Israel will use The X Factor to determine who will represent the nation at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
This year’s X Factor Isreal will be judged by Israel’s last Eurovision winner Neta Barzilai, Aviv Geffen, and Simon Cowell. X Factor Israel was first broadcasted in 2013 and had seasons over the course of its initial run from 2013 to 2018. The last winner of X Factor Israel was Israel’s current Eurovision representative Eden Alene.
Local news also reports Simon Cowell will take part in the song selection process. The current program bid from KAN means it is likely an extra program on KAN will be used to pick the song.
X Factor Israel will be produced by Reshet for broadcast on their own channel 13. A significant factor in Reshet’s bid being chosen over Keshet and its “The Next Star” program, was the much higher financial bid from Reshet according to local news media.
The Reshet Broadcasting company will cover most of the costs involved associated with Isreal participation at Eurovision 2022, in accordance with the tender the representative song is to be chosen by KAN. The song will be selected in a special program that will be produced and funded by Reshet. It is still not known if this show will be broadcast on Channel 11 here or alternatively will be broadcast on Reshet’s own channels.
Back in late March KAN, the Israeli public broadcaster published a tender for the nation’s selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. With the winning broadcaster needing to cover the full costs of the Eurovision delegation, this includes the costs of flights, accommodation, security, insurance, and more. In addition, the broadcaster will bear the costs of producing and setting up a stage number for the Eurovision Song Contest at a high professional level and with a significant investment.
KAN had previously decided to end its co-operation with Keshet following the 2020 contest and instead opted to organise its own selection process to determine Eden Alene’s entry for the 2021 contest. From 2015 Keshet and its “The Next Star” program had been used to selected Israel’s Eurovision representative each year from 2015 to 2020, including Eurovision 2018 winner Netta. In that time, the method for picking the singer’s song was changed many times. Most years saw the song selected behind closed doors once a winner had been found while “The Next Star 2016” saw a special program used to pick a singer and a song.
Image Source: Times of Israel | Source: walla
Israel debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973, and were represented by Ilanit who finished in 4th place with the song “Ey Sham”. Their first victory came in 1978 with Izar Cohen and the Alphabeta. Israel won again the following year with Gali Atari & Milk and Honey. Israel’s third victory came in 1998 when Dana International performed “Diva” in Birmingham, beating Malta to victory in a tense voting sequence. Israel struggled in the contest during the early-2010s, failing to qualify for the final from 2011-2014. However since the HaKokhav HaBa selection process was introduced in 2015 Israel has seen its fortunes turned around. In 2018 Netta won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Toy”, the song has gone on to be the most viewed Eurovision entry of all time on YouTube.
