UK to host Eurovision in 2023 - organizers

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - The United Kingdom will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 instead of Ukraine, the organizers said.

"The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC have confirmed that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom," the website of the contest said.

Ukraine will automatically qualify for the grand final of the competition along the Big Five, the countries which made the largest financial contribution towards the creation of the competition and are exempt from competing in the semi-finals, it said. The organizers also plan to add "Ukrainian elements" to the next year's shows.

The city hosting the contest will be determined later.

The organizers said earlier that it was decided that Ukraine would not host the contest due to the current situation in the country. The decision to move the contest was made "for security reasons." The United Kingdom was considered as a potential host.

Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian band performing the song Stefania, won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest held in Turin, Italy with 631 points. Sam Ryder from the UK, performing the song Space Man, came in second with 466 points. Russia was barred from the contest this year over the Ukraine situation.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been held since 1956. Australia has been competing in the contest since 2015.