Spain's Eurovision Representative Restricted from Competitor Media Appearances

RTVE aims to prevent a repeat of last year's events involving Melody after her Eurovision participation. According to the Benidorm Fest 2026 rules, unveiled by the public corporation this Wednesday, the winner of the festival, who will represent Spain at the European contest, is prohibited from appearing in competitor media interviews until two months after the final. Thus, all statements from the Benidorm Fest winner will be made, unless previously authorised, on RTVE programmes until July 2026, regardless of the outcome.

A rule that did not exist before and was revealed on the same day Melody, following her controversial press conference at Prado del Rey studios, is set to appear on 'El Hormiguero'. There, she is expected to discuss her Eurovision experience and her third-to-last position in more detail. This interview comes after Melody stayed out of the spotlight for a week and broke her silence in front of RTVE executives, criticising not only her performance—where she claimed she wasn't allowed to fully express herself—but also those who mocked her final position. A direct jab at the programme 'La resistencia', hosted by David Broncano, who accused Melody of trivialising mental health.

To prevent Spanish representatives from discussing their Eurovision experiences on competitor programmes, regardless of the result, the public entity has included this in the selection rules for the Spanish representative. "Participation in programmes, interviews, or similar events of other media outlets different from RTVE is prohibited from the selection for the Benidorm Fest until its conclusion, and in the case of the winner, until two months after the Eurovision Final, unless previously authorised by RTVE."