Liverpool will host Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on behalf of Ukraine
Daisy Phillipson
Featured Image Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Loop Images Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Liverpool has been chosen as the city to host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine, beating Glasgow as the other frontrunner.
Sharing the news on Twitter, the long-running song competition wrote: "Liverpool will host #Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine… and it’s gonna be proper boss."
Although a lot of people felt Glasgow should have won, they were still on board with celebrating Liverpool's achievement.
Liverpool will host #Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine…and it’s gonna be proper boss 👍
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) October 7, 2022
🇬🇧🇺🇦 Find out all about Liverpool 2023 right here: https://t.co/a1zGojGfbr pic.twitter.com/hCrSYkMAsO
"Congrats to Liverpool. You will do us proud," wrote one commenter, while another said, "Awww sorry Glasgow and congratulations to Liverpoooool."
A third added: "Would have loved it to have been Glasgow, but I’m sure Liverpool will do a fabulous job."
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This year's edition of the contest saw Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra take home the gold.
Although it's tradition for the winning country to host the next event, sadly the Eastern European country was ruled out from doing so due to Russia's attack.
With British singer Sam Ryder ranking second at Eurovision 2022, the honour was passed over to the UK.
Twenty British cities applied to be picked for the contest, and that number was whittled down to seven back in August - Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester and Sheffield.
And now it's been whittled down to just one.
Graham Norton announced the news in a special segment on BBC's The One Show this evening (7 October).
It's set to be a landmark moment for the UK, which has not held the contest since 1998 when the event was hosted in Birmingham.
THEY DID ITT FROM THE MINUTE THEY GOT TO REPRESENT UKRAINE I KNEW THIS WOULD COME #Eurovision #Esc2022 #Eurovision2022 pic.twitter.com/mkKh7BDr4R
— sarah / #STANDWITHUKRAINE 💙💛 (@sarah_the_rtist) May 14, 2022
While plenty of people are excited about the news, it's a bittersweet announcement for everyone involved.
Ryder previously said of the UK hosting: "It's Ukraine's party, we're just inviting them to throw it at our house.
"I know how much it meant to Kalush and the Ukrainian delegation that it would be held at home in Ukraine next year.
"I'm not the only one whose heart is heavy knowing that that can't be the case at this moment in time."
The Eurovision Song Contest is traditionally held in May when it's broadcasted live in three stages over the course of a week – the first semi-final on a Tuesday, the second semi-final on a Thursday and the grand final on a Saturday.
As said, this year's event was made all the more poignant by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine as Vladimir Putin continues his attack on the country.
Just hours after winning the international competition, Oleg Psiuk - frontman of the winning group - was seen saying his heartfelt farewells as he began his journey back home to fight for his country.
Psiuk's six-piece band took to the stage with their song 'Stefania', which was originally written as a tribute to his mother, but was soon transformed into an anti-war anthem.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information