Second-placed Great Britain will host the Eurovision Song Contest next year in place of this year’s ESC winner Ukraine. “Following requests from the European Broadcasting Union and the Ukrainian authorities, I am delighted that the BBC has agreed to host the competition next year,” said British Culture Minister Nadine Dorries on Monday. However, it is sad that the ESC cannot take place in Ukraine, where it actually belongs, due to the “continuing Russian bloodshed”.
In mid-May, the Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra won the 66th ESC in Turin with the song “Stefania”. This was the third time that the Ukrainians had the right to host the TV music show next year, having already hosted it in 2005 and 2017.
However, due to security concerns related to the Russian war against Ukraine, which has been going on for around five months, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said it was holding talks with the BBC in the UK about the event. Briton Sam Ryder had finished second in Turin. It is not yet clear in which city the competition will be held. Manchester and Glasgow have expressed interest, the BBC reported.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke out in favor of hosting the next Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine a month ago. “The fact is, they won it and they deserve to have it,” Johnson said at the time.
Now the outgoing head of government announced: “Last week President Zelenskyj and I agreed that the ESC 2023, wherever it takes place, must celebrate the country and the people of Ukraine. Now that we are hosting, the UK will deliver on that promise straight away – and put on a fantastic competition on behalf of our Ukrainian friends.”
