The BBC has not yet made its Eurovision 2023 host city decision and everything is still left to play for. That’s the message that Claire McColgan from Culture Liverpool delivered recently in an interview about the host city bidding process.

Speaking a day after officials from the EBU and the BBC visited the city, she explained that they were looking into details about the bid venue — the M&S Bank Arena and the nearby ACC Liverpool convention centre. She pointed out the Labour Party recently held its conference in the ACC, so the site looked spectacular. 

Given the relatively late start with planning this year, because of the war in Ukraine, she explained how organisers — at the EBU, the BBC and the eventual host city — face a time crunch.

“You’re putting a show on somewhere — a massive show, one of the biggest shows in the world — and you’re doing it in seven months rather than a year. So they haven’t got a year to plan, so things have got to move very quickly and we’ve got a lot of moving about to do.”

 

Some have suggested online that Glasgow has already won it, and that the BBC is just going through the motions so it looks like a contest. But Claire isn’t having any of that. She confirmed that there will be another visit from the BBC next week. 

“The BBC aren’t stupid,” she said. “This is a lot of work for them. It would have been really easy for them to go ‘Glasgow.’ They haven’t made their decision. If they’d made their decision they would have just gone with one of us. I don’t believe a decision has been made up to this point, because why would you bother?”

Claire is confident that Liverpool can pull it off.

“If we get it, we just have to go straight into it. In some ways, I absolutely know we can deliver this. We’ve got the team to deliver it here…our in-house team that are really world class in terms of delivering major events. It’ll be really hard, but you’re working with really experienced organisations who have done it before, but also are the best in the world, aren’t they? I’m not worried about putting it on.”

She also cited the strength of the city’s cultural offer, saying that they’ve built “a brilliant programme around Ukraine, which we’re really excited about, and our relationship with Odesa.”

Do you think Liverpool are in with a shot? What’s the highlight of Liverpool to you? Let us know down below!

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lalala
lalala
1 year ago

at first I thought Glasgow is better but after I checked out the hotel prices, suddenly I prefer Liverpool

CasperDiCaprio
CasperDiCaprio
1 year ago

Looking at both promotional videos Liverpools is by far the most creative, plus John Lennon and the Beatles references make it a very powerful proposal…
I agree Glasgow’s OVO stadium is more impressive, but Liverpool for me has the most interesting and creative offer

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
1 year ago

It’s usually around this time of year a host city is announced, and of course there is tons of planning to do. Behind the scenes, what is usually organised/planned at this stage?

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago

I get that Glasgow’s venue is great and that there’s hype bc of the ESC Fire Saga movie but Liverpool’s eagerness is admirable and I think it has become my favorite candidate

Hebbo
Hebbo
1 year ago

Glasgow better on paper… but the Liverpool bid has so much more charisma and soul, in my opinion. I really do believe it will go to Liverpool.

Escfan
1 year ago

Honestly, regardless of the result, I love how passionate Liverpool have been about the possibility of hosting.

Luke B
Luke B
1 year ago

Claire’s right about Glasgow not being already chosen and the BBC just going through the motions, just for show. If they were, they wouldn’t have bothered with this final 2 round – we didn’t even know they were going to do it. The BBC/EBU really don’t have the time to waste it on ‘keeping up appearances’. This contest between cities is genuine.

Dolly
Dolly
1 year ago
Reply to  Luke B

Go away Glasgow , ur minister wants out of uk !!! Come on Liverpool ??

Luke B
Luke B
1 year ago
Reply to  Dolly

Liverpool would be a great choice, but Glasgow shouldn’t be excluded because of the independence movement. They are still part of the UK for now, and should be treated as such. Doing otherwise would just play into the nationalists’ hands.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago

You’ll Never Walk Alone would be a good interval song, for Ukrainians.