Eurovision 2023: Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham to be among presenting trio with Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina

The BBC has revealed the hosts for this year's Eurovision song contest, which will feature an Emmy-winning comedic actor. With Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham will host the semi-finals and the championship as part of the presenting trio. Graham Norton will be with them for the main event.

Waddingham declared, "There's something truly wonderful about Eurovision. This year, maybe more than ever, it is a wonderful honour to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, a nation that has borne itself with such strength and solidarity. It is one of the best music festivals in the world. It is a big honour for me to compete in Eurovision this year more than any other.

Norton will be accompanied by a co-commentator for the first time since Waddingham, Dixon, and Sanina will be splitting the presenting responsibilities with him for the main event. Voiceover responsibilities will be taken care of by Mel Giedroyc, who has previously worked on the BBC's semi-final coverage.


Along with introducing the world to the grand final, Norton said that "I just couldn't pass up the chance to step back into the commentary box for those watching in the UK."

Since I was knee-high to Lulu, I've been a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, and come May, everyone will be in for a fantastic treat, said Giedroyc. I'm excited to take one of the finest seats in the house and convey Mr. Norton's humour to viewers in the UK who will be watching their Eurovision celebrations.



The BBC estimates that 160 million people will watch the Eurovision song contest worldwide. Due to Russia's invasion, the UK is hosting the song contest in place of Ukraine, with the BBC filling in for Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC. According to them, holding the competition will cost between £8 million and £17 million.

Sanina, a musician from Ukraine, will address her role as a presenter on Wednesday's One Show. She serves as a judge on the Ukrainian edition of The X-Factor, and in 2016, her band, the Hardkiss, competed in the Eurovision song contest's national selection and finished in second place overall.

She is one of three female artists that make up this year's Eurovision presenting team. Dixon, a member of the top-charting band Mis-Teeq, has seven straight Top 10 hits to her credit. The Wizard of Oz, Into the Woods, Kiss Me Kate, and Space Family Robinson are just a few of the Broadway and West End musicals in which Waddingham has appeared and for which he has received three Olivier Award nominations.

Tickets for the 13 May Eurovision final and nine other events, including rehearsals, will go on sale in the near future. In the upcoming weeks, more specifics on their debut date are anticipated.

FAQs:

1. Who is presenting Eurovision 2023?
   Graham Norton and Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham
2. Which country has lost Eurovision the most?
   Norway