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The UK will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023

The organisers have confirmed that Eurovision 2023 will be held in the UK

There was much uncertainty surrounding Kalush Orchestra’s win in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest earlier this summer. Whilst an overwhelming number of public votes went to Ukraine’s act, making them the clear winners, it had not been confirmed whether or not the country would be able to fulfill their hosting duties to the ongoing war with Russia.

Now, the EBU has confirmed that after discussions with the BBC, the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the UK on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC with host city bidding to begin this week.

“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, in a statement today.

“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.”

“The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be in Ukraine but in support of Ukraine,” Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC, added. “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.”

Both networks will work together to ensure elements of Ukrainian culture shine through while a logo to represent unique circumstances of staging will be revealed at a later date.

Last month, the EBU confirmed that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest would not be held in Ukraine, writing that the investigating body “has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest under the ESC rules cannot be fulfilled by UA:PBC (the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine).”

Kalush Orchestra - Stefania - LIVE - Ukraine 🇺🇦 - Grand Final - Eurovision 2022

Instead, they announced that duties may fall to the UK after Sam Ryder won the jury vote and finished runner-up at the contest.

As it has now been confirmed that the UK will host next year’s Eurovision, this will mark the first time the country has hosted since 1998, and the ninth time overall.

Eurovision 2023 tickets are on sale from 12:00 on 7 March.

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