The Netherlands will take part in next yearβs Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland but Joost Klein will not be the Dutch entry, broadcaster AvroTros has confirmed.
Earlier this week Dutch media reported that Klein, disqualified this year after an incident involving a camerawoman, had been approached to take part again.
Klein told talk show Eva on Wednesday evening it had been a difficult decision to say no, and that he had a new act ready to go. βBut it did not feel right,β his manager Gover Meit told the programme.
The period after he had been sent home was extremely stressful, Klein said. βI had death threats, security, I could no longer smoke a cigarette on the streetβ¦ It hurts not to go, but I think it is better this way.β
There had been doubts about whether the Netherlands would participate, following Kleinβs expulsion which ended with a police investigation and no charges.
Broadcaster AvroTros had said it wanted assurances from the European Broadcasting Union about changes in the way the contest is run and the divisions now appear to have been βironed outβ, the Parool said this week.
A number of other countries had also called for changes in the way the competition was run, in particular backstage where the contestants are constantly followed by cameras.
Evelien Van Leeuwen 
Elsa Selma 
Edgar Visser