Liverpool is preparing to host the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2023.
The event, which is being held at the Liverpool Arena, sees the show return to the UK for the first time in 25 years, after Sam Ryder came second to Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra at the 2022 Song Contest.
The BBC will work in partnership with Ukraine’s state broadcaster Suspilne to ensure Ukraine are celebrated and represented throughout the event.
In previous years the broadcaster filmed the entry selection process – in a televised contest known as You Choose – however, in 2020 it was decided the nomination selection would return to an internal process with a private panel.
It has been confirmed that this year the BBC will collaborate with global management company TaP Music (as they did last year) in order to select this years’ entry for the UK.
Rachel Ashdown, Commissioning Editor for the BBC says: “We are thrilled that Ben Mawson and Ed Millett plus the team at TaP will once again bring their unrivalled expertise to work with the BBC and BBC Studios to find an act and song to represent the UK at Eurovision.
“I hope we can find another artist who will not only be a brilliant ambassador for Eurovision but like Sam will sing their head off with a stand out song.”
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When will the UK entry for Eurovision be selected?
The BBC has not confirmed an exact date for when the UK entry will be released.
However, last year’s song “Space Man” performed by Sam Ryder was revealed as the UK entry on 10 March.
The Song Contest is roughly the same time in May this year, so it is reasonable to assume that the 2023 entry could be confirmed in March again.
Who could the UK Eurovision entry be?
The selection process has remained hush-hush, however Eurovision fans have understandably been speculating as to the UK singer’s identity.
Rina Sawayama seems to be the most popular prediction so far.
The 32-year-old pop singer, songwriter, actress and model was born in Niigata, Japan and came to London with her parents when she was five years old.
She released her debut studio album, Sawayama, in 2020, her second album, Hold the Girl, came out last September.
People began to speculate that Sawayama would be entering for the UK after the singer filmed a TikTok of herself dancing to the Eurovision 2012 winning song “Euphoria”, by Swedish singer Loreen.
Speculation grew further after fans noticed a large gap in her tour that coincides with the song contest.
