The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be hosted in the United Kingdom, the EBU has confirmed.
A bidding process will now begin to determine the host city. A plethora of cities have already expressed interest, including Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, London and Wolverhampton.
The BBC will take on hosting duties after the announcement that Ukraine will be unable to stage Eurovision due to security and safety issues.
The branding of the contest is to reflect Ukraine’s victory at Eurovision 2022. Ukraine will also automatically qualify for the grand final.
Eurovision 2023 in UK confirmed
We’re pasting the full press release from the EBU below.
- The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC have confirmed that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC.
- BBC to take on hosting duties with Contest to be held in United Kingdom in 2023
Host City bidding contest to begin this week - Ukraine to automatically qualify for the Grand Final along with ‘Big 5’ (which includes United Kingdom)
- Representatives of UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop Ukrainian elements of shows
- Logo reflecting unique circumstances of staging to be revealed later
In an EBU press release published earlier, it was announced that this decision had been made following the exploration of hosting the Contest in Ukraine, and regrettably concluding that for safety and security reasons this was not possible.
As a result of those discussions, the BBC, as runner up in the 2022 Contest, was invited by the EBU to act as Host Broadcaster for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.
Ukraine, as the winning country in 2022, will automatically qualify for the Grand Final of the upcoming Contest along with the so-called ‘Big 5’ (those countries that financially contribute the most towards the Contest: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom).
We’re exceptionally grateful that the BBC has accepted to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023,” said Martin Österdahl, the Eurovision Song Contest’s Executive Supervisor.
“The BBC has taken on hosting duties for other winning countries on four previous occasions. Continuing in this tradition of solidarity, we know that next year’s Contest will showcase the creativity and skill of one of Europe’s most experienced public broadcasters whilst ensuring this year’s winners, Ukraine, are celebrated and represented throughout the event.”
Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC added: “The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be in Ukraine but in support of Ukraine. We are grateful to our BBC partners for showing solidarity with us. I am confident that together we will be able to add Ukrainian spirit to this event and once again unite the whole of Europe around our common values of peace, support, celebrating diversity and talent.”
It was also revealed that representatives of UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop and implement the Ukrainian elements of next year’s shows.
The logo for the 2023 event will also be revealed later and will reflect the unique staging of next year’s Contest and the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.
Host city hunt begins
Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, shed some light on where the Contest will be hosted: “It is a matter of great regret that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine are not able to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Being asked to host the largest and most complex music competition in the world is a great privilege. The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture alongside showcasing the diversity of British music and creativity. The BBC will now begin the process to find a host city to partner with us on delivering one of the most exciting events to come to the UK in 2023.”
The BBC has staged the Eurovision Song Contest more times than any other broadcaster… on 8 occasions so far:
- 1960: London (Royal Festival Hall)
- 1963: London (BBC Television Centre)
- 1968: London (Royal Albert Hall)
- 1972: Edinburgh (Usher Hall)
- 1974: Brighton (Brighton Dome)
- 1977: London (Wembley Conference Centre)
- 1982: Harrogate (Harrogate International Centre)
- 1998: Birmingham (National Indoor Arena)
- 2023: TBD
Next year’s Host City will be chosen in the coming months following a bidding process to be launched this week.
Bidding is expected to be competitive, with several mayors, councillors and MPs already informally expressing an intention to bid, including representatives from: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Swindon and Wolverhampton.
Of course, not all of these locations will formally apply, and the BBC and the EBU will await official approaches and applications from this week onwards, publishing the long-list later in the Summer.
As well as selling their vision for a fantastic Contest, potential Host Cities are expected to demonstrate that they can meet a list of expectations.
Last year, the EBU’s Host City criteria was based on providing a venue able to accommodate at least 10,000 spectators (as well as a press centre), that should be within easy reach of an international airport and with ample hotel accommodation.
The BBC’s Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, added in a press release:
“This year the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won with their song Stefania, but given Russia’s invasion of their country it will not be possible to host the competition in Ukraine in 2023.
“The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have therefore asked the BBC to host, as we were the runners-up last year with Sam Ryder’s brilliant performance.
“We will work closely with our colleagues at the Ukrainian broadcaster, UA:PBC and will showcase Ukrainian culture and music as a key part of the event.
“I’m grateful for the brilliant work that Kate Phillips, the entertainment commissioning team, BBC Radio and BBC Studios did this year to make the UK’s entrant so successful – 9.5 million people across the country viewed Eurovision this year, and I hope it will be even bigger next year when it’s hosted in the UK. Kate will lead the event for us.”
I hope this contest will be better than 2022 and i’m sure it will be
It can’t be worse with these kind of results. I am definitely not watching it; they just have to be prepared for fall in the views after the mess they have encouraged.
Northern Ireland: Carpet Event
Scotland: Semi-Final One
Wales: Semi-Final Two
England: Grand Final
Ranking the nations of the UK by ”importance” probably isn’t a great idea, especially since the UK is so close to breaking up thanks to separatist and unionist movements.
From a political standpoint, it would probably be more beneficial for the UK to host in Scotland or Northern England.
Watch the BBC drain all the fun out of it with its woke agenda and climate change lecturing.
One of the Ukrainian hosts should be Timur Miroshnychenko. He knows the contest, he’s hosted it before, and he’s easy on the eyes
You think Volodymr isn’t?
fabulous news – congrats to them / bring it on
Who decides the venue is it bbc or ebu
BBC but EBU has to approve it
Thank you
Great news and good thing they shared all the important info right away, such as will Ukraine qualify and how the theme will be done.
Good luck UK & BBC!
Spoiler alert……nah, i cannae say it.
Congratulations, UK! I bet they will do an awesome edition of ESC.
About the logo: “The branding of the contest is to reflect Ukraine’s victory at Eurovision 2022.” -I do hope this time they get rid of those dark-backgrounded logos and bring about a brighter, more colorful one!
Good Luck UK, I’m sure you’ll do an amazing job.
I’m personally happy with this decision, Uk deserves it this year more than anybody else and pretty sure they will do a memorable Eurovision. This co-hosting is kind of historical in this contest. Now my pick would be Liverpool, I don’t know why but I’d like this idea.
2023 already sounds like fake Eurovision.
You’re welcome to leave Doris. No one will miss you.
That sounds pretty totalitarian… Anyone has the right to express their opinion respectfully. You may or may not like it, but you don’t have to get someone leave just because they
don’t think like you do.
If someone goes as far as to call ESC 2023 a fake ESC cus the UK is hosting instead of Ukraine they are more than welcome to leave. Doris has their opinion and I have mine.
Besides, this is not the first or last time Doris is making a ridiculous comment.
that’s not an actual opinion it’s just someone trying to cause trouble
Doris has an opinion. Sir Stevia is discriminating and insulting her.
Doris is right.
Juries are the same people who overrated Belgium Switzerland and Azerbaijan this year for no reason so we need also the public votes
Yes but most of all Australia.
Australia was deserved
I know I’ve seen Manchester and Glasgow as the top contenders to host, although it’s worth noting that England has hosted seven times (four in London, and one each in Bristol, Harrogate, and Birmingham), while Scotland’s lone hosting gig was in 1972 in Edinburgh. So, personally, I’d like to see the host city be outside of England this time. The top two for me would be Glasgow and Cardiff (and yes, Cardiff does have an eligible venue, although it’s a roofed stadium rather than an arena). Glasgow seems like the more realistic choice, but I think having Wales host a… Read more »
Although I see that Luhansk is in the eastern part of Ukraine, which has been under heavy Russian/Russian-backed occupation (only two countries, North Korea and Syria, have joined Russia in recognizing the Luhansk People’s Republic as a sovereign state and the international community at large has widely condemned the move).
Some of the other potential host cities twinned with Ukrainian cities, if anyone’s interested:
I hope that those who have tickets to see the live show will not be stuck in France due to the English mismanagement of border controls, and I recommend that you bring your passport and get private health insurance! excellent choice to organize it in a country outside the European community, England for how it used and treated the European Union badly did not deserve the organization of the event, it has always taken and demanded a lot from the Union, including economic contributions, and given very little, treating the European institutions with superiority and arrogance, typical British behavior.
What utter dross this is…sweet Jesus!
UK did become second with a great song and if the war did not happen they won maybe. You dont know for sure if Ukraine won only because of the song and what people voted for.. but i think UK is a good choice! It is far away from conflict and feels safe. Because the UK is not in EU anymore it is also not a offense to Russia. Otherwise Russia could say the EU bonds with Ukraine and Russia is also in war with the EU..
UK came second due to the EBU reallocation of six juries votes. Countries who have said no way would they have awarded the UK top points. Spain really was second everyone knows that
So this is just a podium to show the world how you’re an Anglophobe and alludes to the high possibility that you are a xenophobe in general. Charming. The UK left the EU, both sides were treated with contempt after the referendum happened as both sides had interests they wanted to protect, and because of this, BOTH sides acted poorly. The fabrication that they took more than they contributed is utter nonsense and misinformation as the facts prove it was the other way around – they were the second biggest net contributor to the EU (one of ten countries, where… Read more »
Economic contributions? The Uk was the second biggest contributor to the EU after Germany when it was still a member and never received more economically more than it put in you’re talking out your arse
Good luck to the UK! Looking forward to ESC 2023 : )
I just hope the cooperation will run smoothly without too much stubbornness on both sides standing in the way of making a quality cohesive production.
Im glad it’s in the UK though. Wonder if I could slip in a little vacation in between writing my scription during that period 😀
Buy would Lorraine Kelly appear as herself or “Lorraine Kelly” to avoid paying tax on her fee?
Finally! The right choice has been made. Let’s just hope now that people won’t massively and blindly vote for Ukraine next year. Or the whole point of holding the ESC would be useless and a big waste of time.
Unless of course, as usual, Ukraine continues to be its powerhouse self and sends another strong entry.
There’s a difference between “another strong entry” and a “winning entry”. At least there should be.
I’m afraid it’s gonna happen.
Spain and the U.K. were the big comebacks of 2022 . I wonder who will make a big comeback next year
Germany and Macedonia, I have a strong feeling about them
I’m from Germany and can almost guarantee you that the only comeback we might do is finally having 0 points again 😀
Cuz after last years gf we all thought that both Spain and UK would get a top 3 result this year, right?
A BBC Eurovision. Woke and climate change ridden joyless affair ahead.
I look forward to hopeful slick presentation. If BBC better the standard of show in 2016 I will be more than happy. I want an excellent “parade of nations” opening in grand final, clever postcards, world class interval acts and finally an excellent / original stage design . A stage that fully functions and sets a new benchmark
I’ve honestly dreamt of a BBC-hosted Eurovision in this day and age. The production value for their live events like their talk shows or the Oliviers is so high, they make everything look beautiful. And British humor is second to none at its best. I have very high hopes.
I guess we will see a show like the celebration of 60 years of eurovision when Graham Norton and Petra Mede hosted “Eurovision Song Contest’s Greatest Hits”. The whole show was not very slick, even though it was a BBC product, so BBC has a lot to make better in 2023.
This came to me as sad news. Russia will now be more than satisfied that it managed to destroy one more country.
Russia is losing big time. In every field.
Expected, but still great news. A safe, unobstructed show is what we need during these hard times. This really could be the most fun Eurovision of the recent years with both the winner and host country working together. Expecting a homage to Ukrainian entries, which are my favorite.
I think it would be fun if we had British singers singing famous Ukrainian songs and Ukrainian singers singing famous British songs.
Lulu could do Wild Dances, Cliff Richard Dancing Lasha Tumbai, Shirley Bassey Shady Lady?
I’m so happy this has been sorted.I think it’ll be an amazing collaboration between the UK and Ukraine and I’m sure the BBC will do a great job. Also very excited to hopefully be going to my first ever Eurovision final (and first ever live music event).
Baby, 12points, you are not doing Spain and the spanish eurofans a favor for sure.
Rumor: The possible cities & sites for Eurovision 2023 in UK Glasgow Venue: OVO Hydro Semi-final draw: Kelvin Hall Opening ceremony: Riverside Museum or Glasgow Green Eurovision Village: George Square EuroClub: SWG3 Studio Warehouse London Venue: The O2 Arena, Wembley Arena, or Copper Box Arena Semi-final draw: British Library Opening ceremony: Hyde Park, Trifalgar Square, or Horse Guards Parade Eurovision Village: Greenwich Park EuroClub: Brixton Academy Leeds Venue: First Direct Arena Semi-final draw: Leeds Art Gallery Opening ceremony: Millennium Square Eurovision Village: Roundhay Park EuroClub: Stylus Liverpool Venue: M&S Bank Arena Semi-final draw: Liverpool Town Hall Opening ceremony: Liverpool Cathedral… Read more »
Omg, you’re really bad, but it’s the UK who had the second best performance of the night so even if Ukraine didn’t win, it wouldn’t be Spain the winner, so please stop to be a toxic sore loser thank you.
So Iceland might win ESC 2023 if they send something like Fire Saga.
NO to Dan Wootton! He’s a dreadful smug hack and I want him to go away forever.
That’s a good news! UK deserved it having been this year runner-up, although I would prefer Spain as host (it’s always great to host the contest by a nation which is crazy about it like Israel or Spain). I hope hosting the contest will help to maje ESC more respected in the UK and will make a selection process in the UK more professional. UK hosted ESC in 1998 for the last time, it was a completely different era. I am sure they deliver a great show! My suggestion for hosts: Milla Jovovich, Mila Kunis and a male brit (can… Read more »
Maybe a duet or like a supergroup of Ukrainian musicians and International top stars as Interval Act singing an iconic song like “We are the World”?
Sounds Cool! Or Earth Song
What could really help making the contest more respected would be if the fans stopped worshiping stuff like Fuego, KEiiNO, SloMo and so on.
Great news.
I know London is unpopular as people want to be “trendy and different”, but it really is the UK hub, with perfect transport links allowing everyone, most importantly British based Ukrainians to get there, as well as about 5 different airports for people to come in from overseas.
I think a sentiment many share is that ESC in London will be “just another event” in the city, while it will be The Event for pretty much any other city.
This is gonna be fantastic! The only thing I had been nervous about was making sure Ukraine qualified automatically for the final cuz it would’ve been horribly unfair if they didn’t do that. But they did, so they can do whatever now. I’m satisfied!
I don’t think that was ever going to be a problem. The country that wins (if outside big 5) always automatically qualifies regardless. Wasn’t much of a worry for me as that’s the format. They wouldn’t change it just because it can’t be physically hosted in Ukraine.
I wonder what would have happened if second/third places and top 10 were smaller countries with no hosting experience, and all big 5 were at the bottom of the scoreboard lol
This is gonna be amazing as long as they do it the BBC way without hiring the swedish mafia or that guy who designs a led screen and a circular stage.
So true!!!! This made me laugh so hard hahaha
Yeah, god forbid a song everyone liked except Russian bots and Spanish stans wins again. Perish the thought of a well-liked song winning again. (And I guarantee you you probably were ranting about the Benidorm voting system when Chanel won , quit playing)
Seriously your Spain, Benidorm and Chanel obsession are insane, and totally misplaced. As if it was the absolute reference….
Then good for you!
I think that a mix of both British and Ukranian culture is fair to both. Ukraine won, but the UK are stumping up the cash and putting on the show. Maybe a mash-up with Kalush Orchestra and Sam Ryder where they sing each other’s songs in their style as a GF opening act?
No to Sam as the next Eleni/Mans/Verka
They’re eventually planning and collar so they should sing it in next years grand final
Hahha agree. I don’t understand why the UK accept this. You deserve better, guys.
So… You are going to pay the party to Ukraine??! Lol.
I was thinking it could be interesting hosts from both countries. One Ukrainian and one British. And the third one of British nationality in the green room. Conversely, it could be the green room host the Ukranian one.
Anyway, if the war continues, Ukraine will have another chance to host the contest in 2024. People can’t help but think voting them makes the war less miserable.
Graham Norton and Jamala ?
That last sentence was so miserable and bitter.
Ukraine won’t win with sympathy votes again just like copying last years winner never works.
Just like they didn’t win with sympathy votes this year, at least not entirely. I’m never going to back down from this.
LMAOOO so delusional
Oh come on, let’s be honest: sympathy votes were a key factor in their victory. A difference of 200 points in the televote between 1st and 2nd (Moldova) can’t be explained with musical factors, denying this is absurd. I’m not saying that it was a bad entry, it wasn’t, but let’s not pretend sympathy votes were not a key factor in the final result.
I said not ENTIRELY. I genuinely think they would’ve won it anyway. Call me delusional all you like, but music is subjective, so telling me it didn’t deserve to win because of that is your opinion and not a good enough excuse. Whatever the factors, they won fair and square. Call me whatever you’d like, but I’m sticking to that.
Of course it was sympathy. How else can you explain that huge difference in votes between it and the runner up?
It was not THAT good to earn those points. The juries got it right, 4th place is where it belongs.
Nah, I think it deserved to win by a landslide regardless of the circumstances
So you think it is better than Loreen, Salvador, Måneskin, Rybak and other songs that won by landslide? And you think people thought Stefania is such a masterpiece that it got most points ever?
Hint: they did not..
Hmm I mean I believe that it would probably have scored top 10 without the war but the current situation did lead to sentimental feelings people might have felt during the performance which I believe in the end motivated people to vote for them 🙂
Of course they won because of the sympathy votes, just look at televotes. Without war they might have reached Top 10 of course, maybe even Top 5 if they performed more powerful and not like sleeping pills in Grand Final of ESC 2022.
An “algorithm” might mark them down
Seems like you’ve had gourd for breakfast.
I’d like to see it go to Scotland, but really anywhere but London.
The Hydro is the 2ns busiest venue in the world…would make perfect harmony…sorry, sense.
Great to see Eurovision in my country again (never thought I’d see the day again)!
In terms of adding Ukrainian elements to next year’s contest, maybe have a blue and yellow coloured theme with Ukrainian Eurovision acts as the interval act and of course British cultural identity too!
Happy for you, it’s deserved, you’re lucky to have it in your country, I’m jealous ;), an excited year is coming for you.
Not me thinking it was already confirmed :/ But congrats to the UK! What an achievement to go from a double zero to almost winning to hosting the entire thing within 2 years! gonna be fun to watch BBC host this
Hi guys, i was wondering if someone could help me, i just want a estimate price for a ticket to go to the Grand Final at Eurovision, has anyone been and are able to tell me the price of there ticket? Thanks in advance! X
Find the deeds to your house, and that should just about cover it! (joking ofc, prob triple figures)
Its so cute Wolverhampton, Leeds, Newcastle, and Swindon are interested. A bit delusional, but cute.
After Turin this year the door has been opened for anywhere to host.
Skegness 2023
I’ve never been to Leeds or Newcastle, but they are big regional cities that have lots of potential. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m happy to see their hungry for it. Leeds has an unusual shaped arena and I’d be interested to see what a contest there would look like.
I think international airport and hotel capacity would be an issue for both.
Leeds and Newcastle both have full size international airports and are bigger facility wise than several former host cities and european capitals
Wolverhampton and Swindon though?…. Yeah thats a bit farfetched
Not hates, just makes fun of jt
Are there any suspected dates for the grand final? I have to put in my time off request early on ?
Well, I’m happy. I’m Polish but I live in UK. So I am very happy, and this will probably the first time I go to Eurovision ever, I’ll probably go to the semi that Poland is in and the Grand Final. Which is exciting.
Also, my British friends who always said: Eurovision is stupid. Why do you watch it? The music is sucks.
Now are saying that maybe, they will go to it. Which is surprising.
Dude, you are the stupid one. You can’t even read my comment properly.
Your friends have a lot of personality…
You see someone talking about how excited they are to go to Eurovision, how their friends are coming around to it…and you respond like this? Was that really necessary? Between this and Benidorm you have a real nasty habit of just saying things to spoil everyone’s fun for no good reason other than for lulz.
Polska bialo czerwoni!
Ukraine will win in 2023. I’m calling it.
While I see where you are coming from. I don’t think they will. They still probably get a good result, but I’m not as sure they will win the televote as last year and will win overall.
with Daddy Oleg Vinnek pretty please, am surprised this showman hasn’t done ESC yet, he would make a perfect AQ act
That wouldn’t happen again. It would be rigged so they wouldn’t
The EBU won’t let them to win again until the war is over tbh
Just watch the BBC drain all the fun out of the competition with its tedious woke agenda.
Wow
Well finally confirmed. And moreover big 5 country hosting the second time in a row. Who could imagine this couple of years ago
At least it did not happen since 1982 (UK) & 1983 (Germany), and back then the Big 5 where just some African animals without any link to ESC 😉