The host city of the Eurovision Song Contest for 2023 will be revealed by Graham Norton during BBC One’s The One Show this evening from 7pm, it has been announced. The date of the grand finale will also be shared.
Liverpool and Glasgow are the two UK cities waiting to hear if they will host the 67th Eurovision next year in place of Ukraine. Radio 2’s Ken Bruce show revealed that the news will be announced on Friday.
Presenter Ken said: “As you probably know there are two cities left in the race to host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine – Glasgow and Liverpool.
“But the finish line is finally in sight because I can confirm that on The One Show tonight, Graham Norton will finally reveal which city will be hosting the 67th Eurovision Song Contest next May. He’ll also tell us the date of the grand final.”
The seven cities on the shortlist to host the contest included Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and Manchester. A decision between the final two, Glasgow and Liverpool, will be made following further discussions with officials from the cities.
The BBC will make the final decision in conjunction with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This will be the ninth time the UK has hosted Eurovision, more than any other country.
Despite Ukraine’s entry - Kalush Orchestra - winning the 2022 competition in Turin, Italy, it was decided that following Russia’s invasion the annual event couldn’t be safely held in Ukraine, EBU, which produces the annual event, said. It was later decided that the UK would host the contest as Sam Ryder came second in the competition.
Twenty UK cities initially submitted an “expression of interest” in hosting the event. In August the BBC released a narrowed down list with applicants across all four regions who had demonstrated how they would reflect Ukrainian culture, music, and communities.
Of the seven cities named in August, six were in England, and one in Scotland. Belfast failed to make the cut for Northern Ireland. Requirements included “a suitable venue and sufficient space to deliver the requirements of the Song Contest”, necessary commitment to the contest including a financial contribution, and “alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster”.
Liverpool’s mayor Joanne Anderson said in June: “Culture is synonymous with Liverpool and we tick all the boxes to be next year’s host – great venues, enviable experience, a world-renowned music heritage, Unesco City of Music status and of course the warm Scouse welcome that just can’t be beaten.”
Liverpool has been a Unesco City of Music since 2015 and is synonymous with The Beatles In 2008 it hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards and it is also home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon voiced her support for Glasgow as the home of the contest in June, with the OVO Hydro arena - which features in the Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga - in the city previously rumoured to be a favourite location to host the contest for the UK.
Scottish singer Lulu represented Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969, and was joint winner with her song Boom Bang-A-Bang. She shared the prize with France, Netherlands and Spain with 18 points each.
