Eurovision 2023 – destination UK
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The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the UK next year after show organisers decided it could not be held in the winning country, Ukraine.
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It’s official! Next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the UK. Show organisers decided it could not be held in the winning country, Ukraine. The ongoing war following February’s Russian invasion prompted the European Broadcasting Union to look for an alternative host. The UK’s Sam Ryder came second this year, which prompted the EBU to open talks with the BBC last month. Several UK cities have already expressed interest in hosting. London and Manchester have already confirmed they will put in an official bid. Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Birmingham, Aberdeen, London, Brighton, Bristol, Belfast and Cardiff could throw their hats into the ring.
Ukraine will automatically qualify for the Grand Final, as is usual for the winner, along with the so-called Big Five, which includes the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
For 5 Minutes On, the BBC’s Daniel Rosney takes us through how we got here, and what happens now.
Image Credit: Marco Bertorello, via Getty Images
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