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Participants at Eurovision 2017. Image Credit: Supplied

The Eurovision Song Contest appears to have heard its critics.

After being chided by some for picking three men to host last year’s competition, contest organisers announced on Monday that this year’s event in Portugal will feature four female presenters.

Critics on social media reproached contest organisers for featuring only male hosts in Kiev last year when the contest is supposed to celebrate diversity.

The organisers say the May finals in Lisbon will be hosted by four Portuguese-speaking women. They are Daniela Ruah, who was born in the United States and is a star on the hit television show NCIS: Los Angeles, and three women known for their TV work in Portugal: Filomena Cautela, Silvia Alberto and Catarina Furtado.

Contest officials were not immediately available to comment on the switch to all-female cast of presenters.