With the United Kingdom confirmed as the host nation for Eurovision Song Contest 2023, speculation has begun about just which presenters will take the reins, next May…
One of the most important factors in a successful Eurovision Song Contest is the people hosting the contest. Though often stereotyped as jilted with broken English, when Eurovision hosts succeed, they take the whole atmosphere of the show to another level. A large part of the fact that Stockholm 2016 is still so popular is because of the sheer popularity of Petra Mede & Måns Zelmerlöw. Likewise, the same is true of Gothenburg 1985, where Lill Lindfors took hosting duties.
As a country who’s native language is English, the United Kingdom has a unique advantage for an effortless and natural hosting style, without some of the drawbacks usually present in Eurovision shows. Additionally, many presenters in the UK have much larger international recognition than most Eurovision host countries, so all of this could really help.
It’s widely expected that Graham Norton, the UK’s Eurovision Grand Final commentator (since 2009), will be at least one host of the contest. Norton has a huge international profile, is the most associated single person with Eurovision in the UK and he’s presented a number of Eurovision related shows in the past. Additionally, when Eurovision last came to the UK, in 1998, the then-commentator, Terry Wogan, took up hosting duties, alongside Ulrika Jonsson.
One of the Eurovision events that Norton has hosted was the Eurovision Dance Contest in both 2007 & 2008. He hosted the contests with Claudia Winkleman, a rising star, at the time, but as a major DJ on BBC Radio 2 & co-presenter of Strictly Come Dancing, Winkleman is now one of the most popular, and one of the highest paid, female presenters in the UK. She also presented Eurovision: Your Decision 2008, alongside Terry Wogan. A reunification between Norton & Winkleman for Eurovision 2023 seems very plausible.
Additionally, Huw Edwards, the primary presenter at BBC News, has thrown his hat into the ring, suggested he’d be extremely willing to host the contest, especially if it came to his home country of Wales. Edwards presents the BBC’s Election Results, so he’d certainly be able to lead the voting sequence with extraordinary professionalism. He’s one of, if not, the most popular newsreaders in the UK, appealing to viewers for his stern & authoritative persona, that can also be extremely warm and charming, if needed. He’d be an ideally suited candidate to lead Eurovision 2023.
However, obviously Eurovision 2023 is a unique contest, due to the fact that the United Kingdom are hosting it on Ukraine’s behalf. It has been widely suggested that this could be reflected in the presenters for the show. While some have suggested that the whole presenter line-up could be all Ukrainian, this is unlikely, as the BBC will likely want to have a recognised British personality, on the show, to some degree.
While Eurovision has had up to 4 presenters, most recently in 2021, British programmes, of this sort, usually don’t go above 2 hosts, so the most likely option could be 1 British host and Ukrainian host, probably a man & a woman.
The main name that has been talked about, as far as male Ukrainian hosts are concerned, is Timur Miroshnychenko, who co-presented Kyiv 2017. He was easily the most popular host, out of the Kyiv line-up, and has continued to be Ukraine’s Eurovision commentator since.
As far as Ukrainian female hosts have been concerned, not many names have been mentioned, but Jamala, who won in 2016, has been consistently talked about, as a possibility. She didn’t, however, express any interest in hosting in 2017, so it’s likely circumstances haven’t changed.
The most likely possibility, assuming Jamala doesn’t host, is that Timur Miroshnychenko hosts alongside Claudia Winkleman, to create a balanced male-female pairing, that is also equally British-Ukrainian.
An official announcement on the contests hosts can be expected, based on previous years, between October and January.
