The song contest could be held in the UK next year, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Eurovision has confirmed that it is in talks with the BBC about the UK hosting the song contest in 2023, after Ukraine's win earlier this year.
In a statement, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said that the contest's governing board has "with deep regret" concluded that Ukraine's public broadcaster, Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (shortened to UA:PBC) will not be able to fulfil the security and operational guarantees required, given Russia's ongoing war in the country.
Therefore, the statement said that "in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year's runner up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the
United Kingdom".
This news comes just over a month after Ukraine's act, Kalush Orchestra, won the contest, beating out the UK's Sam Ryder who provided the UK's best performance on the leaderboard in years with his song, Space Man.
In response to the EBU's statement, the BBC Press Office posted its own acknowledgement of the talks, stating: "We have seen the announcement from the EBU. Clearly these aren't a set of circumstances that anyone would want. Following their decision, we will of course discuss the BBC hosting the Eurovision Song Contest."
Recently the chairman of Spanish state broadcaster RTVE, Manuel Pérez Tornero, also admitted that he thinks the BBC "will organise" next year's contest, given its position as this year's runner-up.
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The 2021 Eurovision Song Contest was a ratings hit for the BBC, with an average of 8.9 million people tuning in to watch the show on Saturday 14th May, and a peak viewership of 10.6 million for the winner reveal.
The 2022 Eurovision Song Contest aired on the BBC from Tuesday 10th May to Saturday 14th May – listen to all of this 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.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
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