The Beatles’ hometown of Liverpool will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in May next year, the BBC announced on Friday after Britain stepped in to host the event due to the war in Ukraine.
“It’s Liverpool, May 13,” said Graham Norton, presenter of the BBC’s Eurovision show, as he announced the result on live TV after the shortlist was reduced to either Liverpool or Glasgow.
Singer Sonia Evans, who hails from Liverpool and was runner-up for Great Britain in 1993, said she was “absolutely over the moon” with the election.
“We’re going to have the biggest party ever,” she said.
“Liverpool has the music history of the whole world.
The north-west England city was famous as the home of the Beatles, as well as a host of other big names from Gerry and the Pacemakers to Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
“A welcoming city with a proud musical heritage, Liverpool will put on an unforgettable show celebrating Ukraine’s rich culture and creativity,” British Prime Minister Liz Truss tweeted.
Ukraine was set to host the competition after Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision crown in May after their country received support following the Russian invasion.
The group beat 24 competitors in the final in Turin with “Stefania,” a rap lullaby that combines Ukrainian folk and modern hip-hop rhythms.
“Please help Ukraine and Mariupol! Help Az?vstal now,” frontman Oleh Psiuk appealed in English from the stage, referring to the port city’s steel works, where Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded by Russian troops for weeks.
The Brit Sam Ryder came second with his bizarre song “Space Man”.
But despite protests from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs Eurovision, ruled in June that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of the more than 10,000 people involved in the production and the expected 30,000 more fans.
– “You will make Ukraine proud” –
“We made it!” Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson said on Twitter after the announcement.
“Liverpool is honored to host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine… now work begins to organize the party.”
The BBC confirmed that the semi-finals would take place in the city on May 9th and 11th, with the grand final on May 13th.
Scotland leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her best wishes to Liverpool after Scotland’s second largest city lost Glasgow.
“Congratulations, Liverpool. Hurt for Glasgow but you will no doubt make the Eurovision Song Contest and Ukraine proud,” she wrote.
The government in Kyiv initially promised to fight back against the decision not to allow them to host, but later agreed to a UK-sponsored event with a strong Ukrainian flair.
Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said that after “several rounds of discussions”, the EBU assured an “extremely high level of integration of the Ukrainian context and the moderators”.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time it had been agreed with Zelenskyy that “wherever Eurovision 2023 takes place, it must celebrate the country and people of Ukraine”.
“Now that we’re hosting, the UK will deliver on that promise straight away – and put on a fantastic competition on behalf of our Ukrainian friends,” added Johnson.
Eurovision is the world’s largest live music event, drawing artists from across Europe and Central Asia, as well as Israel and Australia.
It is produced in the UK by the BBC.
In accordance with Eurovision rules, Ukraine is still a spot in the 2023 Grand Finals along with the EBU’s “Top 5” countries: Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The UK has previously hosted the competition eight times, including four in London.
Most recently in 1998 in Birmingham in central England.
