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| Eurovision 2023: When is it and who is representing the UK? | Eurovision 2023: When is it and who is representing the UK? |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Mae Muller will represent the UK at the 2023 contest | Mae Muller will represent the UK at the 2023 contest |
| The countdown has begun for this year's Eurovision song contest, which will be broadcast live from Liverpool in May. | The countdown has begun for this year's Eurovision song contest, which will be broadcast live from Liverpool in May. |
| The UK is staging the contest on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine. | The UK is staging the contest on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine. |
| When is Eurovision? | When is Eurovision? |
| The Eurovision final will take place at the M&S Bank Arena on the waterfront in Liverpool on Saturday 13 May. | The Eurovision final will take place at the M&S Bank Arena on the waterfront in Liverpool on Saturday 13 May. |
| It will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK for 25 years. | It will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK for 25 years. |
| The competition is made up of two semi-finals and the grand final - all of which will be broadcast live. | The competition is made up of two semi-finals and the grand final - all of which will be broadcast live. |
| This year's semi-finals will take place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May, with ten countries from each show going through to the final. | This year's semi-finals will take place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May, with ten countries from each show going through to the final. |
| In addition, the UK, Italy, France, Spain and Germany are already guaranteed a spot, along with last year's winners, Ukraine. | In addition, the UK, Italy, France, Spain and Germany are already guaranteed a spot, along with last year's winners, Ukraine. |
| This means 26 countries will compete in the final. | This means 26 countries will compete in the final. |
| Eurovision's semi-final allocation draw explained | Eurovision's semi-final allocation draw explained |
| Who will represent the UK? | Who will represent the UK? |
| Mae Muller will represent the UK with her track I Wrote A Song, the country's first female Eurovision entrant for five years. | Mae Muller will represent the UK with her track I Wrote A Song, the country's first female Eurovision entrant for five years. |
| She was born in 1997 - the year the UK last won Eurovision - and has previously supported Little Mix on tour. | She was born in 1997 - the year the UK last won Eurovision - and has previously supported Little Mix on tour. |
| Warning: Third party content may contain adverts | Warning: Third party content may contain adverts |
| As in recent years, there was no televised national selection show. | As in recent years, there was no televised national selection show. |
| Instead, the BBC chose the winner in consultation with a management company. | Instead, the BBC chose the winner in consultation with a management company. |
| Most of the other participating countries have already revealed their songs and acts. | Most of the other participating countries have already revealed their songs and acts. |
| Mae Muller: Who is the UK's Eurovision entrant? | Mae Muller: Who is the UK's Eurovision entrant? |
| Can I still get Eurovision tickets? | Can I still get Eurovision tickets? |
| Tickets for all of the Eurovision shows went on sale at 12:00 GMT on Tuesday 7 March and sold out almost immediately. | Tickets for all of the Eurovision shows went on sale at 12:00 GMT on Tuesday 7 March and sold out almost immediately. |
| As well as the three televised live shows - the semi-finals and the final - there are six preview shows which double as dress rehearsals. | As well as the three televised live shows - the semi-finals and the final - there are six preview shows which double as dress rehearsals. |
| A mock-up of how Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena is expected to look for the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest | A mock-up of how Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena is expected to look for the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest |
| Prices ranged from £90 to £290 for the live semi-final shows, and from £160 to £380 for the live grand final. Preview show tickets cost between £30 and £280. | Prices ranged from £90 to £290 for the live semi-final shows, and from £160 to £380 for the live grand final. Preview show tickets cost between £30 and £280. |
| About 3,000 tickets are being made available to Ukrainians living in the UK. | About 3,000 tickets are being made available to Ukrainians living in the UK. |
| How can I watch Eurovision? | How can I watch Eurovision? |
| More than 160 million people around the world are expected to watch the 2023 final. | More than 160 million people around the world are expected to watch the 2023 final. |
| In the UK, Eurovision will be broadcast live on BBC One. | In the UK, Eurovision will be broadcast live on BBC One. |
| The BBC's coverage will be hosted by Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. | The BBC's coverage will be hosted by Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. |
| This year's competition is being held in Liverpool, on behalf of Ukraine who won last year's event | This year's competition is being held in Liverpool, on behalf of Ukraine who won last year's event |
| In addition, a special fan zone will accommodate up to 25,000 people at Liverpool's Pier Head, close to the arena. | In addition, a special fan zone will accommodate up to 25,000 people at Liverpool's Pier Head, close to the arena. |
| Events planned include a submarine parade through the city and a rave which will take place simultaneously in Liverpool and Kyiv. | Events planned include a submarine parade through the city and a rave which will take place simultaneously in Liverpool and Kyiv. |
| Why is the UK hosting Eurovision? | Why is the UK hosting Eurovision? |
| Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision song contest with their song Stefania. | Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision song contest with their song Stefania. |
| Normally, the winning country hosts the following year's competition, but the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this impossible. | Normally, the winning country hosts the following year's competition, but the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this impossible. |
| Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra sold their Eurovision trophy for £712,000 to raise money for the country's war effort | |
| The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, invited the UK to host on Ukraine's behalf because UK contestant Sam Ryder, was the runner up in the 2022 show. | The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, invited the UK to host on Ukraine's behalf because UK contestant Sam Ryder, was the runner up in the 2022 show. |
| It will be the ninth time the UK has hosted the competition, and the fifth time it has done so on behalf of another country. | It will be the ninth time the UK has hosted the competition, and the fifth time it has done so on behalf of another country. |
| How the UK broke its Eurovision losing streak | How the UK broke its Eurovision losing streak |
| Eurovision trophy sold to buy drones for Ukraine | |
| How much does Eurovision cost? | How much does Eurovision cost? |
| Broadcasters from the 37 countries taking part each pay an entrance fee to the EBU. In recent years these fees have totalled about £5m. The BBC does not make its contribution public. | Broadcasters from the 37 countries taking part each pay an entrance fee to the EBU. In recent years these fees have totalled about £5m. The BBC does not make its contribution public. |
| Russia was expelled from the competition following its invasion of Ukraine. | Russia was expelled from the competition following its invasion of Ukraine. |
| BBC News has been told countries have been asked to pay more to make up for its loss. Three countries have said they will not take part as a result of the increase. | BBC News has been told countries have been asked to pay more to make up for its loss. Three countries have said they will not take part as a result of the increase. |
| Some broadcasters are also thought to be worried about the additional costs of transporting equipment to the UK now it is no longer a member of the EU. | Some broadcasters are also thought to be worried about the additional costs of transporting equipment to the UK now it is no longer a member of the EU. |
| The 2023 contest's slogan is "United by music" | The 2023 contest's slogan is "United by music" |
| Staging the event is expected to cost the BBC between £8m and £17m. | Staging the event is expected to cost the BBC between £8m and £17m. |
| The UK government has pledged £10m towards operational costs, while local authorities in Liverpool have committed £4m. | The UK government has pledged £10m towards operational costs, while local authorities in Liverpool have committed £4m. |
| How does the voting work? | How does the voting work? |
| The semi-finals are decided by a public vote, but the final is more complicated. | The semi-finals are decided by a public vote, but the final is more complicated. |
| Each of the 26 countries has a jury whose members rank all the final performances. | Each of the 26 countries has a jury whose members rank all the final performances. |
| They award a fixed number of points to their top 10 acts: Respectively 12 points, 10 points, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and one. | They award a fixed number of points to their top 10 acts: Respectively 12 points, 10 points, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and one. |
| The jury results are announced by each country in turn on the night. | The jury results are announced by each country in turn on the night. |
| The UK's Sam Ryder finished second in 2022, having scored the third-highest jury vote score in Eurovision history | The UK's Sam Ryder finished second in 2022, having scored the third-highest jury vote score in Eurovision history |
| Competing countries then award points to the other contestants based on viewer votes, following the same scoring system. | Competing countries then award points to the other contestants based on viewer votes, following the same scoring system. |
| For the first time, in 2023 public votes from outside Europe will play a part. Worldwide votes will be combined and counted as if they are another country. | For the first time, in 2023 public votes from outside Europe will play a part. Worldwide votes will be combined and counted as if they are another country. |
| Why does Australia take part in Eurovision? | Why does Australia take part in Eurovision? |
| Eurovision has long been popular in Australia, and in 2015 it was invited to send an act as part of the contest's 60th anniversary celebrations. | Eurovision has long been popular in Australia, and in 2015 it was invited to send an act as part of the contest's 60th anniversary celebrations. |
| It has been allowed to take part ever since. Like European countries, it pays a fee to the EBU to help fund the event. | It has been allowed to take part ever since. Like European countries, it pays a fee to the EBU to help fund the event. |
| Kate Miller-Heidkes represented Australia in 2019 in Tel Aviv | Kate Miller-Heidkes represented Australia in 2019 in Tel Aviv |
| However, Australia is barred from hosting. If it ever won, it would have to nominate a European nation to stage the contest on its behalf. | However, Australia is barred from hosting. If it ever won, it would have to nominate a European nation to stage the contest on its behalf. |
| Other non-European countries, including Israel, are also allowed participate because they are members of the EBU. | Other non-European countries, including Israel, are also allowed participate because they are members of the EBU. |
| Eurovisioncast is available on BBC Sounds, or search wherever you get your podcasts from. | Eurovisioncast is available on BBC Sounds, or search wherever you get your podcasts from. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sam Ryder | Sam Ryder |
| Eurovision Song Contest | Eurovision Song Contest |
| Liverpool | Liverpool |
| Ukraine | Ukraine |