Eurovision 2023: Glasgow’s promo video!

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The video promoting Glasgow’s bid to host the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2023 which is going to be held in the United Kingdom was posted on Twitter by the official OVO Hydro stadium account earlier today.

Glasgow and Liverpool are the two remaining cities in the race of hosting with the former being the bookies’ favourite.

Below you can watch the post with the promo video of the Scottish city.

Stay tuned on Eurovision Fun for all the updates regarding the host city process of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest

Eurovision 2023: Graham Norton confirms he won’t host Eurovision 2023!

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Next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will not be hosted by Graham Norton. The author and presenter appeared to rule himself out from hosting duties during an interview on This Morning on Wednesday 28th September.

Norton, who has been the show’s commentator since 2009, surprised This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield when he asked them if they had “thrown [their] hats into the ring to host”.

While Schofield said he wasn’t “allowed” due to the contest being broadcast by the BBC, Willoughby pointed that it surely must be Norton’s job.

I don’t want to give up the commentating, If I stop the commentating, someone else will do it and they might be better than me and then I’ll lose that job. Well, I might wander on and wave, and then run back to my rabbit hutch and put my ear things on.

Willoughby then suggested Rylan Clark-Neal for the job, though Norton didn’t reveal whether there had been any conversations on who might host the programme in his place. Other popular contenders, however, include Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills.

The competition will be hosted in the UK, despite Sam Ryder coming in second place. Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra were crowned the winners, but the country couldn’t take on hosting duties due to the ongoing Russian invasion. Liverpool and Glasgow are the two UK cities currently in the mix for holding the competition, with Glasgow as the odds’ favorite to win!

“Both of them are beautiful cities,” Norton said. “They’ll look great on camera, they both have a big musical tradition, so you know either one. May the best city win.”

Who do you think will be the hosts of Eurovision 2023?Tell us in the comments below!

Source: radiotimes

Eurovision 2023: The bookmakers declare Glasgow as the favourite!

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We are at the final homestretch of the selection process for the city that is going to host Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Despite announcing yesterday that only Glasgow and Liverpool remain at the course of claiming, it seems that for the bookmakers there is an absolute favourite!

According to the bookmakers, Glasgow has 64% chance to host the contest, while Liverpool concentrates the remaining 36%.

It should also be pointed out that the variability of the odds was recorded mostly the last days, before BBC’s announcement regarding the predominant cities.

Specifically, as shown at the panel above (screenshot that was taken yesterday), while Glasgow remained for long as the absolute favourite for the bookmakers, Liverpool managed to make an outstading leap in odds. However, this dynamic was not preserved after the BBC announcement, with Glasgow retaking it’s edge overnight.

Will the bookmakers be proven right or Liverpool is going to make a surprise? Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the details!

United Kingdom: Birmingham explains why it was not chosen as a host city

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Birmingham was eliminated from the host city selection procces and now the Mayor of West Midlands has revealed the reason that lead to this decision.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, explained on his personal Twitter account the reason behind Birmingham’s not advancing  to the final two of the host city race for Eurovision 2023. Mr. Street explained that the Resorts World Arena also known as the NEC did not meet the technical requirements for the roof of a venue to host the Eurovision Song Contest.

Glasgow and Liverpool are the two cities that remain in the selection procces and one of them will be the winner city to host Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The EBU and the BBC announced earlier today the two cities that move to the final phase and the five that were eliminated. The cities which were not selected were:

  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • Newcastle
  • Sheffield

Eurovision 2023 will be hosted in the United Kingdom after Kalush Orchestra won with the song “Stefania” on behalf of Ukraine.

Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be the first contest since 1979 in which the winning nation was unable to host the following contest. It is the sixth occasion overall on which a different country has hosted after the original host nation was unable to host. The 2023 contest will also extend the United Kingdom’s record of hosting Eurovision to nine times.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in the United Kingdom!

United Kingdom: Selection Committee will pay a visit to Glasgow on September 30!

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STV News reports that the committee incumbent on selecting the host city of Eurovision 2023 is visiting Glasgow on September 30.

A BBC delegation is due to visit Glasgow this Friday, to carry out a thorough inspection/assessment of the city’s infrastructure. This assessment will be then taken into account for the final stage of the host city selection procedure.

The OVO Hydro has a capacity of up to 14,500 standing spectators and opened 2013. The OVO Hydro was also used in the filming of the Eurovision movie, Eurovision The Story of Fire Saga, where a fictional ESC took place in Edinburgh. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and the fourth largest in the United Kingdom with a population of over 635,000 people.

The EBU and the BBC announced today that Glasgow and Liverpool are the final two cities in the running to host Eurovision 2023.

Eurovision 2023 will be the first Competition since 1979, where the previous year’s winner will not host the event, even though such thing happened six times in the past.

Which city do you prefer as the host city of Eurovision 2023? 

Source: SVT, Eurovoix

Eurovision 2023: Glasgow or Liverpool will host the upcoming contest!

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Either Glasgow or Liverpool will host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, after the shortlist of cities in contention was cut from seven to two.

The announcement means Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield have missed out on the chance to stage the competition next May.

The BBC said the two remaining cities, which both have riverside arena venues, had “the strongest overall offer”.

A final decision will be made “within weeks”, the broadcaster said.

 

The UK was chosen to host the 2023 contest after organisers decided it could not be staged by this year’s winner, Ukraine, because of the ongoing war. The UK’s singer Sam Ryder was the runner-up this May.

A hotly-contested selection process saw 20 UK cities express an interest in hosting this year’s show before that was narrowed down to seven, and now a final two.

Crowds outside Glasgow's OVO Hydro arenaJEFF HOLMES

Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena doubled as the venue in Will Ferrell’s Eurovision movie

The winning location will attract thousands of visitors and the attention of around 160 million TV viewers around the world.

The original seven shortlisted cities were scored on a set of criteria including:

  • “Having a suitable venue and sufficient space to deliver the requirements of the Song Contest
  • “The commitment that can be made by a city or region to hosting the event, including the financial contribution
  • “The strength of the cultural offer which includes off screen local and regional activity as well as showcasing Ukrainian culture and music
  • “And alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster, such as providing value to all audiences and supporting the creative economy in the UK.”

Glasgow calling?

LuluGETTY IMAGES

Lulu won Eurovision in 1969

Glasgow was a bookies’ favourite from the off, with its OVO Hydro venue having a capacity of 14,300.

The arena would be a fitting setting in some ways after being filmed for the exterior of the venue in Will Ferrell’s 2020 Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

And of course, Glasgow lass Lulu won the 1969 Contest with Boom Bang-a-Bang. She says it’s “the perfect place… and it’s about time”.

Fellow Glaswegian Scott Fitzgerald came second in 1988 when he was beaten to the top spot by none other than Celine Dion.

Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken has said the city “has all the right ingredients to deliver a Eurovision the world will remember”.

The city centre venue is also next to exhibition centres that could be useful for facilities like a press centre, and has a nearby station and hotels. It has previously hosted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and events during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Or douze points to Liverpool?

SoniaGETTY IMAGES

Sonia is keen for the contest to come to her home city

The home of The Beatles has a rich musical history that attracts thousands of international visitors every year. Its past major events have included the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008.

Sonia came second in the contest back in 1993 with Better the Devil You Know. The city has also been represented by Jemini, who sadly got nul points in 2003.

Eurovision would be staged at the 11,000-capacity dockside M&S Bank Arena, which is next to a conference centre and near the city centre’s hotels and rail links.

Speaking earlier this year, Steve Rotheram, mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: “It’s safe to say that Liverpool wouldn’t be Liverpool without music – and music wouldn’t be music without Liverpool.

“No region in the UK has had more number one hits – and nowhere can throw a party quite like us. I can think of nowhere more qualified, more experienced or more fitting to host the Eurovision.”

Short presentational grey line

Eurovision organisers say a host venue should accommodate about 10,000 spectators, be within easy reach of an international airport and have enough hotel accommodation for at least 2,000 delegates, journalists and ticket-buyers.

The venue will be needed for preparations for six to eight weeks ahead of the song contest, meaning the host city will need to move concerts and events that are already in their schedules.

Aerial shot of Liverpool's waterfront including the M&S Bank Arena and adjoining exhibition centreANT CLAUSEN

Liverpool’s arena and exhibition centre are on the banks of the River Mersey

That could include the likes of Sir Elton John, who has concerts in Liverpool on 22 and 23 April, and the Magic Mike arena tour, which is booked for both cities in late April.

The UK has hosted Eurovision eight times – four times in London, and in Edinburgh, Brighton, Harrogate and Birmingham.

The former UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said when the shortlist was revealed that the country was “determined to deliver a competition which reflects Ukraine’s rich culture and creativity”. Congratulating the shortlisted cities, she said “no matter which one is chosen it will be a fantastic event to make both the UK and Ukraine proud”.

The BBC’s director of unscripted content Kate Phillips said: “We are committed to delivering a truly unique Song Contest that celebrates wonderful Ukraine and champions British music and creativity in all its diversity.”

The final decission will be made in the next weeks! Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun!

Source: BBC

Junior Eurovision 2022: 16 countries will take part in the contest in Yerevan!

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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) alongside the Armenian public broadcaster (AMPTV), announced that 16 countries are going to take part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022, which is scheduled to take place in Yerevan, on Sunday, December 11.

https://youtu.be/NvgeXx_BUV4

The 16 countries that will travel to Yerevan in December are:

  • 🇦🇱 Albania (RTSH)
  • 🇦🇲 Armenia (AMPTV)
  • 🇫🇷 France (France TV)
  • 🇬🇪 Georgia (GPB)
  • 🇮🇪 Ireland (TG4)
  • 🇮🇹 Italy (Rai)
  • 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan (Khabar Agency)
  • 🇲🇹 Malta (PBS)
  • 🇳🇱 Netherlands (AVROTROS)
  • 🇲🇰 North Macedonia (MKRTV)
  • 🇵🇱 Poland (TVP)
  • 🇵🇹 Portugal (RTP)
  • 🇷🇸 Serbia (RTS)
  • 🇪🇸 Spain (TVE)
  • 🇺🇦 Ukraine (UA:PBC)
  • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (BBC)

The number of countries that will take part in this year’s contest is reduced, compared to last year, since Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Germany and Russia will not return to the contest, while the United Kingdom returns after a 16 years of absence.

What is more, alongside the final list of competitions, the Armenian public broadcaster announced the slogan of this year’s contest which is: “Spin the Magic”.

Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, is excited about the show’s return:

“We’re delighted to be welcoming talented young artists from 16 countries this year to Yerevan for the 20th Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It’s exciting to be returning to the Armenian capital for the first time in over a decade to “Spin The Magic” on this special anniversary – and welcoming back the United Kingdom to the competition, our host country for Eurovision 2023. There’s so much energy, passion and creativity from our colleagues at AMPTV and we can’t wait to see a spectacular show in December.”

Armenia will host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 after Maléna’s win with the song “Qami Qami”:

https://youtu.be/IEqRlYCxPHw

Stay tuned in Eurovisionfun for everything new regarding the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022!

Source:

UK: Liverpool backed to host by Eurovision 1993 runner up Sonia!

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POP icon Sonia’s voice will be instantly recognisable to music fans of a certain age, thanks to her hits throughout the 80s and 90s. Decades on, you might not instantly recognise her at first glance – though she looks far younger than her 51 years. After Immani who was also a Eurovision runner up and supports Birmingham for hosting the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, now Sonia another runner up of the contest, reveals her wish for the host city of Eurovision 2023, which is Liverpool!

Pop legend Sonia was interviewed 29 years after her Eurovision success
Pop legend Sonia was interviewed 29 years after her Eurovision success
The singer found global fame when she came runner-up in 1993
The singer found global fame when she came runner-up in 1993

The star recently appeared on BBC Breakfast to campaign for Liverpool to bag the job of hosting Eurovision. It comes just shy of three decades after her own storming run in the competition. The singer – whose full name is Sonia Evans – shot to fame in 1989 with No1 hit You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You. She also came second at Eurovision in 1993 with Better the Devil You Know and was the first female artist to achieve five Top 20 singles from one album.

Sonia also appeared with Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Bananarama and Cliff Richard in the Band Aid II version of charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? These days she still performs, taking to the stage at several retro festivals, and makes personalised messages for fans on CelebVM. She can also be seen on TV, appearing on BBC Breakfast last month live from Liverpool.

Sonia insisted her home city should be the location for Eurovision 2023 after the UK took on hosting duties from war-torn Ukraine. Sonia said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, it’s going to be fab. We tick all the boxes don’t we? You’ve got to come and see our beautiful, beautiful city. We’ve got the arena. We’ve got all the criteria – the atmosphere, the buzz. It’ll be one big massive party, it would be absolutely brilliant.”

Sonia was second at Eurovision 1993 only behind the irish entry.

Source: The Sun

UK: Birmingham backed to host by Imaani!

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Imaani who nearly won the Eurovision Song Contest says she is “backing Birmingham” to host the 2023 event.

Imaani finished as runner-up to Dana International when the competition was last held in the city in 1998.

The winning city is expected to be announced by the BBC and Eurovision organisers in the next few weeks.

Imaani finished seven points behind the Israeli winner 24 years ago, the year after Katrina and the Waves won with their UK entry Love Shine A Light. Until Sam Ryder’s stellar performance at this year’s contest in Turin, Italy, she was the UK’s most recent runner-up.

A woman sitting in a street

Imaani remembers her “absolute terror” preparing for the 1998 contest in Birmingham

She remembers feeling “absolute terror” during the dress rehearsal for her song Where Are You?, at the city’s National Indoor Arena.

“My management team drew lots over who was going to come down and tell me off for crying,” she told the BBC. “I was just so scared.”

Despite this, the singer has fond memories of the atmosphere in Birmingham during the live show.

“It was massive. Amazing band and the crowd was incredible. Such a huge building, it was amazing, a phenomenal experience,” she said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Birmingham could do it again. And a thousand times better than they did it before – and they did a pretty damn good job when I was there. I’m backing Birmingham.”

If it wins, Birmingham will host the event at the 15,685-capacity Resorts World Arena.

Cllr Ian Ward in front of Birmingham City Council House

Cllr Ian Ward said the 1998 contest was a turning point for public perception of the city

Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield are also hoping to stage the event, in May.

Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward said the summer’s Commonwealth Games proved the city’s ability to be the host.

“We saw during the Commonwealth Games people here in Birmingham rediscovering their pride and their confidence in their city and realising that Birmingham can do these major international events as well as any other city anywhere in the world,” he said.

Two men holding European flags in front of a flag backdropBRYAN AND KEVIN MANLEY-GREEN

Kevin and Bryan Manley-Green said they were confident the competition they “absolutely loved “would return to Birmingham

Eurovision super-fan Bryan Manley-Green, from Birmingham, said the city “blossomed” during Eurovision 1998.

“The city just came to life, it came to life for the whole month because we had the G8 just afterwards… so it was just a wonderful month,” he said.

“He likes Eurovision more than me,” joked partner Kevin.

Source: BBC

OGAE Song Contest: UK and Germany withdraw in solidarity with Ukraine!

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Two more OGAE members have decided to withdraw from the annual OGAE Song Contest.  The decisions of OGAE UK and OGAE Germany not to participate in the contest held in Australia comes as an act of solidarity with Ukraine.  Just a couple of weeks ago, OGAE Ukraine withdrew from the contest as a protest against the decision to keep OGAE Russia as a contestant.  OGAE Ukraine had asked OGAE International to kick OGAE Russia out of the contest.  The Ukrainian branch accused their Russian counterparts of supporting the ongoing war against Ukraine.

OGAE UK withdrawal

OGAE UK decided to have a voting on whether to remain or leave the OGAE Song Contest following the decision to keep Russia in the contest.

“While many may believe the context of a fan run song contest is a minor event, I reiterate that in this current climate, the politics and actions of one country against another involved in OGAE and Eurovision cannot be ignored or disregarded”. OGAE UK

An internal vote took place on this subject.  According to the results, 72.34% of OGAE UK members decided to leave the OGAE Song Contest.

OGAE Germany withdrawal

In a similar fashion, OGAE Germany voted if they wanted to continue their participation in the current OGAE Song Contest.  OGAE Germany announced in a communication the results of this voting.  In contrast with their British counterparts however, the final results of the German voting were closer.

The majority of the members decided to withdraw with a final result of 56.62% asking to leave against 43.38% who voted to remain.

It is not yet known if other national clubs also voted to leave the contest.  However, according to OGAE Germany “37% of all clubs had voted to comply with OGAE Ukraine’s request outlined above, but OGAE has not made transparent which OGAE International club members voted and how.”

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for more updates regarding the OGAE Song Contest!