Eurovision names Liverpool as host metropolis for its 2023 Song Contest honoring Ukraine

USA Prime Time
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The Beatles’ hometown of Liverpool, UK can be stepping in to host the festivities on the Eurovision 2023 Song Contest subsequent May, the competition introduced Friday.

Liverpool beat out shut competitor Glasgow, Scotland for internet hosting duties for the 67th version of the favored music contest, by which varied international locations in Europe and the Mediterranean area ship a singer or group of performers to stage a nationwide music that’s then voted on.

While Eurovision is often hosted in a metropolis within the prior 12 months’s profitable nation, this 12 months’s victor Ukraine can’t host the upcoming present as a result of ongoing battle with Russia.

Ukraine received the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest this previous May, amid a flood of goodwill prolonged towards the nation in mild of the warfare.

Show announcer and host Graham Norton additionally introduced the information on Twitter, writing, “Congratulations Liverpool!!! @Eurovision @bbceurovision See you in May!!!”

The competition’s site mentioned the “Grand Final” of the competitors will happen within the Liverpool Arena subsequent to the River Mersey on Saturday May 13, with semi-finals within the week main as much as that date.

“Liverpool is the perfect place to host the 67th Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine,” mentioned Eurovision Song Contest govt supervisor Martin Österdahl in a press release. “The metropolis is synonymous with music and Liverpool Arena exceeds all the necessities wanted to stage a world occasion of this scale. We have been very impressed with the eagerness the town has proven in embracing the Contest and their inclusive concepts for putting final 12 months’s winners, Ukraine, entrance and centre when 1000’s of followers go to subsequent May.”

The final time the United Kingdom acted as host nation to Eurovision was 25 years in the past in 1998, when the present happened in Birmingham.