Eurovision-2023 Will Take Place In UK On Behalf Of Ukraine

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine and the BBC have agreed to hold the Eurovision-2023 song contest in the UK.

The press service of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine has announced this, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC confirmed that the Eurovision-2023 song contest will be held in the UK on behalf of the current winner broadcaster - the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine," it says.

It is noted that after deciding on the impossibility of holding Eurovision in Ukraine for security reasons, the EBU considered a number of options with the winning broadcaster.

As a result of the discussions, the European Broadcasting Union invited the UK public broadcaster BBC, the participant from which took second place in the 2022 contest, to act as the organizer of the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.

"We are extremely grateful that the BBC has agreed to host the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023. The BBC has already committed to holding a competition four times instead of other winning countries. Continuing this tradition of solidarity, we know that next year the competition will demonstrate the creativity and skill of one of the most experienced public broadcasters in Europe, while ensuring that this year's winners - Ukraine - will be recognized and presented throughout the event," said Martin Osterdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Chairman of the Board of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine Mykola Chernotytskyi added that the Eurovision-2023 will not take place in Ukraine, but in support of Ukraine.

"We are grateful to our partners BBC for their solidarity with us. I am confident that together we will be able to add to the Ukrainian spirit to this event and once again unite the whole of Europe around our common values - peace, support, appreciation of diversity and talent," he said.

Representatives of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine will cooperate with the BBC to develop and implement Ukrainian elements in the show next year. Ukraine as the winning country of the Eurovision-2022 will automatically get to the final of the upcoming competition.

Next year's host city will be selected in the coming months as a result of the competition procedure.

The dates of the Eurovision-2023 and the logo of the event will be released later.

The Eurovision Song Contest is the largest musical event in the world, organized annually since 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in May the Kalush Orchestra band won the Eurovision-2022 in Turin.

The National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, which is a member of the European Broadcasting Union, provides the selection and participation of the representative of Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest, is the official broadcaster of the competition.