Liverpool will be hosting the big Eurovision final this year.
There’s just one more week before the Eurovision shenanigans begin in Liverpool and acts from all over the world descend on the city’s arena.
With the BBC covering the international event throughout the week, this year’s contest will kick off with Tuesday and Thursday’s semi-finals as 31 acts compete for a place in Saturday’s final.
Meanwhile, the Big Four countries and Ukraine’s entry will be fast-tracked to the final, including UK entry Mae Muller who’ll be performing her track I Wrote a Song, and is currently tipped by the bookies to break the top 10.
Hosting the live events will be Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham amongst others, while Graham Norton is on commentating duty, but when will the big final take place and how can you watch it? Read on to find out.
When is the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final?
The Eurovision Song Contest’s 2023 Grand Final will take place on Saturday 13th May.
The final will be held at the Liverpool Arena, with 26 acts performing on the night in the hopes of becoming the 2023 Eurovision champion.
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 finalists
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While the two semi-finals (Tuesday 9th May and Thursday 11th May) will determine which acts make it through to the Grand Final, there are six acts who are automatically fast-tracked to the final: The Big Four and last year’s winner.
They are as following:
- France – La Zarra performing ‘Évidemment’
- Germany – Lord of the Lost performing ‘Blood & Glitter’
- Italy – Marco Mengoni performing ‘Due Vite’
- Spain – Blanca Paloma performing ‘Eaea’
- United Kingdom – Mae Muller performing ‘I Wrote a Song’
- Ukraine – TVORCHI performing ‘Heart of Steel’
How to watch the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 8pm on Saturday 13th May.
The show will be broadcast live, with BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds also airing the final – and Rylan and Scott Mills are on commentary duty.
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final presenters
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Hosting the Eurovision final this year will be Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, Britain’s Got Talent’s Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer-songwriter Julia Sanina.
Meanwhile, Graham Norton will be popping up both on screen and in the commentary box, with the broadcaster providing his iconic voiceover to the proceedings, taking turns with former Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc.
How to vote in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final
You’ll be able to cast your vote in the Eurovision final once all of the competing acts have performed on the night.
Voting will take place by telephone only and UK-based callers cannot vote for the UK act. For the first time in Eurovision history, after the jury votes the tele-voting points will be combined, providing one score for each song.
You can find out more about the voting terms and conditions on the BBC’s Voting page.
Who is performing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 final?
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Taking to the stage at the Eurovision final will be last year’s winners Kalush Orchestra, who’ll be opening the ceremony with their performance, ‘Voices of a Generation.’
There will also be a Eurovision Flag Parade of all 26 Grand Finalists, featuring past Ukrainian Eurovision contestants from GO_A and Jamala to Tina Karol and Verka Serducha.
Performing in the first interval will be last year’s runner-up, the UK’s Sam Ryder, while the final interval act will be The Liverpool Songbook – a celebration of the host city’s contribution to pop music. Israel’s Netta, Italy’s Mahmood, Iceland’s Daði Freyr, Duncan Laurence from the Netherlands, Sweden’s Cornelia Jakobs and Liverpool’s very own Sonia will be putting on a show.
The Eurovision Song Contest will begin on Tuesday 9th May 2023. Listen to all of last year’s Eurovision songs on TIDAL, while the full album of tracks is available on CD and vinyl now.
You can also check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision here. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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