The Eurovision Song Contest is returning to the United Kingdom this year, with Liverpool serving as the host city.
The United Kingdom is hosting the event for the first time in 25 years because 2022 winners Ukraine were unable to conduct the event owing to the continuing conflict with Russia, with the honour falling to this nation after Sam Ryder placed second in Turin last year.
Viewers can expect a week of Eurovision fun as artists from 37 nations compete for the title of this year’s champion, with the winner country receiving the distinction of hosting the contest in 2024.
Mae Muller will be among them, trying to win the UK its sixth victory – and first since Katrina And The Waves’ Love Shine A Light in 1997 – with her dance blockbuster I Wrote A Song.
Whether you’re a seasoned Eurovision fan or a first-time viewer, you won’t want to miss a beat – but when is the song contest and how can you watch it?
When is Eurovision 2023?
Six of the contestants this year have already qualified for the final: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom automatically qualify for the final owing to their status as the ‘Big Five’ – the countries that contribute the most money to the competition.
The victor from the previous year, in this instance Ukraine, also obtains an automatic spot in the final.
To be eligible for the grand final, the remaining countries must participate in one of two semi-finals on Tuesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 11.
Only ten countries from each semi-final will advance to Saturday night’s final, so everything is on the line.
The first semi-final will have 15 countries competing for those spots, while the final will feature 16 countries.
This year, the ten finalists from each semi-final will be determined solely by public vote.
Each of the pre-qualified nations has the opportunity to vote in one semi-final, which was determined by a unique draw in January; as a consequence, UK viewers will have the opportunity to vote during Thursday night’s broadcast.
How to watch Eurovision in the UK
If you’ve never seen a Eurovision semi-final before, now’s your chance, as the semi-finals will be shown on BBC One for the first time this year, after previously airing on BBC Three or BBC Four.
Live coverage of both events begins at 8 p.m. on May 9 and 11, with commentary from Rylan Clark and Scott Mills.
The grand final will also air on BBC One on Saturday, May 13 at 8pm, with Graham Norton commentating in between presentation duties, with a little help from Mel Giedroyc.
If you miss any of it you’ll be able to catch up via the BBC iPlayer – or you can stream it via Eurovision.tv’s official YouTube channel (although you won’t get any commentary with it).
Alternatively, if you don’t fancy staying in and watching on the sofa, many big cities are also putting on large scale screening events, including the following:
Birmingham – Centenary Square
Brighton – Jubilee Square
Cardiff – The Depot
Darlington – Market Square
Leeds – Millenium Square
Manchester – Piccadilly Gardens
Newcastle – Times Square
Nottingham – Nottingham Castle
Sheffield – Devonshire Green
Some of the following films are ticketed, while others are first-come, first-served; for more information, visit your local council website or local newspaper.
In addition to the official screenings, hundreds of clubs, restaurants, and pubs throughout the UK will display both the semi-finals and the final, and it will be screened in over 500 cinemas for the first time.
Check your local newspaper and listings to discover which theatres are exhibiting it and whether tickets are still available.