The Eurovision Song Contest is finally here, and the acts have arrived in Liverpool, which is hosting the event on behalf of Ukraine, the 2022 winner. This year’s competition is made up of two semi-finals and the grand final, all of which are being broadcast live on the BBC. The final will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in the city’s waterfront on Saturday 13 May. The semi-finals are taking place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May, at 20:00 BST, with ten countries from each show going through to the final. The UK, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany are already guaranteed a spot in the final, along with last year’s winners, Ukraine, meaning 26 countries will compete for the glass microphone trophy.
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Details
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Host city | Liverpool, UK |
| Host broadcaster | BBC |
| Dates | Semi-finals: May 9th and 11th; Final: May 13th |
| Number of countries | 26 |
| Voting system | Semi-finals: public vote; Final: combination of jury and public vote from each participating country |
| UK entrant | Mae Muller with “I Wrote A Song” |
| Ticket availability | Sold out, except for 3,000 tickets available to Ukrainians living in the UK |
| Broadcast | Live on BBC One |
| Hosts | Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon, and Julia Sanina (Ukrainian singer) |
| Special events | Fan zone at Pier Head, submarine parade, and simultaneous rave in Liverpool and Kyiv |
| Reason for hosting | UK contestant Sam Ryder was the runner-up in the 2022 show, as Ukraine could not host due to war |
| Cost | Estimated to be between £8m and £17m, with the UK government contributing £10m and Liverpool £4m |
Who Will Represent the UK?
Mae Muller will represent the UK with her track “I Wrote A Song.” She is the country’s first female Eurovision entrant for five years. Born in 1997, the year the UK last won Eurovision, she has previously supported Little Mix on tour.
Can I Still Get Eurovision Tickets?
No, all tickets for the Eurovision shows went on sale at 12:00 GMT on Tuesday 7 March and sold out. However, a special fan zone is accommodating up to 25,000 people at Liverpool’s Pier Head, close to the arena. Cultural events around the competition include a submarine parade through the city and a rave which will take place simultaneously in Liverpool and Kyiv.
How Can I Watch Eurovision?
More than 160 million people around the world are expected to watch the 2023 final. In the UK, Eurovision will be broadcast live on BBC One. The BBC’s coverage will be hosted by Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon, and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina.
Why is the UK Hosting Eurovision?
Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest with their song Stefania. Normally, the winning country hosts the following year’s competition, but the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this impossible. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, invited the UK to host on Ukraine’s behalf as UK contestant Sam Ryder was the runner-up in the 2022 show. It will be the ninth time the UK has hosted the competition, and the fifth time it has done so on behalf of another country.
How Much Does Eurovision Cost?
Broadcasters from the 37 countries taking part each pay an entrance fee to the EBU, which has totalled about £5m in recent years. The BBC does not make its contribution public. The UK government has pledged £10m towards operational costs, while local authorities in Liverpool have committed £4m. Staging the event is expected to cost the BBC between £8m and £17m.
How Does the Voting Work?
The semi-finals are decided wholly by a public vote from competing countries and people in the rest of the world. The six countries automatically guaranteed a place in the final will also vote. The grand final will be decided by a combination of votes from the public and national juries in each participating country, and the top 10 countries will be announced at the end of the show. The winner is then determined by adding up the scores from the public and the juries.
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Conclusion
the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is finally here and taking place in Liverpool, UK, on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine. The competition consists of two semi-finals and the grand final, all of which are being broadcast live on BBC. Mae Muller will represent the UK with her track “I Wrote A Song,” and the BBC chose the winner in consultation with a management company, without a televised national selection show.
The final will take place on Saturday, May 13th, and more than 160 million people worldwide are expected to watch it. The UK is hosting Eurovision for the ninth time, and the UK government has pledged £10m towards operational costs. The semi-finals are decided wholly by a public vote, while the grand final is decided by a combination of public and professional jury votes.
