After the UK was announced as the host nation for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, the BBC was hit with a massive bill of up to £17 million for its “solidarity” gesture.
The public broadcaster, which is now undergoing £500 million in cuts this year due to funding reductions, will bear the majority of the cost of supporting the yearly competition.
It follows the announcement that Ukraine, which won the competition this year in Turin in May, would not be permitted to host it due to “safety and security issues” related to the ongoing Russian invasion.
Following yesterday’s announcement that the 2023 competition will take place in the UK, more than a dozen cities are competing to host the event for the first time in the nation since 1998.
The show, which has 161 million viewers globally, is supported in part by £5.3 million in contributions from participating broadcasters in Europe.
The host broadcaster, in this case the BBC, is anticipated to contribute between £8 million and £17 million, depending on “local circumstances and available resources,” according to organisers.
Since the BBC has already cut 1,200 jobs and reduced its output as a result of licence fee rises that haven’t kept up with inflation over the past 10 years, concerns will be raised about how the corporation will pay its part.
Following the government’s decision to freeze the licence price for the next two years, it will also need to find savings of £285 million.
Additionally, the host city contributes monetarily or “in kind,” for example, by paying for costs.
Funding is also obtained through sponsorship deals, ticket sales, voting, and merchandise sales.
We are incredibly delighted that the BBC has agreed to host the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023, according to Martin Osterdahl, executive supervisor of the competition.
“The BBC has served as the host broadcaster for other winning nations on four prior occasions.”
“Continuing in this legacy of solidarity, we know that next year’s competition will highlight the innovation and expertise of one of Europe’s most seasoned public broadcasters while ensuring that this year’s winners, Ukraine, are acknowledged and represented throughout the event.
Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, continued, “We very regret that our friends and colleagues in Ukraine will not be able to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.
“It is a wonderful honour to be chosen to host the biggest and most difficult music competition in the world. In addition to presenting the variety of British music and innovation, the BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture.
The BBC will now start the search for a Host City that will collaborate with us to create one of the most thrilling events to visit the UK in 2023.
‘The Eurovision Song Contest is a co-production of the host broadcaster and participating members of the European Broadcasting Union,’ a representative for the BBC said (EBU).
There are several funding sources that should be investigated since they will help create a terrific event and offer licence fee payers excellent value.
Manchester, Sheffield, and London, among others, have already declared their intent to compete to host the event, but Glasgow is the bookmakers’ favourite, with council leader Susan Aitken describing it as a “total no-brainer” for the competition to take place in the city.
The event will need a sizable event space, appropriate lodging, and access to international transportation.
Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Swindon, and Wolverhampton have all expressed interest in hosting the event.
The UK location will be selected in the upcoming months, and a bid-opening procedure is anticipated to start this week. The event’s logo and date will both be unveiled “in due course,” according to the organisers.
The final cost of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, which was hosted in Rotterdam, Netherlands, came to a staggering £16.2 million, which was actually less than the planned £19.4 million budget.
Dutch officials said that the event brought in £2.3 million for the city, but they also noted that the COVID-19 epidemic and the ensuing lockdown kept many visitors away.
It will be a competition that “celebrates the people of Ukraine and shows off the very best of Britain,” according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The campaign’s slogan is “Hello Europe. This is Sheffield calling,” and Sheffield councillor Ben Miskell claimed the city is “a obvious choice” to host with a 13,000-seat arena.
Leader of the Manchester City Council Bev Craig declared the city’s intention to apply, while Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy Adviser Sacha Lord tweeted, “There is no better city than Manchester, to hold this.”
Newcastle City Council declared in an official statement that they would make “the ultimate host city” and expressed their great desire to host the event.
Ross Greer, a Green MSP, stated on Twitter that this was Glasgow’s “time to shine.”
The winner nation traditionally hosts the competition the following year. The Ukrainian participant, Kalush Orchestra, won the yearly competition just over two months ago in an emotional victory in Turin, Italy.
However, the European Broadcasting Union declared last month that it had reached the conclusion following a study that Ukraine’s official broadcaster UA:PBC could not provide the’security and operational guarantees’ necessary to host the event.
Oleksandr Tkachenko, the culture minister of Ukraine, released a statement ‘demanding to change the decision’ in response to the decision to reject Ukraine as the 2023 host, and UA:PBC also expressed its ‘disappointment’ at the time.
Oleh Psiuk, the lead singer for Kalush Orchestra, issued a statement in which he stated: “Of course, we are very sad that the Eurovision Song Contest will not be held in Ukraine next year.
But we appreciate the UK’s support and willingness to host the event in honour of our nation.
“We hope that Eurovision 2023 will have a Ukrainian influence and honour our stunning, distinctive culture.”
“We, in turn, will make every effort to support Ukraine’s victory again next year, so that Eurovision 2024 can be held in a peaceful nation,” they added.
Sam Ryder’s Space Man, the runner-up this year, and the national broadcaster of the UK, the BBC, were invited to serve as hosts. The BBC today announced that it would host the 67th competition.
The last time the event took place in Britain was in Birmingham in 1998, drawing a television audience of about 200 million viewers on average.
The last time Britain won was in that competition, when Katrina and the Waves’ performance of “Love Shine a Light” in Dublin the year before took first place. Since the contest’s inception in 1956, the UK has taken first place five times in total.
More times than any other nation, the UK has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, with events held in London in 1960, 1963, 1968, and 1977, Edinburgh in 1972, Brighton in 1974, Harrogate in 1982, and Birmingham in 1998.
Following the EBU and BBC’s announcement that the UK will host the Eurovision Song Contest in place of Ukraine, the council of Sheffield City said it has informed the organisers that Sheffield would “love” to host the event.
Sheffield City Council tweeted, “We’ve informed Eurovision we’d love to host… watch this space.”
Manchester will submit an application to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, according to Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig.
Manchester will compete to host @Eurovision @bbceurovision, she tweeted.
We are confident that we will make it a Eurovision to remember because we have a world-class music city, fantastic venues, experience hosting big events, and, of course, one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the UK. More to come.
The OVO Hydro arena in Glasgow earlier stated that it would be “delighted” to be part in discussions about hosting the event.
Glasgow City Council has been working diligently on their proposal ever since it became possible that the UK may host on behalf of Ukraine.
We are confident that we fulfil all technical standards, and Glaswegians are eager to welcome visitors from throughout the world.
Since Glasgow just hosted the COP, we know Glasgow is the safest of safe pairs of hands. Time is now incredibly short to organise the contest.
Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, endorsed the city to host in June and tweeted, “I can think of a beautiful venue on the banks of the River Clyde!!”
The UK will “put on a magnificent contest for our Ukrainian friends,” according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who also noted that in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, they “agreed that wherever Eurovision 2023 is held, it must promote the land and people of Ukraine.”
As we are now the hosts, the UK will directly honour that commitment and put on a spectacular competition in support of our Ukrainian friends, he continued.
Boris Johnson has expressed a “strong wish” that Ukraine host the Eurovision Song Contest, according to Downing Street.
“It is terribly regretful that a Ukraine-hosted Eurovision will not be possible,” the prime minister’s official spokeswoman said.
However, we are confident that the BBC and the UK will make every effort to ensure that the event honours and promotes Ukraine’s nation, people, and creative spirit.
When asked if people in the UK should fly Ukrainian flags to commemorate the occasion, the spokesman responded, “Absolutely.”
As we observed, a number of nations and the citizens of the UK (were) in favour of both our accession as well as the entry of Ukraine.
“I’m sure the Prime Minister would urge the public to support this chance to properly show how the UK is supporting the people of Ukraine,” said the speaker.
Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted about London’s intention to submit a proposal to host Eurovision: “It’s really regrettable for Ukraine that they will not be able to host Eurovision next year.”
“London is prepared and eager to help.” We would be honoured to host a competition that honours Ukrainians and showcases the finest of British culture.
The Eurovision Song Contest, according to Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, “unites people through the force of music and creativity.”
“I’m thrilled that the BBC has agreed to step in and host the competition next year following a request from the European Broadcasting Union and the Ukrainian authorities.