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GENEVA (AP) — The organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest said Friday that it will start talks with the BBC on possibly holding next year’s event in the U.K. after concluding that it can’t be held in Ukraine. Kyiv said it disagreed with the decision and called for “additional negotiations.”
The event is traditionally staged by the previous year’s winner. Last month, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 contest, pushing Britain into the runner-up spot thanks to a surge of popular votes from viewers. The win buoyed Ukrainian spirits amid the Russian invasion.
Ukraine’s public broadcaster, UA:PBC, has staged the event twice before, in 2005 and 2017. The European Broadcasting Union said it had carried out “a full assessment and feasibility study” on the possibility of it doing so again.
It said the contest is one of the world’s most complex television productions and needs 12 months of preparation time.
The contest’s governing board “has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest” under the event’s rules cannot be fulfilled by the Ukrainian broadcaster, the EBU said in a statement.
It said it shares the broadcaster’s “sadness and disappointment that next year’s Contest cannot be held in Ukraine.”
“It is our full intention that Ukraine’s win will be reflected in next year’s shows,” the EBU said. “This will be a priority for us in our discussions with the eventual hosts.”
In a statement, Ukraine’s Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko, UA:PBC’s supervisory board chairman and the country’s three Eurovision winners to date pushed back against the decision, arguing that holding the contest in Ukraine would send a “strong signal” of support.
“We will demand to change this decision, because we believe that we will be able to fulfill all the commitments we have made,” the statement said. “That is why we demand additional negotiations on hosting Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine.”
The BBC said in a statement that “clearly these aren’t a set of circumstances that anyone would want,” but that after the EBU decision “we will of course discuss the BBC hosting the Eurovision Song Contest.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman, Jamie Davies, said “Ukraine’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest was richly deserved” and Britain had hoped to see next year’s event held in the winning country.
If that proved impossible, he said, “we would welcome the opportunity to work closely with Ukraine and the BBC to host it here in the U.K.”
He said Britain would ensure the event reflected “Ukraine’s rich culture, heritage and creativity.”
Rick Astley will take viewers on a reflective look back at his life and career when he appears alongside Dermot O’Leary in a new episode of Reel Stories, due to air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in February 2026.
The series, first broadcast in 2018, invites major music figures into a London cinema to revisit key moments from both their personal lives and professional paths. With his 60th birthday approaching next year, Astley becomes the latest musician to sit down with O’Leary for the thoughtful and personal conversation.
Looking back on taking part, Astley said: “I loved doing Reel Stories with Dermot O’Leary, what a treat to be taken back to the start and come right through to today. Dermot is the perfect companion to go on that rollercoaster of emotion, love and thanks, Rick x.”
O’Leary shared his own praise for the experience, saying: “What a pleasure to spend time with Rick and hear him talk so openly about his memories from over the decades. I’ve long been a fan of his… A true gent, wise soul and real talent. I hope that viewers enjoy this extended interview as much as I did.”
Rachel Davies, Commissioning Editor for BBC Pop Music TV, described the timing of the episode as ideal. She said: “Reel Stories is all about telling artists’ stories in a unique way… I’m thrilled that in February, Dermot will be joined by the one and only Rick Astley, celebrating Rick’s life and work as he reaches his 60th birthday.”
The programme follows Astley’s journey from his early work with the soul group FBI through to becoming an international pop star guided by Stock Aitken Waterman. He revisits his first appearance on Top of the Pops, speaks about the intense pressure that followed worldwide success when Never Gonna Give You Up reached number one in 25 countries, and reflects on his decision to step back from fame to focus on family.
Astley also talks about how his music found a new audience through the Rickrolling phenomenon, his return to recording after a 20 year break with encouragement from comedian Peter Kay, and his later career revival. This includes the success of his 2016 album 50 and his appearance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 2023.
As part of the themed evening, viewers will also be able to watch a repeat of Astley’s Glastonbury performance along with Stock Aitken Waterman at the BBC. The additional programme features classic moments from Astley as well as performances by Dead or Alive, Donna Summer, Bananarama, Mel and Kim, and Kylie and Jason Donovan.
Astley now joins a notable group of past Reel Stories guests that includes Dave Grohl, Jon Bon Jovi, Kylie, Noel Gallagher, Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams, Shania Twain, Rod Stewart, Sting, and Take That.
