Crank it up to douze! It’s your ultimate guide to Eurovision 2023
It’s the most exciting, unpredictable, surreal night of television. And this year, it’s taking place in the UK. Let this be your guide for the acts to watch out for, the weirdest lyrics and a bluffer’s guide to the scoring. Now if you will excuse me … ahem … let the Eurovision song contest begin!
How we got here
Last year’s winners were Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra with the song Stefania. It dominated the public vote, receiving a record 439 points (that’s the maximum 12 points from nearly every other country) and 631 points in total. Traditionally, the winner hosts Eurovision the following year, but the ongoing war in Ukraine made that impossible. So as the UK’s Sam Ryder came second (with Space Maaaaaaaaan), the BBC offered to host.
Although the event is in Liverpool, this is very much a show for Ukraine. Kalush Orchestra will open the grand final, followed is the stuff of Eurovision legend).
