The BBC has announced the full presenting team for this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool – with Graham Norton set to be joined on stage by Alesha Dixon, Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina for the Grand Final.

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Norton will also be back in his familiar position in the commentary box, sharing duties with comedian and former Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc as he balances his regular role with the presenting gig.
Meanwhile, Dixon, Waddingham and Sanina will also host the two semi-finals – for which commentary will be provided by Scott Mills and Rylan.

The full line-up also includes Ukrainian broadcaster Timur Miroshnychenko, who will be the BBC's Eurovision correspondent, former hockey star Sam Quek, who will host the Opening Ceremony live stream, and actress Claire Sweeney, who will provide local commentary for BBC Radio Merseyside.

Speaking about the full presenting team, the BBC's director of unscripted Kate Phillips said: "The BBC is thrilled to have such a talented line-up bringing the Eurovision Song Contest from Liverpool - on behalf of Ukraine - to the world.

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"One thing that truly unites us all is music, and we’re proud to have a team - who are well accustomed to the worlds of music, performing and live broadcasting - as part of our Eurovision presenting family."

She added: "It will be a remarkable moment for the BBC to deliver two huge pinnacles in this year’s broadcasting calendar, the King’s Coronation and Eurovision, within the same week."

Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple in Ted Lasso season 2
Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple in Ted Lasso season 2. Apple TV+/YouTube

Meanwhile, Waddingham – whose acting credits also include Game of Thrones and Sex Education – said she had been an "avid fan" of the song contest for years and added that it was a "great privilege" to present this year's event.

"It’s one of the world’s greatest music festivals, but this year, perhaps more than ever, it is such a great honor to be standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, a country which has carried itself with such strength and unity," she said.

The Eurovision Grand Final will be held in Liverpool's 11,000 capacity dockside M&S Bank Arena on Saturday 13th May, with the UK hosting the contest for the first time since 1998.

The UK finished second at last year's final in Italy but was chosen as host for this year after winners Ukraine were unable to hold the contest due to security concerns caused by the ongoing Russian invasion.

The Eurovision Song Contest will begin on Tuesday 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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Patrick Cremona, RadioTimes.com's senior film writer looking at the camera and smiling
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

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