A bid for the capital to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest has been officially submitted by Edinburgh City Council.
Council leader Cammy Day admitted it would be a "complex undertaking" but said holding the event is "something the capital has lots of experience in".
Cities vying to host Eurovision 2023 have to apply by Friday (August 11) and the shortlist is expected to be announced on BBC Radio 2 in the morning.
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It comes after organisers announced this year's winners, Ukraine, would be unable to host the competition in May due to safety concerns amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
As the runner up, the UK was invited to step in and the offer was accepted by the BBC last month. Since, cities up and down the country have put their name in the hat in a bid to play host to the song extravaganza.
Cllr Day said: “We’re very excited to have submitted our bid for Edinburgh to host Eurovision 2023.
"It is, of course, of great regret that this year’s winners Ukraine aren’t able to host the 2023 contest in their own country, but we would be honoured to step in – not least with Kyiv being our cherished sister city and Edinburgh having become home to many thousands of Ukrainians in recent months. I have no doubt we’d do them proud.
“The capital, of course, became the first city outside London to host the event in 1972 and more recently, fictionally, in the Netflix film “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga!” But the opportunity to host in 2023 is a once in a generation chance to welcome our friends from participating countries for the iconic song contest, showcasing the capital’s world class culture, heritage and history.
“Hosting an event on this scale is a complex undertaking but something the Capital has lots experience in and I’m sure, working with partners across the city, we’d host a show in-keeping with the Eurovision legacy. We look forward to finding out if we’ve made it through to the next stage.”
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