When will Eurovision 2023 host city be announced? What time is BBC decision on UK song contest - how to watch

Excitement surrounding the UK hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is growing, and tonight (Friday 7 October) it will be announced if Glasgow or Liverpool will host event. The seven cities across the country on the shortlist have now been narrowed to two to welcome the contest to their top venue.

So, when will the host city be announced, why is the UK hosting the contest and can you buy tickets for it? Here’s everything you need to know.

Which city will host Eurovision 2023?

Graham Norton will reveal the host city of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest during BBC’s The One Show this evening (Friday 7 October), it has been announced. During Radio 2’s Ken Bruce show earlier today, the presenter revealed that Eurovision host Norton will make the announcement of which city will host the contest and also the date of the grand finale.

Bruce said: “As you probably know there are two cities left in the race to host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine – Glasgow and Liverpool.

“But the finish line is finally in sight because I can confirm that on The One Show tonight, Graham Norton will finally reveal which city will be hosting the 67th Eurovision Song Contest next May. He’ll also tell us the date of the grand final.”

The One Show is on every week day on BBC One between 7pm and 7.30pm. The final decision about the host city has been decided by the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union.

Which city do you want to host Eurovision?

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Why is the UK hosting Eurovision 2023?

Ukraine’s entry from Kalush Orchestra, Stefania, won this year’s contest - and usually, the winning country hosts the following year.

It was decided by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), however, that next year’s contest could not be held in Ukraine due to the on-going war with Russia.

The UK took second place in Eurovision 2022 with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman, and so it was decided in July that the UK would host the contest in 2023 on behalf of Ukraine.

The BBC, which is the UK’s EBU member, will be holding the event on behalf of Ukraine’s national broadcaster UA:PBC.

Exact plans are still being drawn up, but it is thought that many of the contest’s elements will likely be run by Ukraine, including the hosts and entertainment.

Which UK cities were shortlisted to host Eurovision 2023?

There were seven cities on the shortlist to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. They were Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

There are strict criteria for Eurovision host cities, which includes having a venue that can hold at least 10,000 people, and access to an international airport.

From that list it has now been revealed either Glasgow or Liverpool will host the 2023 Eurovision.

Has the UK hosted the Eurovision song contest before?

Yes, the UK has hosted the Eurovision song contest previously. In 2023, it will be the ninth time the event has been held in the UK.

It was staged at Brighton Dome in 1974, London’s Wembley Arena in 1977, Harrogate’s international centre in 1982, and most recently Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena in 1998.

Can you get tickets to Eurovision 2023?

All information about tickets, including prices, availability and the ticket provider, won’t be decided until there is a confirmed host city and venue for the show.

To be the first to know when Eurovision Song Contest 2023 tickets will go on sale, you can sign up to the official Eurovision Song Contest newsletter and follow the official social media channels YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

We will also update this article with more information as it becomes available.

How can I watch Eurovision 2023?

Full details about Eurovision 2023 have not yet been announced, but in line with previous years we can expect that the contest will be broadcast live on BBC One.