Liverpool's odds of hosting next year's Eurovision Song Contest have jumped up after some five cities were taken out of the running on Tuesday.
Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and Manchester made up a previous shortlist of potential cities to host Eurovision in 2023 in place of Ukraine. But now just Glasgow and Liverpool are potential host locations.
Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra triumphed at the 2022 competition in Turin, Italy, but the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which produces the annual event, decided the show cannot be held in the country following Russia's invasion.
READ MORE: 'No better place for Eurovision than Liverpool'
A selected city will be crowned host of the 67th Eurovision Song Contest after the UK was given the chance to host the event for the ninth time - more than any other country - following Sam Ryder coming second this year.
Now the BBC has said there are just two finalist cities to host the competition. These are Glasgow and Liverpool.
Phil Harrold, the chair of the BBC’s Host City Selection Committee said: “Thanks to all seven cities across the UK who have demonstrated the enthusiasm and passion for Eurovision that exists right across the UK. We were incredibly impressed by the quality and creativity of all the city bids, in what was a highly competitive field. The Eurovision Song Contest is a very complex event and Liverpool and Glasgow have the strongest overall offer; we will continue our discussions with them to determine the eventual host city.
“We are determined to make the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest one that both reflects the winning position of Ukraine and is also an event that all of the UK can participate in.”
As you'd expect, bookmakers have now updated their odds, but Scotland's second city remains in the lead. William Hill has Glasgow at 1/2, with Liverpool at 13/8.
Meanwhile, Ladbrokes has Liverpool at 11/8, with Glasgow at 4/7.
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