Just a few months ago, Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy. Since then, there has been a debate about whether or not next year’s competition will be able to be held in Kyiv.
Now the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have confirmed that Eurovision 2023 will not be held in Ukraine. Instead, Great Britain, who finished second in this year’s competition, will be the hosts.
The EBU investigated the possibility of holding the competition in Ukraine, but due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of the country, it was deemed not safe enough.
Sweden came in fourth
Sweden’s Cornelia Jacobs finished fourth in this year’s competition. Long before the final of the music competition, Ukraine’s entry “Stefania” with Kalush’s Orchestra was the favourite, and it ran all the way through. Band members also fought with Ukrainian forces in parallel with the ongoing competition.
As I said, Great Britain came in second with the song “The Astronaut” sung by Sam Ryder.
Thanks to its victory, Ukraine has a clear place in the final in 2023, along with the so-called “Big Five”: Great Britain, Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
It is not the first time that the United Kingdom has been dissolved
The UK has hosted Eurovision many times before, eight times to be exact. Four of those times they have also hosted in place of the winning nation.
It is unclear which city will host the competition, but both Glasgow in Scotland, as well as Newcastle and Manchester in England have so far expressed interest. The last time Great Britain hosted the competition was in Birmingham in 1998.
Also read: Kalush Orchestra sells ESC figurine
Also read: ESC winners have brought millions to the army
Also read: The EBU excludes all Russian broadcasters
GP’s cultural editorial team gives you tips on events and happenings of the week and guides you into the cultural life of Gothenburg. To subscribe to the newsletter, you need a free digital account, which gives you many advantages. Follow the instructions and Subscribe to the newsletter here.
Want to know more about how GP works with good journalism? Read our ethical code over here.
“Extreme tv maven. Beer fanatic. Friendly bacon fan. Communicator. Wannabe travel expert.”
More Stories
The British economy shrinks for the first time in seven years – and the pound weakens foreign
Starmer promises nationalization of trains and new housing
UK economy hit hard by Brexit – country's credit rating downgraded | Foreign