ORGANISERS of the Eurovision Song Contest have entered into talks with the BBC after concluding it cannot be held in Ukraine - so could the event make a long-awaited return to Brighton?
Ukraine won the competition last month in Turin, Italy, with rules stipulating that the winning country hosts the event the following year.
However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said that the “security and operational” guarantees to host the event cannot be fulfilled by Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC.
If the UK does host the competition next year, it would be the ninth time it has taken place here - more than any other country.
The contest came to Brighton in 1974, after Luxembourg declined to host. Held at the Brighton Dome, Abba took home the title with the song Waterloo in their European television debut.
After the band’s win, the Swedish quartet reportedly spent the evening in the first-floor Napoleon suite of The Grand Hotel in Kings Road.
The win catapulted the band to international success, going on to become one of the biggest-selling artists of all time, with hit songs including Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Thank You for the Music.
The UK entry in 1974, sung by Olivia Newton-John, finished in fourth place with her song Long Live Love.
A blue plaque was placed outside the Brighton Dome in 2017 to commemorate the event and Abba’s win.
However, with thousands of Eurovision fans from across the continent and beyond expected to attend, it is unlikely that the contest will return to the city.
Despite this, the Brighton Dome still hosts big gigs to this day, with acts including Beyonce, Rag N’ Bone Man and Stormzy performing at the venue.
A total of 19 countries have so far confirmed their participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, including Greece, San Marino, Ukraine and Sweden.
Australia is also likely to return to the competition once again, despite not being in Europe, after being given an invitation to participate until at least 2023.
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