The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is due to take place this week and excitement - particularly here in the north - is at an all-time high.
The Grand Final will take place on Sunday, May 13 at 8pm and will be broadcast live on both BBC One and BBC iPlayer. For the first time in 25 years, the contest is going to be held right here in the UK.
Last year’s winners Ukraine would have traditionally hosted this year’s event but the ongoing Russian invasion resulted in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) deciding it was not a 'viable option' for the country to host the contest. READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community With the UK's Sam Ryder coming second at last year's event, the broadcaster decided we would be the best fit.
Following a tight bidding process with the likes of Glasgow and Manchester, Liverpool was selected as the Host City for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.