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Eurovision 2023: How do you get tickets and when is it? Eurovision 2023: When is it and how do you get tickets?
(about 3 hours later)
Eurovision is the world's biggest international song contest, and more than 160 million people are expected to watch the final, broadcast live from Liverpool, in May. Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision song contest with their song Stefania
It began in 1956 as an experiment in joined-up live TV broadcasting but has grown into a huge international spectacle and celebration. The countdown has started for Eurovision, the world's biggest international song contest.
This year, 37 countries will compete, watched by some of the most enthusiastic and animated fans in the world - and for the first time, viewers outside Eurovision countries will be able to join in and vote for their favourite acts. More than 160 million people are expected to watch the 2023 final, which will be broadcast live from Liverpool in May.
Ukraine won in 2022, so why is it being held in the UK? The UK is staging the contest on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine.
Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won last year in Turin, Italy, with their song Stefania. The UK's Sam Ryder finished second, with Space Man. When is Eurovision?
Usually the winning country hosts the next competition. But because of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) which organises the contest invited the BBC to host it on Ukraine's behalf. The Eurovision final will take place at the M&S Bank Arena on the waterfront in Liverpool on Saturday 13 May.
Live: Welcome, bonsoir, pryvit! Liverpool gears up for Eurovision draw It will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the UK for 25 years.
Eurovision logo and slogan revealed for Liverpool The competition is made up of two semi-finals and the grand final - all of which will be broadcast live.
Listen: How to get tickets to Liverpool This year's semis will take place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May. Ten countries from each will go through to the final.
Liverpool, which gave the world The Beatles and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, has been chosen as the host city, and the contest will take place at the M&S Bank Arena on the waterfront. In addition, the UK, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany are already guaranteed a spot in the final, along with last year's winners, Ukraine.
This is the ninth time the UK will host the competition and the fifth time it's hosted for other countries due to financial or capacity issues. This means 26 countries will compete in the final.
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham will co-host this year, alongside Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. Graham Norton will join the trio for the grand final. Eurovision's semi-final allocation draw explained
When is it? How can I get Eurovision tickets and what will they cost?
Eurovision culminates with the massive spectacle of a grand final on Saturday 13 May, but there is a long lead-up which begins on 31 January with the host city handover and the draw to decide which countries will compete in which semi-final. Tickets for all of the Eurovision shows will go on sale at 12:00 GMT on Tuesday 7 March.
Many of the countries taking part have also begun the selection process for their participating acts and songs. That's usually completed by mid-March. As well as the three televised live shows - the semi-finals and the final - there are six preview shows which double up as dress rehearsals.
The competition itself is made up of three live shows: two semi-finals and the grand final. A mock-up of how Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena is expected to look hosting the Eurovision Song Contest
This year's semis will take place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May. Ten countries from each will go through. Tickets can only be bought from the UK Ticketmaster website, regardless of where you live.
The so-called big five don't take part in the semis - the UK, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany pay more to EBU, and so they are guaranteed a place in the final, along with last year's winners, Ukraine. So a total of 26 countries will be competing for Eurovision glory on 13 May. You can only purchase tickets for one show at a time.
How do I get a ticket? Prices range from £90 to £290 for the live semi-final shows, and from £160 to £380 for the live grand final.
Tickets are notoriously hard to come by for the final and semi-finals. They go on sale at 12:00 on Tuesday 7 March. Preview show tickets will cost between £30 and £280.
There are actually nine ticketed shows - including rehearsals earlier in the day that work better for families and shows for the juries who vote on the acts. Further information is available on the Eurovision website. About 3,000 tickets will also be made available to Ukrainians living in the UK.
Ticket sale details announced How can I watch Eurovision?
Fans mark Super Saturday with seven songs selected In the UK, Eurovision will be broadcast live on BBC One.
Ted Lasso actress among TV hosts for finals The programme will be hosted by Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina.
In the city, there will also be a fan park with big screens for people to join the celebrations. This year's competition is being held in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine who won last year's event
If it's all about Europe, why is Australia in it? A special fan zone will accommodate up to 25,000 people at Liverpool's Pier Head, close to the M&S Bank Arena.
Kate Miller-Heidkes represented Australia in 2019 in Tel Aviv Events planned include a submarine parade and a rave which will take place simultaneously in Kyiv.
Eurovision has been popular in Australia since the 1980s, and in 2015 the country was invited to perform as part of celebrations to mark the 60th year of the song contest. Subscribe to the Eurovisioncast podcast on BBC Sounds
It was such a success that the country was given permission to keep competing until this year at least. Australia also has to pay a fee to the EBU to take part in the same way as other European countries do. Why is the UK hosting Eurovision?
If Australia ever won the competition, there's a special rule in place which states they would have to nominate a European co-host who would stage the competition on their behalf, so no chance of the Eurovision Song Contest taking place Down Under. Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision song contest with their song Stefania.
There are other countries not in Europe - like Armenia and Israel - who also participate in Eurovision, as they are members of the EBU. Usually, the winning country hosts the following year's competition. But the ongoing war in Ukraine makes this impossible.
The UK's Sam Ryder finished second to Ukraine in the 2022 contest
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, invited the UK to host it on Ukraine's behalf because its 2022 entrant, Sam Ryder, was runner up.
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 much does Eurovision cost?
The 37 broadcasters taking part in the contest 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 used to be a significant financial contributor, but 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 the 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.
The 2023 contest's slogan is "United by music"
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.
How does the voting work?How does the voting work?
The 10 acts going through from each of the semi-finals will be decided solely on public votes. Previously, jury votes were also involved, but not this time around. The semi-finals are decided by a public vote, but arrangements for the final are more complicated.
In the final itself, the voting is a bit more complicated. Each of the 26 participating countries has a jury whose members rank all the final performances.
The vote count can be nail-biting They award a fixed number of points to their top 10 acts: 12, 10, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two or one.
Each of the 26 competing countries has a jury whose members rank all of the countries' performances. They give the top 10 acts 12, 10, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two or one points. These jury vote results are announced by each country in turn on the night. These jury vote results are announced by each country in turn on the night.
Then, calculated from viewer votes, the competing countries give the other contestants 12 to one points in the same way (excluding 11 and 9). Then, based on viewer votes, the competing countries also give the other contestants points, using the same scoring system.
Public votes from the rest of the world will be counted as if they are one other country and allocated as 12 to one points. This is new, so it's the first time people across the globe, not just in Eurovision countries, will be able to have their say. For the first time, in 2023 public votes from outside Europe will play a part.
Together, these decide the overall winner of the glass microphone trophy. These worldwide votes will be combined and counted as if they are one other country, will follow the same scoring system.
Who pays for it? Why does Australia take part in Eurovision?
Each participating country enters as a broadcaster - for example BBC, RTÉ and RAI, for the UK, Ireland and Italy. Eurovision has been popular in Australia since the 1980s, and in 2015 it was invited to send an act as part of the contest's 60th anniversary celebrations.
All broadcasters are charged a fee to take part, with the big five paying more than others. It has been allowed to take part ever since. Like European countries, it pays a fee to the EBU to help fund the event.
How much each participating broadcaster pays to enter is not made public, but the total cost between all entrants normally adds up to around £5m ($6.2m), with the host paying a further sum. Kate Miller-Heidkes represented Australia in 2019 in Tel Aviv
Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro, who all failed to make it past last year's semi-finals, have pulled out of this year's competition over money concerns. However, Australia is barred from hosting. If it were ever to win, it would have to nominate a European nation to stage the contest on its behalf.
Local government in and around Liverpool has committed to £4m for attractions around May's contest, including a fan village with big screens and stages for live music. Other non-European countries including Israel are also allowed participate because they are members of the EBU.
On top of that, the UK government says it will also contribute financially. But the bulk of the cost will fall to the BBC as host broadcaster.
Eurovisioncast is available on BBC Sounds, or search wherever you get your podcasts from.
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