Glasgow or Liverpool will host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest
Glasgow #Glasgow
Glasgow or Liverpool will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year.
The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in either city after the organisators deemed Ukraine – who won this year’s competition in Turin with Kalush Orchestra – not safe enough due to the ongoing Russian invasion to hold the competition.
Following the announcement on Tuesday (27.09.2022), Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield were also in the running but the BBC ruled that the two remaining cities – which both have arenas on their respective rivers – had “the strongest overall offer” after the UK entry Sam Ryder was the runner up during the May event.
Phil Harrold, the chairman of the selection committee at the BBC said: “Thanks to all seven cities across the UK who have demonstrated the enthusiasm and passion for Eurovision that exists right across the UK.
“We were incredibly impressed by the quality and creativity of all the city bids in what was a highly competitive field.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is a very complex event and Liverpool and Glasgow have the strongest overall offer; we will continue our discussions with them to determine the eventual host city.”
Glasgow – which is the hometown of the 1966 winner Lulu and Scott Fitzgerald, the runner up to the 1988 winner Celine Dion – believe they have “everything it takes” such as the OVO Hydro venue with a capacity of 14,300 and a starring role as the exterior for Edinburgh’s fictional hosting gig in the Will Ferrell Netflix movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’.
Susan Aitken, the leader of Glasgow City Council said: “The competition has been very strong but Glasgow has an unrivalled track record for successfully hosting major global events.”
Liverpool – which is the home of the iconic band The Beatles and of the 1993 runner up Sonia – are “absolutely delighted” to still be in the running to host it in their 11,000 capacity M and S Bank Arena.
Joanne Anderson, the city’s mayor tweeted: “Nowhere throws a party quite like us. The people, communities businesses of our city are ready to put on a show – for Ukraine, the UK for Europe.”