Graham Norton to announce host city of Eurovision 2023 this evening

Graham Norton will reveal the Eurovision host city (Matt Crossick/PA)

Graham Norton will reveal the host city of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest during BBC’s The One Show this evening.

Liverpool and Glasgow are the two British cities which remain in the running to host the music event next year in place of Ukraine.

Eurovision veteran Norton will also announce the date of the grand finale.

There are two cities left in the race to host Eurovision 2023, the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, on behalf of Ukraine — Glasgow and Liverpool.

The final two cities battling it out were revealed last month following a seven-strong shortlist which also included Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and Manchester.

Following the announcement of the final two, further discussions were due to take place with officials from Glasgow and Liverpool, with the final decision a matter for the BBC in conjunction with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra triumphed at the 2022 competition in Turin, Italy, but the EBU, which produces the annual event, decided the show cannot be safely held in the country following Russia’s invasion.

It was later decided that Britain would host the 67th Eurovision Song Contest as Sam Ryder came second in the competition.

This will be the ninth time Britain will have hosted the competition — more than any other country.

In August, a list narrowed down from 20 British cities that initially submitted an “expression of interest” was released by the BBC, with applicants across all four regions demonstrating how they would reflect Ukrainian culture, music and communities.

Of the seven cities named in August, six were in England, one in Scotland, with Belfast failing to make the cut for Northern Ireland.

Requirements included “a suitable venue and sufficient space to deliver the requirements of the Song Contest”, necessary commitment to the contest including a financial contribution, and “alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities as a public service broadcaster”.

Liverpool, which has been a Unesco City of Music since 2015, is synonymous with The Beatles and has a rich music heritage.

In June, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said: “Culture is synonymous with Liverpool and we tick all the boxes to be next year’s host – great venues, enviable experience, a world-renowned music heritage, Unesco City of Music status and of course the warm Scouse welcome that just can’t be beaten.”

In 2008 Liverpool hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards and it is also home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also previously voiced her support for Glasgow as the home of the contest in June, with the OVO Hydro arena, which features in the Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga, in the city previously rumoured to be a favourite location to host the contest for Britain.

Scottish singer Lulu represented Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969, with song 'Boom Bang-A-Bang'. She was the joint winner that year as she shared the prize with France, Netherlands and Spain with 18 points apiece.