Less than 24 hours since it was announced that Ukraine would host Eurovision 2023, several UK cities have expressed interest in hosting. Now, another three cities in England have formally announced their intention to bid for Eurovision 2023.
Eurovision 2023 host city – a recap so far
On June 17th, a statement released by the EBU said that due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Eurovision 2023 would not be held on Ukrainian soil. Following that, it was announced that the BBC had been contacted regarding the potential hosting of the Contest in the UK. A statement released by the BBC Press Office confirmed they would happily step in to host Eurovision 2023. This will be the first time since 1980 that the winning country has been unable to host the show.
As a result, several cities across the UK have already begun to submit their intentions to host the Contest. By the end of the 17th of June, six cities had formally announced the possibility of bidding. Now, an extra three cities can be added to the list, taking the total to nine.
Brighton
The southern seaside resort of Brighton expressed an interest in hosting next year’s competition. Brighton is no stranger to the Contest, having been the home of Eurovision 1974, where ABBA famously won with “Waterloo”, giving Sweden its first win.
No specific venue has been selected; however, it would likely see the return of the Contest to the Brighton Dome, some 49 years later. Speaking to The Argus, Brighton and Hove City Council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty said the Council would inform the BBC and the EBU regarding its formal intentions.
Sheffield
The northern city of Sheffield also announced its desire to host Eurovision 2023, through means of a local Labour Councillor Ben Miskell.
Taking to Twitter, Cllr Miskell laid out the reasons for why Sheffield should be considered as a potential host city. The councillor added that the city is connected to travel through an international airport, as well as having the Sheffield Arena, with a capacity of 13,000 people with a retractable roof. Sheffield also hopes to formally notify the EBU and BBC of their plans to bid for the Contest.
Wolverhampton
The final city currently vying to host Eurovision 2023 is Wolverhampton, based in the West Midlands of England. In a press release discovered by Wiwibloggs, former mayor the city Claire Darke advocated for the Contest’s move.
In the release, Ms Darke also lays out potential options for hosting the show, including the Molineux Stadium – home of Wolverhampton Wanderers. She also highlights the vocal talent that has come from the city – mentioning rock band Led Zeppelin and former member of One Direction Liam Payne.
United Kingdom’s Eurovision journey
Despite a recent slump in results, the UK is one of the most successful countries at the Eurovision Song Contest. Debuting at the second edition ever of the Contest in 1957, the United Kingdom has won the competition on five separate occasions. The most recent win for the UK was in 1997 with Katrina and the Waves, singing โLove Shine A Lightโ. The UK also holds the record for the number of second place finishes โ currently at 16.
In 2022, the UK was represented by Sam Ryder with his song โSPACE MANโ. The performance managed to impress juries and televoters, and the UK finished in second place with 466 points, their best placing since 1998.
What do you make of the new cities bidding to host Eurovision 2023? Should the Contest be held in Brighton, Sheffield or Wolverhampton? Where would be your perfect host city for next year’s competition be? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as we gear up for Eurovision 2023!
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Photo Credit: That Eurovision Site
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