lines

EurovisionFanGirl · 23/04/2026 18:16

I can’t understand how it has been allowed either. Malta was censored last year and changed their lyrics. The singer has said it is not to be taken literally but I don’t think that will wash. It is doing quite well in the odds so will probably be in the final.

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