Eurovision 2023 - BBC

[natashajacobs]

I am not the BBC will end up hosting. I am not sure the Ukrainians will accept not hosting and the BBC will be very reluctant unless they have the backing of the Ukrainians.

And even then will BBC News want the BBC to host as Russia will surely retaliate by expelling the remains BBC news personal inside Russia.

As you've said several times but you clearly are not grasping the reality of the situation.   It is not Ukraine's contest to hold - they have not met the requirements for the EBU to proceed with them winning for very obvious reasons.    

As for BBC News in Russia - that's not a factor at all.   Dozens, if not hundreds, of journalists and broadcasting personnel have already been blacklisted.   You don't cower in fear to an enemy like Russia and you don't refuse to host events just incase it upsets a dictator waging an unjust and illegal war.    The UK have already done things politically and in military terms which will upset Putin far more than hosting the Eurovision Song Contest ever will.

Have to be careful when prodding a bear with a stick though. Putin is clearly very dangerous, nobody quite knows what he is capable of, and the show of unity of the ESC in Ukraine would only fire him up more. Maybe one solution could be satellite hosting; everyone else in UK?