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Martin Green (producer)

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Martin Green
CBE
A photograph of Martin Green in 2026
Green in 2026
Born
Martin Keith Green

1971 (age 54–55)[1]
Essex, England
OccupationTelevision producer
EmployerEuropean Broadcasting Union
Director of the Eurovision Song Contest
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 November 2024
Preceded byOffice established
Executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest (interim)
In office
1 July 2025 – 29 October 2025
Preceded byMartin Österdahl
Succeeded byGert Kark (as EBU executive producer)
Executive supervisor of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (interim)
In office
1 July 2025 – 29 October 2025
Preceded byMartin Österdahl
Succeeded byGert Kark (as EBU executive producer)

Martin Keith Green CBE (born September 1971)[2] is a British live events producer and executive who has served as director of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2024.[3][4] He has led the delivery of major UK cultural and sporting ceremonies, including as Head of Ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London,[5] Chief Executive and Director of Hull UK City of Culture 2017,[6] Chief Creative Officer of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,[7][8] and Managing Director of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 for the BBC.[9]

Career

Green was Head of Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, overseeing the torch relays and the opening and closing ceremonies, and recruiting Danny Boyle and other artistic directors.[10][11][12]

On 31 July 2014, Green was appointed Chief Executive of Hull 2017, the company delivering the UK City of Culture programme,[13] and led the year-long cultural celebration in 2017.[10]

Green served as Chief Creative Officer of Unboxed: Creativity in the UK, a £120m UK-wide programme staged in 2022.[14][15]

He was Chief Creative Officer of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, leading the ceremonies and cultural programme.[16][17]

Green was Chair of the Board of Trustees of Middle Child Theatre Company (Hull), stepping down in 2023,[18] and in June 2025 was appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees at Ikon Gallery (Birmingham).[19] He is a Cultural Fellow at King’s College London[10] and was appointed Visiting Professor of Global Events, Culture and Entertainment at Manchester Metropolitan University effective 1 July 2025.[20]

Eurovision Song Contest

In 2023, Green acted as the BBC's managing director for that year's Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, overseeing delivery of the event and branding.[21] The production team subsequently won the 2024 BAFTA Television Award for Best Live Event Coverage.[22][23]

In February 2024, Green joined TAIT as their Vice President of Global Live Events,[24] though he left the position nine months later to return to the Eurovision Song Contest as its first director, a new role assuming some of the responsibilities of the executive supervisor, alongside new duties overseeing the event as a whole.[25]

Following some controversies of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, on 23 May 2025, he published an open letter to the Eurovision community addressing these concerns.[26] On 27 June 2025, the EBU confirmed that, following Martin Österdahl's departure as the contest's executive supervisor, Green would assume his duties on an interim basis while continuing as director.[27]

On 18 August 2025, Green oversaw the release of a revamped version of the generic Eurovision Song Contest logo for the 2026 contest and beyond.[28][29]

In May 2026, Green sparked controversy by stating in interviews that Russia theoretically could return to the competition, even while its war with Ukraine continued.[30][31][32][33] Green clarified that Russia's exclusion in 2022 was due to the lack of independence of its state broadcasters, VGTRK and Channel One from the Russian government, rather than the invasion itself, and that any return would depend on compliance with EBU rules.[32][33] The remarks drew criticism from European broadcasters, politicians, and the public. Spain's RTVE condemned Green's statements as an “insult to European values” and warned they would “destroy the image of the contest” and hinder Spain's potential return.[34][35] British MPs, including Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon, described the comments as “moral cowardice” and an “appalling betrayal of Ukraine,” demanding assurances that Russia would not be readmitted while the war continued.[31][33] Green’s comments also reignited accusations of double standards, as Russia had been excluded from the contest due to its invasion of Ukraine while Israel has been allowed to compete despite its military actions in the Gaza war; critics argued that this undermined Eurovision's claim to political neutrality and its stated values of peace and unity.[30][32][35][36] Green later clarified that there were no active plans or discussions for Russia to return the contest.[37][38] On 4th June 2026, it was raised in the UK's Parliament in the form of an Urgent Question from Tom Gordon MP to the Secretary of State.[39]

Honours

Green was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to the arts in Hull during City of Culture 2017.[40] He also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hull in 2018.[41]

References

  1. "Martin Green: Companies House". Companies House. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  2. "Martin Green: Companies House". Companies House. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  3. "Martin Green joins Eurovision Song Contest in new Director role". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  4. "Martin Österdahl to step down as Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest this summer". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  5. "Martin Green CBE". King’s College London. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  6. Pidd, Helen (31 July 2014). "Hull hires Olympic ceremonies boss to head 2017 city of culture team". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. "2022 Festival update". GOV.UK. UK Government. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  8. "London 2012 head of ceremonies appointed chief creative officer at Birmingham 2022". Inside the Games. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  9. "Let's put Liverpool in front of the world in May, in all its glory". Liverpool Express (Liverpool City Council). April 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  10. "Martin Green CBE". King’s College London. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  11. "'Slumdog's' Boyle to direct 2012 Olympic ceremony". Reuters. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  12. "Samsung GALAXY Note and GALAXY S III Feature in the Opening Ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games". Samsung Mobile Press. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  13. Pidd, Helen (31 July 2014). "Hull hires Olympic ceremonies boss to head 2017 city of culture team". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  14. "10 teams to lead celebration of creativity and innovation in 2022". GOV.UK. DCMS. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  15. "Written Statement: UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK". Gov.Wales. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  16. "2022 Festival update". GOV.UK. UK Government. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  17. "London 2012 head of ceremonies appointed chief creative officer at Birmingham 2022". Inside the Games. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  18. "Middle Child Theatre – Trustees' Report 2022/23 (Charity Commission filing)". Charity Commission. March 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  19. "Announcement: Ikon Board of Trustees". Ikon Gallery. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  20. "Director of Eurovision Song Contest announced as new Visiting Professor". Manchester Metropolitan University. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  21. "Let's put Liverpool in front of the world in May, in all its glory". Liverpool Express (Liverpool City Council). April 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  22. "Live Event Coverage – 2024 winner: Eurovision Song Contest 2023". BAFTA. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  23. "Winners announced for the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards". BAFTA. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  24. "TAIT announces appointment of Martin Green CBE". TPi Magazine. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  25. "Martin Green joins Eurovision Song Contest in new Director role". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  26. "Open letter from Eurovision Song Contest Director Martin Green to the Eurovision community". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  27. "Martin Österdahl to step down as Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest this summer". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  28. "Eurovision Song Contest gets brand refresh to celebrate 70 years of world's largest live music event". Eurovision.tv (Press release). EBU. 2025-08-18. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  29. Bamford, Abbey (2025-09-03). "Eurovision unveils new global identity for 70th anniversary designed by a one-woman agency in Sheffield". Creative Boom. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  30. "Eurovision boss branded a 'coward' after saying Russia could be allowed back". Metro. 2026-05-16. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  31. Censor.net: "Russia may 'theoretically' return to Eurovision despite war against Ukraine, director Green says"
  32. Vranis, Michalis (2026-05-16). "Could Russia return to Eurovision while the war continues? Eurovision chief sparks backlash - ESCToday.com". ESCToday. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  33. LBC: "Russia could be allowed back into Eurovision, in bombshell revelation from contest's chief executive"
  34. El Diario: "El director de Eurovisión abre la puerta a la vuelta de Rusia y el presidente de RTVE lo condena"
  35. M, C. (2026-05-16). "Eurovisión podría abrir la puerta a Rusia y RTVE responde: «Es un insulto flagrante a los valores europeos»". Diario ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  36. "RTVE critica que el director de Eurovisión no cierre la puerta a readmitir a Rusia: «Lo haría solo para justificar su doble rasero con Israel»". www.lavozdegalicia.es. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  37. "Eurovision Director: No plans for Russia to return to contest". www.ukrinform.net. 2026-05-16. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  38. "Eurovisión niega que haya planes de un retorno de Rusia al Festival tras críticas de RTVE". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2026-05-16. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
  39. https://x.com/PabloOHana/status/2062564751826190576
  40. "The New Year's Honours List 2018 announced". GOV.UK. Cabinet Office. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  41. "2022 Festival update". GOV.UK. UK Government. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2025.