The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the biggest international entertainment competitions and the famous show has officially made its way to British shores.
Last year the Ukrainian Kalush Orchestra stormed the competition with Stefania. However, the EBU confirmed that the country would not be able to host the competition due to the ongoing war with Russia.
The 2022 runner-up was the UK, and as such the country is hosting on behalf of Ukraine, creating a unique collaborative event.
We’ve gathered all the information about the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, including when the show will air, how to tune in from the UK and abroad, who’s taking part and more.
When is the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final?
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place today, Saturday, May 13, 2023. Here are the times it kicks off around the world:
- 8pm BST (UK)
- 21:00 CEST (Europe)
- 3 p.m. ET (East Coast US)
- 12 a.m. PT (US West Coast)
- 4:30 AM ACDT (Australia)
You can watch the winning performance of 2022 below:
Who is the host city of Eurovision 2023?
The United Kingdom has caught the Eurovision fever, as none other than Liverpool will be hosting the contest. It is the fifth city in the United Kingdom to host the competition, narrowly beating Glasgow in the bidding competition.
While the show will take place in the UK, the main focus will be on Ukraine, as the match would have been held there if it weren’t for Russia.
You can view the set design below:
Can I still get tickets for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023?
Tickets for the Eurovision Song Contest were sold out very quickly after huge demand. However, some may be available for resale on Ticketmaster.
How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK
As in previous years, you should be able to tune into the Eurovision 2023 grand final on BBC One. Graham Norton returns for his usual hilarious commentary.
You can also watch the show live on BBC One via iPlayer and stream it shortly after broadcast on the BBC iPlayer website or app on your tablet or smartphone.
Both semi-finals will now be broadcast on BBC One, rather than BBC Two.
How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest from the US
US viewers can tune in through Peacock. An ad-supported plan costs $5.99 per month, while an ad-free plan costs $9.99 per month. However, new users can get a seven-day free trial.
YouTube will also live stream the entire Grand Final on the official Eurovision channel, as well as both semifinals.
A full list of international broadcasters can be found here.
Who will present Eurovision 2023?
Graham Norton will step outside the comment box anyway, despite previous claims he wouldn’t.
He will be joined by actress Hannah Waddingham (currently best known for Ted Lasso), award-winning Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina and Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon.
Graham will still commentate on some of the Finale, but will share duties with actress and comedian Mel Giedroyc. Scott Mills and Rylan will commentate both semifinals.
How to vote in the Eurovision Song Contest
The easiest way to vote for your favorite Eurovision Song Contest act is to download the app on your smartphone or tablet. It is available on Google Play, the iOS App Store and the Windows Store and is free to download. You can also vote via the official website.
Once you have the app, you can find out more about the participants from the participating countries and you can also read the latest Eurovision news.
But more importantly, you can cast your vote through the app by simply clicking the vote button and choosing your favourite. You can vote multiple times, but you cannot vote for the country you are voting from.
Who are the finalists of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023?
37 countries are participating in Eurovision 2023, but only 26 make it to the grand final. Both the United Kingdom and Ukraine will automatically receive a place in the grand final as hosts.
They will be joined by Germany, France, Italy and Spain – members of the Big Five who qualify automatically as they are the biggest contributors to the competition. Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia are not participating for financial reasons and Russia was expelled from the competition last year.
Here is the running order for the Grand Final:
Eurovision 2023 finalists and running order
- Austria | Teya & Salena – Who the Hell Is Edgar?
- Portugal | Mimicat – Ai Coracao
- Switzerland | Remo Forrer – Water pistol
- Poland | Blanka-Solo
- Serbia | Luke Black – Samo Mi Se Spava
- France La Zarra – Evidemment
- Cyprus | Andrew Lambrou – Break a broken heart
- Spain: Blanca Paloma – Eaea
- Sweden | Loreen – tattoo
- Albania | Albina & Family Kelmendi – Duje
- Italy | Marco Mengoni – Due Vite
- Estonia | Alika – Bridges
- Finland | Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
- Czech Republic | Vesna – My sister’s crown
- Australia | Voyager – Promised
- Belgium | Gustaph – Because of you
- Armenia | Brunette – Future lover
- Moldova | Pasha Parfeni – Soarele and Luna
- Ukraine: TVORCHI – Heart of Steel
- Norway | Alessandra – Queen of Kings
- Germany Lord of the Lost – Blood & Glitter
- Lithuania | Monika Linkyte – Stay
- Israel | Noa Kirel – Unicorn
- Slovenia | Joker from – Carpe Diem
- Croatia | Late 3 – Mama ŠČ!
- United Kingdom: Mae Muller – I wrote a song
Who is the British entry for the Eurovision Song Contest?
This year Mae Muller represents the UK with I Wrote A Song, a cheerful pop song about a cheating ex. It is quite a stark contrast to last year, but full of fun and an ideal Eurovision song.
Muller has previously supported Little Mix and has worked with the likes of Aitch and Sigala.
Of course, she still has big strides to make, as last year’s entry from Sam Ryder, Space Man, received the highest judges vote, finishing second overall.
