Eurovision 2019: 'He does not deserve to be in last place' - sympathy for Hartlepool's Michael Rice

Michael Rice performing at Eurovision on Saturday night.

Hartlepool's Michael Rice finished last in the 2019 Eurovision song contest

Despite earning widespread praise on social media for his performance of Bigger Than Us, he eventually earned just 16 points in the overall vote.

BBC1 Eurovision host Graham Norton commented live from Israel, where the contest was held: "My heart goes out to Michael and his team. He has worked so hard."

Also read: Eurovision live blog

He added: "Michael really does not deserve to be in last place. That is so unfair."

Earlier, fans back home in Hartlepool had labelled his performance as "brilliant" with television presenter Ryan Clark-Neal adding on Twitter: "He was amazing."

At Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre, Alan Rice, one of 400 spectators watching his grandson's performance, said the result was political, adding: "We expected it but he should have got note than that.

"I think it is all political.

"But it is not everybody who gets to do something like that and he has done us proud."

Duncan Laurence won the contest for the Netherlands with Arcade.