Rylan Clark has revealed he’s certain Graham Norton will be announced as the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 presenter.
The UK will be hosting the long-running event, which launched the careers of ABBA, in Liverpool, after coming runner-up with entry Sam Ryder 2021.
Ukrainian act Kalush Orchestra had won the competition, but organisers decided to hold the beloved spectacle elsewhere due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
Since it was announced the UK would be doing the honours, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive about who will present the glitzy extravaganza.
Among the fan favourites to helm the Eurovision are national treasure Rylan, 34, and Graham, 59, who has provided the commentary on the show since 2009 when he took over from Terry Wogan.
Former X Factor star Rylan appeared on Friday’s This Morning where he was asked about hosts Alison Hammond, 47, and Dermot O’Leary, 49, about the prestigious gig.
The It Takes Two presenter reassured daytime TV viewers he would be putting in an appearance at the Eurovision but implied he may not be the contest’s host.
He said: ‘We’re headed to Liverpool which is amazing. It’s on UK turf [and] we’ll be throwing Ukraine’s party for them. I know I’m going back, Scott [Mills] is going back and we’re all really excited.’
When pressed by Dermot about the nature of his Eurovision stint, Rylan said: ‘I don’t know.’
Rylan has previously commentated on the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals along with former Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills.
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Rylan then admitted he’d been asked multiple times about whether he would be fronting the event, saying: ‘I will definitely Bet Graham will 100% be hosting it. But the less work I have to do the better.’
Curiously, Graham appeared to shut down speculation he would be hosting the singing competition series in an earlier episode of This Morning with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
Graham asked the pair: ‘Have you thrown your hats into the ring to host?’
Phillip, 60, said he wouldn’t be able to work with the BBC due to his contract with ITV, while Holly, 41, exclaimed: ‘Well, it your job surely?’
However, Graham replied: ‘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.’
Asked by Phil if the ‘conversations had been ongoing’, the talk show host said: ‘I might wander on a wave and then run back to my rabbit hutch.’
This Morning airs from 10am on weekdays on ITV.
