Following weeks of towns and cities across the UK submitting their bids, the BBC has now revealed the shortlist of cities in the running to host Eurovision 2023.
The shortlisted venues are:
20 cities in total submitted expressions of interest! All expressions of interests involved discussions of how Ukrainian influences would be incorporated into their hosting.
The announcement was made on BBC Breakfast (BBC One) and Zoe Ball’s Breakfast Show (BBC Radio 2) at 8.30am UK time.
The UK will be hosting Eurovision 2023 in place of 2022 winners Ukraine. The contest will be created jointly by the BBC and Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC. BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, has committed to showcasing Ukrainian culture throughout the contest.
The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture alongside showcasing the diversity of British music and creativity.
Tim Davie, BBC Director-General
What’s next?
Each of the potential host cities has to meet a set of requirements, which the BBC have described as:
It is a two-stage process and to be considered, any potential candidates must meet a set of minimum standards that demonstrate they have the capacity, capability and experience to host an event of this scale and complexity.
The BBC’s statement regarding the Eurovision 2023 host city bidding process.
The successful venue will be the one which scores most highly on criteria set by the BBC, which are:
- Having a suitable venue and sufficient space to deliver the requirements of the Eurovision Song Contest
- The commitment that can be made by a city or region to hosting the event, including the financial contribution
- The strength of the cultural offer which includes off screen local and regional activity as well as showcasing Ukrainian culture and music
- Alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster, such as providing value to all audiences and supporting the creative economy in the UK.
The next stage will be assessing to what extent each of the shortlisted cities meets the requirements. In recent years, cities have submitted bid books to the contest organisers, detailing their plans for hosting.
The host city for Eurovision 2023 will be revealed during the autumn.
Which city are you hoping will get to host the contest in 2023? Are there any cities who didn’t make the shortlist that you wish had? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tik-Tok as we gear up for Eurovision 2023!
News source: BBC
Photo Credit: Daily Express
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