RYAN O'SHAUGHNESSY'S Eurovision Song Contest semi-final performance was censored by Chinese broadcasters because of its 'gay' themes, it has been reported.
O'Shaughnessy progressed to the final in Lisbon after impressing voters in Tuesday's semi-final with his emotional rendition of the ballad "Together".
The song is all about the ups and downs of an ultimately failed relationship.
As part of the performance, dancers Kevin O'Dwyer and Alan McGrath were recruited to re-enact a same-sex love story on the stage.
However, Eurovision fansite ESCToday is reporting that O'Shaughnessy's entire performance was censored in China.
Guidelines in China prohibit the broadcast of "abnormal sexual relationships and behaviours, such as incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on."
As part of the censorship, several rainbow flags spotted in the crowd during the event were also blurred out.
Albania's Eugent Bushpepa also fell foul of a new rule in China which "requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture (non-mainstream culture) and dispirited culture (decadent culture)".
All countries taking part in Eurovision are legally obliged to air entries in full, but China may be exempt from these rules because of its status as an international broadcaster.
Russia had previously threatened to block the broadcast of O'Shaughnessy's performance but ultimately backed down on the issue.
