UK to host 2023 Eurovision song contest as war-torn Ukraine bows out
- Ukraine won this year’s contest in Italy, while Britain’s entry came second. Ukraine had insisted it could host next year’s contest despite the Russian invasion
- After the European Broadcasting Union ruled that out on security grounds, the government in Kyiv acquiesced to a UK-hosted event with a Ukrainian flavour
Britain said on Monday it had reluctantly agreed to host next year’s Eurovision song contest, after organisers said there was no prospect of the pop extravaganza going ahead in war-torn Ukraine.
The BBC will now produce the world’s biggest live music event, taking in performers from across Europe and Central Asia as well as Israel and Australia, in a UK city yet to be determined.
Ukraine won this year’s contest, held in Italy, ahead of Britain’s entry in second place. For the past month, it had insisted it could host next year’s contest despite the Russian invasion.
But after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) ruled that out on security grounds, the government in Kyiv acquiesced to a UK-hosted event with a strongly Ukrainian flavour.
Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said that after “several rounds” of discussion, the EBU had given assurances of an “extremely high integration of Ukrainian context and presenters”.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that in phone talks last week with President Volodymyr Zelensky, they “agreed that wherever Eurovision 2023 is held, it must celebrate the country and people of Ukraine”.
“As we are now hosts, the UK will honour that pledge directly – and put on a fantastic contest on behalf of our Ukrainian friends,” Johnson tweeted.