When is Eurovision 2023? Air date, location and news

Ukraine might not be hosting, but Kalush Orchestra are expected to to make a guest appearance in the grand final alongside last year’s runner up Sam Ryder.

Read on for everything we know about when Eurovision 2023 is, where it will be held, how to watch it, and which countries are participating this time.

When is Eurovision 2023? Date

The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will begin with the semi-finals on Tuesday 9th May, with all the shows taking place that week.

The first semi-final show will air on the evening of Tuesday 9th May, with the family show taking place in the afternoon on Tuesday and the jury show taking place the day before.

The second semi-final will air on Thursday 11th May in the evening, with the family show taking place in the afternoon and the jury show taking place on Wednesday.

When is the Eurovision final 2023?

As for the main event, the Grand Final will air on Saturday 13th May in the evening, with the family show taking place in the afternoon and the jury show taking place the evening before.

We can't wait!

Where is Eurovision 2023 being held?

Guess what, Brits – Eurovision is coming to the UK this year!

Eurovision confirmed in July last year that Britain would be hosting the 2023 competition despite Ukraine's win due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

"It is a matter of great regret that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine are not able to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Being asked to host the largest and most complex music competition in the world is a great privilege," BBC Director-General Tim Davie said in a statement.

A bidding contest for the host city took place in summer last year and it was Liverpool that emerged victorious in October, with long-time commentator Graham Norton announcing the results on The One Show.

The city defeated Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield with its bid and will be the fifth UK city to host Eurovision.

How to watch Eurovision 2023

While the transmission details for Eurovision 2023 are yet to be confirmed, we do know that the show will air live on the BBC.

The semi-finals are typically broadcast of BBC Three and BBC iPlayer from 8pm, while the Grand Final will most likely air on Saturday 13th May on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

How to get Eurovision 2023 tickets

If you're hoping to watch this year's Eurovision Song Contest in the flesh, then there's some bad news: they've already sold out.

If you're still desperate to get your hands on some, you could try official re-sale ticket sites like TicketSwap.

Read our full guide on Eurovision 2023 tickets here.

Eurovision 2023 presenters

The BBC is yet to confirm which presenters are fronting this year's Eurovision Song Contest – however, commentator Graham Norton has already ruled himself out of running.

The presenter said in September last year that he didn't want to "give up commentating", adding: "If I stop the commentating, someone else will do it and they might be better than me and then I'll lose that job."

However, it's likely that Rylan Clark, AJ Odudu and Scott Mills will be involving with hosting the show, with all three playing a part in presenting and commentating for the UK in previous years.

Rylan Clark and AJ Odudu hosting the event which determine the participating countries' semi-finals back in January on the BBC and so may well host the whole show.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine in January, Rylan said: "I’m very much immersed in Eurovision. I’ve watched the allocation draws from other countries every year, so I’m up on who’s going to be representing who in what country when it’s been announced.

"For me, it’s pretty much like watching This Morning for years, and then going and hosting. I feel like I don’t need to prepare for it, I’m just gonna go and do it."

Who is the UK's Eurovision entry?

English singer-songwriter Mae Muller will represent the UK this May, the BBC has confirmed.

Muller takes over from TikTok star Sam Ryder, who came in second place in 2022.

She'll sing her track I Wrote a Song as she competes against the other countries in this year's line-up.

Which countries will compete in Eurovision 2023?

In October last year, the EBU announced that 37 would be taking part in the 2023 contest next year. Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia chose not to take part due to financial reasons.

Here are all the countries taking part:

• Croatia
• Ireland – 'We Are One' by Wild Youth
• Latvia
• Malta
• Norway – 'Queen of Kings' by Alessandra
• Portugal
• Serbia
• Azerbaijan
• Czech Republic – 'My Sister's Crown' by Vesna
• Finland
• Israel – 'Unicorn' by Noa Kirel
• Moldova
• Netherlands – Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Armenia – Brunette
• Belgium – 'Because of You' by Gustaph
• Cyprus – Andrew Lambrou
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Greece – 'What They Say' by Victor Vernicos
• Iceland
• Romania
• Albania – 'Duje' by Albina & Familja Kelmendi
• Australia
• Austria – Teya and Salena
• Georgia – Iru Khechanovi
• Lithuania
• Poland
• San Marino
• Slovenia – 'Carpe Diem' by Joker Out
• United Kingdom
• France – La Zarra
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain – 'Eaea' by Blanca Paloma
• Ukraine – 'Heart of Steel' by Tvorchi

The Eurovision Song Contest will begin on 9th May 2023. Listen to all of last year's Eurovision songs on TIDAL, while the full album of tracks is available on CD and vinyl now.

You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision here. If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

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