The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the biggest international competitions in entertainment, and this year the famous show is making its way to British shores.
Last year, the Kalush Orchestra of Ukraine stormed the competition with Stefania. However, the EBU confirmed that the country would not be able to host the competition due to the ongoing war with Russia.
The runner-up act for 2022 was the United Kingdom, and as such the country will host on behalf of Ukraine, creating a unique collaborative event.
We’ve gathered all the information about the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, including when the show airs, what we know about tickets, how to tune in from the UK and abroad, who’s taking part and more Again.
When is Eurovision 2023?
The Eurovision Grand Final will take place on Saturday, May 13, 2023with exact times to be confirmed.
Before the big night, there will also be the semi-finals, which will be broadcast on Tuesday May 9, 2023 and Thursday May 11, 2023 respectively.
You can watch the winning performance of 2022 below:
Who is hosting Eurovision 2023?
The UK has caught Eurovision fever as none other than Liverpool will host the competition. It is the fifth UK city to host the competition, narrowly beating Glasgow in the bidding contest.
Although the show is based in the UK, the focus will be on Ukraine, as the contest would have taken place there had it not been for the Russian invasion.
You can take a look at the scenography below:
How to get Eurovision Song Contest 2023 tickets
It’s not often that Eurovision comes to the UK, and as such there will likely be a massive demand for tickets.
Tickets are not yet on sale for the event, but the best way to stay up to date is to sign up for the Eurovision newsletter.
The Eurovision website says more information will be released in late February. Last year, tickets went on sale on April 7.
There will be nine shows that people can watch. There are the televised events, as well as the Jury shows (which will take place the day before each live event), and the family shows (which will take place the afternoon of the live events).
Jury and family shows will likely be in less demand and may offer cheaper tickets. The grand finale is almost certain to be the most expensive and popular.
Prices have not yet been revealed. However, last year they ranged from $20 to $350.
How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK
As in previous years, you should be able to tune in to the Eurovision 2023 Grand Final on BBC One. Graham Norton will be back for his usual hilarious commentary.
You will also be able to watch the show live on BBC One via iPlayer and stream it shortly after the broadcast on the BBC iPlayer website or app on your tablet or smartphone.
How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest from the US
It is not yet known which American channel holds the rights to Eurovision this year.
Last year, US viewers could tune in through Peacock. An ad-supported plan costs $5.99 per month, while an ad-free plan costs $9.99 per month. However, new users can get a seven-day free trial.
YouTube also broadcast the entire Grand Final live on the official Eurovision channel, as well as the two semi-finals.
We’ll likely learn more about international broadcast plans closer to the event date.
Who is presenting Eurovision 2023?
The official presenters have yet to be revealed, but Graham Norton has already ruled himself out, saying he preferred to stick to commentary.
We have seen the involvement of Rylan Clark, AJ Odudu and Scott Mills in various other Eurovision events such as the semi-final draw and the build-up to previous competitions so they could be potential contenders for the post.
How to vote in the Eurovision Song Contest
In previous years, the easiest way to vote for your favorite number in the Eurovision Song Contest was to download the app to your smartphone or tablet. It is available on Google Play, iOS App Store and Windows Store, and can be downloaded for free.
Once you have the application, you will be able to find out more about the participants from the participating countries, and you will also be able to discover the latest Eurovision news.
But more importantly, you can vote using the app by just clicking the vote button and choosing your favorite. You can vote multiple times, but you cannot vote for the country you are voting for.
Who are the semi-finalists and finalists of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023?
There are 37 countries participating in Eurovision 2023, but only 26 qualify for the Grand Final. The UK and Ukraine automatically earn places in the Grand Final as hosts.
They will be joined by Germany, France, Italy and Europe – members of the Big Five who qualify automatically as they are the biggest contributors to the contest. Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia will not participate for financial reasons, and Russia was expelled from the competition last year.
Not all the candidates have been announced, but here is the order of appearance for the semi-finals and the grand final, as well as the confirmed entries to date:
Eurovision 2023 semi-final 1
- Croatia: Vol 3 β Mama Ε Δ!
- Ireland: Wild Youth β We Are One
- Latvia: Sudden Lights β AijΔ
- Malta: The Busker β Dance (Our Own Party)
- Norway: Alessandra β Queen of Kings
- Portugal
- Serbia
- Azerbaijan
- Czech Republic: Vesna – My sister’s crown
- Finland
- Israel: Noa Kirel β Unicorn
- Moldova
- Netherlands: Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper β to be confirmed
- Switzerland: Remo Forrer
- Sweden
Eurovision 2023 semi-final 2
- Armenia: brown β to be confirmed
- Belgium: Gustavh β Thanks to you
- Cyprus: Andrew Lambrou β Breaking a broken heart
- Denmark: Reiley β Break My Heart
- Estonia: Alika β Bridges
- Greece: Victor Vernicos β What they say
- Iceland
- Romania: Theodor Andrei β DGT (off and on)
- Australia
- Albania: Albina & Kelmendi family β Duje
- Austria: Teya & Salena β to be confirmed
- Georgia: four heads – to be confirmed
- Lithuania: Monika LinkytΔ – Stay
- Poland
- Slovenia: Joker Out β Carpe Diem
- San Marino
Eurovision 2023 Finalists
- France: La Zarra β Obviously
- Germany
- Italy: Marco Mengoni β Two Lives
- Europe: Blanca Paloma β Eaea
- Ukraine: Tvorchi β Heart of Steel
- UNITED KINGDOM
Who is the UK entry for Eurovision?
The UK entry has yet to be confirmed, but we expect it to be revealed soon, as many other countries have submitted their entries.
They have some big steps ahead, as last year’s entry from Sam Ryder, Space Man, got the highest vote from the jury and finished second overall. You can watch this below:
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