To mark the anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE DAY), BBC ALBA is giving viewers an exclusive opportunity to unravel the story of A Bear named Wojtek with a special Gaelic broadcast of the award-winning animation.
Airing on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 8 May, this is the first opportunity for UK audiences outside of the film festival circuit to explore the true story of Wojtek the Bear.
The half hour animated film, dubbed in Gaelic with English subtitles, tells the epic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear who was adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, becoming a beacon of hope and an emblem of their fate.
The story begins with a platoon of Polish soldiers trading rations for a small orphaned Syrian bear cub that Piotr Prendys, a member of the 22nd Artillery Corps of the 2nd Polish Army, names Wojtek – ‘happy warrior’. To Piotr, the bear comes to represent his lost homeland, needing protection and care to become strong and independent again. To Wojtek, Piotr and the soldiers become his only family.
Tragically, the realpolitik of the war’s outcome ultimately force Piotr and Wojtek to become refugees in Scotland, with Wojtek confined in Edinburgh Zoo.
Directed by Scottish filmmaker Iain Gardner, and produced by Iain Harvey and Wlodzimierz Matuszewski, Mathan Leis an Ainm Wojtek / A Bear named Wojtek is a love story for one’s homeland; and an important subject in times of refugees, nationalism and xenophobia.
Producer Iain Harvey said: “This is an emotional story, not just because it is true – though the film makes no pretence of being a documentary – but through the extraordinary parallels of recent events: the Covid pandemic restricting movement, and then the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The agony of losing loved ones and the plight of refugees is symbolised by the history of Wojtek the Bear.
“Coupled with the beautiful artwork and the haunting music by Normand Roger, it is a film that will never lose its appeal.”
Piotr’s experience echoes that of many Polish people, who would become the biggest losers of the War as their land is bargained off to the Soviet Union. Despite feeling abandoned and betrayed, the Polish fortitude continues today via Wojtek: still a celebrated legend and symbol of hope.
Co-produced by Filmograf in Poland and The Illuminated Film Company in the UK, Mathan Leis an Ainm Wojtek / A Bear named Wojtek was financed by the Polish Film Institute, Screen Scotland, and the UK Government-supported BFI Young Audiences Content Fund.
Mathan Leis an Ainm Wojtek / A Bear named Wojtek will premiere on BBC ALBA and BBC
iPlayer on VE Day, Wednesday 8 May, at 7pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles). Watch live or on demand: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001z24r.
The Scottish Ambulance Service’s Special Operations Team (SORT) based in Edinburgh will appear on a new series of Paramedics on Scene, which airs on TV tonight (Sunday).
Isla Winnik, Ryan McLaughlin, Luke O’Hanlon, Leigh Law, Graeme Methven and Michael Slater will feature alongside SAS’s North Ambulance Control Centre (ACC), and Kilmarnock, Glasgow and Dalkeith emergency crews.
The episode features SORT attending to a man who has barricaded himself in his home and is throwing objects at the police officers, and paramedics are called out to two separate cases involving children – one who could be having a cardiac arrest, and another who has suffered a head injury while cycling.
Season Five of Paramedics on Scene is on BBC Scotland at 9am on Sunday and repeated at 8pm on Tuesday. It is also available on BBC iPlayer.
The evening marked the opening of The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television following renaming and opening of new campus
The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television(The SI; formerly the MGA Academy of Performing Arts) unveiled its brand new Livingston campus last night at a red-carpet launch event celebrating the renaming of the school and new facilities for its students.
The launch party, held at The SI’s new state of the art facilities in Livingston, Scotland, marks a pivotal rebrand for the school with a name change, a new campus and new management from Ireland’s Silver Rock Studios.
The university is also now expanding its reach to international students for the first time as well as continuing to boost local Scottish talent, positioning Scotland as the go-to destination for success in the creative industries.
All guests, staff, and students were treated to an evening of performances, art installations, and a special performance of Dougie MacLean’s famous Caledonia from the school’s current students.
Alumni from The MGA Academy of Performing Arts, now known as The Scottish Institute, have gone on to success in film and television including playing leading roles in BBC’s Gossip Girl and major West End shows such as The Book of Mormon, Wicked and Six!.
Under its new management from Ireland’s Silver Rock Studios, and with new President and CEO Andy Egan, future students will be guaranteed credits as part of their degree, as part of The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television’s plans to foster the stars of tomorrow.
Meet the contestants of Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included)
Get ready for an electrifying DIY showdown this spring as amateur Scottish duos go head-to-head in a brand new TV challenge series,Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included).
Airing each Monday at 8.30pm from 6 May, the five-part BBC ALBA original series will follow six pairs – made up of married couples, family members and friends – as they compete for a £2,000 cash prize and the ‘Dùbhlain DIY champions’ title.
Inspiring the nation to ‘do it yourself’ in the name of sustainability, the innovative format will see rookie pairs battle it out in a series of home renovation tasks – with a twist. Without any instructions, demonstrations or even guidelines to follow, the couples will need to bring their differing strengths and creative talents to the competition to see who measures up.
Some may shine while others fall flat as they face a variety of themed challenges, but everything is to play for with one couple being eliminated each week, putting their skills – and relationships – to the test.
Hailing from across Scotland, the Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included) contestants include:
Isle of Lewis and BBC Radio Nan Gàidheal pals, actor Marisa MacDonald and An Lot crofter Donald “Sweeny” MacSween;
Hebridean siblings, solicitor Isabel Macleod (from Carloway, now based in Stornoway) and Royal National Mòd ‘Traditional’ gold medallist, Tormod Macleod (from Carloway);
Lewis-based spouses, wife and mum-of-four Marie Duke (originally from Skye) and her film editor husband Paul (originally from Newtonmore);
Glasgow-based friends, singer Josie Duncan (from Laxdale) and artist and content creator Choirstaidh Iona McArthur (from Greenock);
Retired twin sisters from the Isle of Lewis, Donna Barden and Mina Nicolson; and
South Uist cousins studying in Glasgow, Alasdair Campbell and Calum MacMillan (raised in Bornais)
From basic flat pack furniture to their own creations made out of recycled materials, their imagination will be allowed to run riot, before being tempered by materials, time constraints and often, their own abilities.
Dùbhlain DIY competitor, Tormod Macleod said: “I do occasionally try my hand at DIY. I have built flatpacks like everyone else and have built a couple of basic raised beds for my garden.
“I do try to fix things when needed as well but I’m certainly not a professional.”
Hoping to learn a few things along the way, his solicitor sister Isabel Macleod added: “I learnt a lot from my dad – he was a fisherman, joiner and builder and could turn his hand to anything.
“I would often spend time helping him make and repair things but wish I’d learnt more! I always attempt to fix things around the house as I don’t like how wasteful society is. Not sure if I’m very good at some tasks but it’s always worth a try!”
Hosted by TV and radio presenter Derek “Pluto” Murray, alongside main judge musician Iain “Spanish” MacKay – a skilled joiner by trade – the Gaelic duo ensure there will be plenty of laughs along the way.
Enlisting the help of an expert guest judge each week, viewers can join in with the excitement and exasperation as the couples vie for the title, with a display of improvisation at its best.
Presenter Derek “Pluto” Murray said: “Get ready for the ultimate test of creativity, ingenuity, and skill with our new DIY competition, pitching challenges with the twist of “instructions not included” – as if flat pack furniture building wasn’t stressful enough!
“Although the competitors lack in instructions, they excel in enthusiasm and craic!”
Judge Iain “Spanish” MacKay added: “It’s a celebration of the country’s DIY culture – whether an amateur enthusiast or someone who has had to pick up a hammer out of necessity, Dùbhlain DIY will give the viewers something they can relate to, even if it’s just seeing the sheer frustration of attempting even the most basic of DIY tasks.
“While offering feel-good escapism, we hope it’ll inspire those at home to get out there and start a new project of their own.”
But which couple can prove to the nation that they have what it takes to be the first ever ‘Dùbhlain DIY champions’ and still remain friends?
A joint project between Demus and Seaglass Productions, Dùbhlain DIY (Instructions Not Included) premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayeron Monday 6 Mayat 8.30pm (in Gaelic with English subtitles), with weekly episodes available every Monday evening. Watch live or on demand.
New and improved tax credit system for film, TV and video game production companies starts from today
An extra £42,500 in relief for children’s TV, animated TV and animated film production
£5,000 in relief for high-end TV, film or video game production
British film, TV and video game producers will benefit from new, more generous tax credits that start today (1 January 2024).
To maximise the potential of the UK’s cutting-edge production industry and help incubate unique British talent, the government’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit and the Video Games Expenditure Credit replace the previous tax reliefs for film, TV and video games.
All companies will receive more tax relief than they did under the previous system, greater flexibility over production decisions and greater clarity about the amount of credit companies can expect to receive.
Nigel Huddleston, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “We are backing the makers of the next Barbie, Happy Valley and Grand Theft Auto with this new, more generous, tax credit system for British production talent.
“The UK is a world leader in creativity, and we want to ensure that continues well into the future by making it easier for British film, TV and video games to thrive.”
Under the new system, a children’s TV production, animated TV production or film with £1 million of qualifying expenditure will receive an additional £42,500 in relief. A high-end TV production, film production or video game will receive £5,000 in relief. To ensure fairness, the uplift in relief for animation will be extended to include animated films as well as TV programmes.
The credits will be calculated directly from a production or game’s qualifying expenditure, instead of being an adjustment to the company’s taxable profit.
Animation and children’s TV productions will be eligible for a higher credit rate of 39%, a rate increase of 5.5% under the previous reliefs. The 34% credit rate for film, high end TV and video games is roughly equivalent to a rate increase of 0.5% under the previous tax reliefs.
The new system applies to the whole of the UK.
The government has listened to feedback from industry that companies will need sufficient time to adapt to the new expenditure credits. For this reason, productions and games in development on 1 April 2025 may continue to use the previous tax reliefs until they end on until 1 April 2027.
The move to reform tax relief for entertainment productions and video games was announced at the Spring Budget in March 2023. The system implemented today was developed hand in glove with the UK entertainment industry, with consultations on both the policy itself and the draft legislation. It is being legislated as part of the Finance Bill 2023-24.
The UK’s creative industry is already worth £126bn and the UK has the largest video game employee base in Europe, at nearly 21,000 by the last estimate.
Today’s new tax credit system is the latest move by UK Government in support for British creative industries. The Chancellor also announced that full-expensing will be made permanent in 2023’s Autumn Statement, helping creative businesses invest for the less by saving them 25p in every £1 they spend on qualifying equipment and machinery.
At Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor also extended the rates of relief for theatre, orchestra and museums for two additional years to April 2025.
In September last year, coinciding with a visit by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, it was announced that the production giant would expand their studio in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, in 2024. The move is expected to create 4,000 new jobs in the UK and contribute more than £200m to the UK economy.
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland is set to become the one of the most watched cycling events ever, with broadcast figures from the first four days of action showing record numbers of viewers are tuning in at home and abroad.
In the first four days, more than two million viewers in the UK alone watched the action unfold live on the BBC with more than one million watching Austrian Valentina Höll and Great Britain’s Charlie Hatton become the Women’s and Men’s Elite Mountain Bike Downhill UCI World Champions in the stunning surroundings of Fort William.
A further peak of 800,000 viewers tuned into the dramatic men’s road race on Sunday 6 August, as Mathieu Van der Poel clinched the rainbow jersey, in front of a further 300,000 people who lined the route between Edinburgh and Glasgow and during the 10 laps of Glasgow’s tough city circuit.
With an average of 600,000 viewers, it was the highest UK television audience for a UCI World Championship Men Elite road race in recent years: an average of 350,000 viewers in 2020 (in Imola, Italy), 220,000 viewers in 2021 (in Flanders, Belgium) and 188,000 last year (in Wollongong, Australia).
The Track and Para-cycling Track competitions, held jointly for the first time, had an average of 500,000 viewers tuning in to watch the competition at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome.
The total number of spectators to watch the cycling in person now exceeds more than 500,000, whether it’s witnessing the action on Scottish roads, at the BMX Freestyle Park at Glasgow Green, the Mountain Bike Downhill in Fort William, the Mountain Bike Cross-country Marathon in Glentress or Track and Para-cycling Track at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, while millions more have tuned into the action from overseas.
The statistics on 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships official social media reflect the interest worldwide, with a reach of 4.6 million and more than 193,000 engagements with people liking, sharing and commenting on posts in the first four days of the event across the first four days. The 2023 UCI Cycling World Champs website has also had 400,000 unique users since the start of the event, with the schedule page being the most popular.
The numbers will no doubt be boosted by what is set to become a record-breaking women’s road race on Sunday, with thousands of fans expected to create a wall of noise around Glasgow once again, as the world’s leading female cyclists have the honour of closing the biggest event in the history of the sport.
Paul Bush OBE, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Chair, said: “After the many months and years of planning, it really has been special to see the number of fans making their way to the roadside, or into venues to watch the world’s best cyclists compete across all disciplines.
“The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase to a global audience the stunning landscape and iconic locations Scotland has on offer across the length and breadth of the country.
“I want to say thank you to all our host regions for their contribution to shaping the goodwill and positive atmosphere across all our venues, but I also want to pay tribute to the incredible number of local fans who are showing the world why Scotland is the perfect stage for major events.
“I hope the crowds keep coming along in person and tuning into the excellent coverage being provided by the BBC, especially as we head into a huge occasion on Sunday as the women road racers compete to give these UCI Cycling World Championships the finale they deserve.”
UCI President David Lappartientsaid: “I have been visiting different competition venues since the beginning of the UCI Cycling World Championships so have experienced first-hand the fervor of on-site spectators.
“The television viewing figures from the first four days of competition demonstrate that the same passion and excitement are shared by cycling fans who cannot be present but are able to witness the action thanks to the event’s record television coverage. It is far from over, and I am convinced that the remaining competitions will be every bit as popular.”
LS Productions – a global production company that started life on a kitchen table by a former air stewardess – is officially recognised as one of the UK’s fastest growing private companies
Set up in Edinburgh by Marie Owen – with 3 kids under the age of 5 – the company has gone from strength to strength being named on two prestigious lists of fastest growing UK private companies
LS Productions was Grammy-nominated for its work on its second Harry Styles music video (‘Adore You’) and works with high profile celebrities including Zendaya, Ed Sheeran and Cristiano Ronaldo
With ambition to become a £40 million turnover business in the next two years, the company provides production services to clients for commercials, fashion, sport, music videos and film and TV projects working across the globe.
LS Productions – whose headquarters are in Leith – is celebrating appearances on The Sunday Times 100 and FEBE Growth 100 lists – which recognise the UK’s fastest growing private companies.
Both lists celebrate British business at its best – highlighting founders that are driving their companies to deliver significant sales, revenue and profit, against a backdrop of unprecedented economic challenges.
With their headquarters in Edinburgh, LS Productions are the UK’s largest production service company with additional offices in London and Manchester.
LS’s recent growth is down in part to the expansion of their services into the international film & TV sectors, taking on global TV and film production service projects over the last 18 months, with recent projects including Ghosted (Skydance / Apple TV),episodes of the Bachelor (NZK Productions / Warner Bros Entertainment / ABC) and a Kind of Spark (CBBC / BYUtv America).
As part of this growth they have also added a warm water production and location facility in Malta to further bolster their international offering.
In conjunction with this expansion, the LS growth can also be directly attributed to a commitment to invest in and recruit talent in the LS’s core production specialisms, including commercials, fashion, music and sport.
Mimi Webb, Aviemore, Scotland, 5th April 2023
The diversification of these business streams was a deliberate move to weather the storm faced by the production industry in a post Covid landscape.
Across this period LS has worked on a succession of high profile service production projects ranging from Ed Sheeran’s latest album Subtract (Freenjoy / Directed by Mia Barnes), Harry Styles ‘Adore You (Freenjoy / Directed by Dave Meyers), Valentino’s Pink Dreams starring Zendaya (Marcell Rev / Michael Bailey Gates) and ‘You’re Up’ featuring Cristiano Ronaldo for Nike (Wieden & Kennedy/ Directed by Megaforce).
Not only this but Covid also provided cause for reflection about where the business saw itself creatively in the long term and how they could look to continue to stay true to their values of being ‘creative at heart’ which drove further diversification with the arrival of an original content arm in the form of LS Films.
Thanks to this successful business strategy, LS has seen a two year growth of 273% and boasts sales of £20 million.
Speaking about the recognition, CEO and Founder Marie Owen – who has lived in Edinburgh her whole life, said: “I’m beyond thrilled to see LS Productions name appear on such prestigious lists, in fact I can’t quite believe it!
“If you could have told me that we’d be appearing on lists like these when I started the business back in 2006 from my kitchen table I’d probably have laughed and said ‘are you joking’! I
“t’s such a fantastic achievement and so rewarding to see all the incredible hard work and dedication that myself and the team have put in to get recognised.
“Both in terms of growing a world-class global production company, but also a business that people genuinely love working for that is firmly rooted in the values of kindness, hard work and learning.”
Marie continued: “”Post Covid we had to completely re-evaluate where we wanted to go – not just professionally but personally. So we went, quite literally back to our roots – which meant investing heavily in specialised expertise to develop focused business streams; Fashion, Sport, Commercial, Music Videos, Film & TV Service and an original content division called LS Films.
“This robust diversification gives LS a solid foundation in an industry that is notorious for huge highs and steep lows because we’re not overly dependent on one particular stream and it also allows us to explore our creative passion with LS Films.”
Countdown is the most popular UK game show with 996,000 annual searches
The Chase comes in second place, with 840,000 searches per year
The UK’s most popular game show gets almost one million searches each year, new research has revealed.
The study, commissioned by gaming experts Mahjong Challenge analysed the average number of yearly Google searches for more than 60 game shows on UK TV to reveal the top 10.
The most popular UK game show is ‘Countdown’ with more than 996,000 annual searches. The words and numbers quiz challenge was the first program to be aired on Channel Four back in 1982, and 40 years later holds the top spot in UK Google searches.
ITV’s ‘The Chase’, presented by Bradley Walsh, is the second most popular game show with 840,000 searches per year – twice the average of the top ten game shows.
The show sees contestants battle against a professional quizzer in an effort to win a cash prize, with individuals walking away with as much as £75,000!
‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ takes third place with 456,000 annual searches. The show, originally hosted by Chris Tarrant and later by Jeremy Clarkson, first aired in the UK in 1998 but has since aired in more than 120 countries in more than 80 languages, making it one of the most successful game shows on TV. As such, it is not surprising to see it in the top 10 most searched for UK game shows.
With 360,000 searches per year, ‘Catchphrase’ sits in the fourth position. The show first aired in 1986 and is currently presented by Steven Mulhern. Contestants try to guess the correct catchphrase with the help of a photo or animation.
The fifth most popular UK game show is ITV’s quiz program ‘Tenable’ hosted by Warwick Davis, where contestants try to find the top ten answers in a given category. Next is BBC’s ‘Mastermind’, which sees players answer challenging questions to collect the most points. In seventh place is ‘Blankety Blank’, a comedy game show where contestants try to match the answers of a celebrity panel guessing the missing word in a statement. All three game shows have more than 300,000 searches per year.
Rank
UK Game Show
Monthly Search Volume
Yearly Search Volume
1
Countdown
83,000
996,000
2
The Chase
70,000
840,000
3
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
38,000
456,000
4
Catchphrase
30,000
360,000
5
Tenable
28,000
336,000
6
Mastermind
26,000
312,000
7
Blankety Blank
25,000
300,000
8
Tipping Point
22,000
264,000
9
Crystal Maze
21,000
252,000
10
Question of Sport
21,000
252,000
A spokesperson for Mahjong Challenge commented on the study: “Game shows have been a staple in many homes across the UK since the 1950s and some of the most successful game shows on TV originated here in Britain.
“It will be interesting to see how the popularity changes over the coming years though, since 75% of Countdown viewers are in the 55 plus age range, whereas The Chase has a wider target audience.
“Game shows face more competition than ever before to capture the attention of younger audiences, since they are used to having access to endless entertainment at the touch of a button through services such as Netflix and Prime Video.”
If you’ve ever wondered what really happens in an airline beyond take-offs and landings, a new ten-part BBC series launching next Monday will offer an exclusive insight into the lives of the younger members of the team at Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline.
Loganair provided all-areas access to camera crews from Mentorn Scotland over several months – filming from as far afield as Shetland and the Outer Hebrides to London Heathrow, as 11 of the airline’s team, ranging from Captain to Aircraft Engineer, balanced their personal lives with the busiest summer at work they’ve faced to date.
It’s far reaching, with the UK’s first commercial pilot living with HIV attempting to update aviation legislation to achieve his dream, while one cabin crew member seeks advice from her best friend as she strives to become a pilot.
The show also follows the UK’s youngest captain from Edinburgh as he juggles life in the air with his love of street performing and his long-distance relationship in Shetland, and an engineer who faces her biggest challenge yet as she converts a plane into an air ambulance in time for a patient to be transported the following morning.
The series also captures the close friendships of those at Loganair as it shows best mates from Manchester and Mauritius settling into their new lives as pilots in Aberdeen, and a special family moment as one pilot surprises his mum with a flight to an island to thank her for her support throughout his career – the first time she’s ever been on a commercial flight with her son flying the plane.
The first episode of Sky High Club lines up for take-off on BBC Scotland at 22:00 on Monday 15 August, with a second instalment on Thursday 18 August. BBC Three launches the series nationally from 20:00 on Thursday 18 August with two back-to-back episodes.
A “series drop” of the entire ten episodes will be available through the BBC iPlayer from Monday 15 August.
Jonathan Hinkles, CEO of Loganair, said: “We are all incredibly proud of those who participated in Sky High Club and everyone in the wider team who made it possible.
“During a busy summer, when the entire aviation industry was faced with changing covid restrictions and huge challenges, it was a daunting prospect to invite a TV crew behind the scenes of our airline. For this to work in the best possible way, we gave the camera crews full access to behind-the-scenes life at Loganair, and I’m truly grateful to the stars of the show for volunteering to share their personal and truly inspiring stories as part of the journey.
“It is our hope that it provides fantastic encouragement and insight for those contemplating a career in aviation – whether in the air or on the ground – and that we are able to continue welcoming a diverse range of new recruits into the Loganair family.”
Sky High Club, produced by Mentorn Scotland, is the result of a commission from a creative partnership of BBC Three, BBC Scotland and Screen Scotland.
The scheme invited local Scottish Independent production companies to pitch innovative, factual entertainment format ideas that reflect the life experiences young people, with the promise of a guaranteed series commission.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC have confirmed that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC.
BBC to take on hosting duties with Contest to be held in United Kingdom in 2023
Logo reflecting unique circumstances of staging to be revealed later
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC are pleased to confirm that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC.
Following the decision that, regrettably, next year’s event could not be held in Ukraine for safety and security reasons the EBU explored a number of options with the winning broadcaster.
As a result of discussions, the BBC, as runner up in the 2022 Contest, was invited by the EBU to act as Host Broadcaster for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.
“We’re exceptionally grateful that the BBC has accepted to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023,” said Martin Österdahl, the Eurovision Song Contest’s Executive Supervisor.
“The BBC has taken on hosting duties for other winning countries on four previous occasions. Continuing in this tradition of solidarity, we know that next year’s Contest will showcase the creativity and skill of one of Europe’s most experienced public broadcasters whilst ensuring this year’s winners, Ukraine, are celebrated and represented throughout the event.”
Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC, added: “The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be in Ukraine but in support of Ukraine. We are grateful to our BBC partners for showing solidarity with us.
“I am confident that together we will be able to add Ukrainian spirit to this event and once again unite the whole of Europe around our common values of peace, support, celebrating diversity and talent.”
Representatives from UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop and implement the Ukrainian elements of next year’s shows. Ukraine, as the winning country of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, will also automatically qualify to the Grand Final of the upcoming Contest.
Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC said: “It is a matter of great regret that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine are not able to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Being asked to host the largest and most complex music competition in the world is a great privilege.
“The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture alongside showcasing the diversity of British music and creativity. The BBC will now begin the process to find a Host City to partner with us on delivering one of the most exciting events to come to the UK in 2023.”
The BBC has staged the Eurovision Song Contest more times than any other broadcaster, hosting in London in 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1977, Edinburgh in 1972, Brighton in 1974, Harrogate in 1982 and Birmingham in 1998.
Next year’s Host City will be chosen in the coming months following a bidding process to be launched this week. The dates for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be announced in due course.
The logo for the 2023 event will also be revealed later and will reflect the unique staging of next year’s Contest and the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.
The Eurovision Song Contest is the world’s largest live music event, organised annually since 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which represents public service media in 56 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The 2022 competition reached over 180 million viewers on TV and digital platforms.
Ukraine, as the winning country in 2022, will automatically qualify for the Grand Final of the upcoming Contest along with the so-called ‘Big 5’ (those countries that financially contribute the most towards the Contest: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom).
Kalush Orchestra on stage having won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 – EBU / Corinne Cumming
Representatives of UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop and implement the Ukrainian elements of next year’s shows.
The logo for the 2023 event will also be revealed later and will reflect the unique staging of next year’s Contest and the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.
Search for Host City begins
Next year’s Host City will be chosen in the coming months following a bidding process to be launched this week.
Bidding is expected to be competitive, with several mayors, councillors and MPs already informally expressing an intention to bid, including representatives from: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Swindon and Wolverhampton.
Not all of these locations will formally apply, and the BBC and the EBU will await official approaches and applications from this week onwards, publishing the long-list later in the Summer.
As well as selling their vision for a fantastic Contest, potential Host Cities are expected to demonstrate that they can meet a list of expectations.
Last year, the EBU’s Host City criteria was based on providing a venue able to accommodate at least 10,000 spectators (as well as a press centre), that should be within easy reach of an international airport and with ample hotel accommodation.
