Eurovision 2023 set to get underway
So, it’s Eurovision tonight, and the UK is hosting the event for the first time since 1998, when Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena welcomed 24 nations from across Europe.
On that occasion, the luxury was awarded thanks to winning act Kartina and The Waves the year before. This time, unfortunately, the ongoing Ukraine war meant a shift in location, with the UK put forward due to finishing runner-up last time.
There have been some rather intriguing entries over the years, and we look forward to more tonight as we contemplate the possibility of Mae Muller becoming victorious on home turf. Or, will it be an evening of nul points?
As fans descend on Liverpool as I speak, let’s take a look back at all the winners since 1997.
1997
Winner: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — Katrina and The Waves with ‘Love Shine a Light’
Host: 🇮🇪 Ireland
1998
Winner: 🇮🇱 Israel — Dana International with ‘Diva’
Host: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
1999
Winner: 🇸🇪 Sweden — Charlotte Nilsson with ‘Take Me to Your Heaven’
Host: 🇮🇱 Israel
2000
Winner: 🇩🇰 Denmark — Olsen Brothers with ‘Fly on the Wings of Love’
Host: 🇸🇪 Sweden
2001
Winner: 🇪🇪 Estonia — Tanel Padar, Dave Benton, and 2XL with ‘Everybody’
Host: 🇩🇰 Denmark
2002
Winner: 🇱🇻 Latvia — Marie N with ‘I Wanna’
Host: 🇪🇪 Estonia
2003
Winner: 🇹🇷 Turkey — Sertab Erener with ‘Everyway That I Can’
Host: 🇱🇻 Latvia
2004
Winner: 🇺🇦 Ukraine — Ruslana with ‘Wild Dances’
Host: 🇹🇷 Turkey
2005
Winner: 🇬🇷 Greece — Helena Paparizou with ‘My Number One’
Host: 🇺🇦 Ukraine
2006
Winner: 🇫🇮 Finland — Lordi with ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’
Host: 🇬🇷 Greece
2007
Winner: 🇷🇸 Serbia — Marija Šerifović with ‘Molitva’
Host: 🇫🇮 Finland
2008
Winner: 🇷🇺 Russia — Dima Bilan with ‘Believe’
Host: 🇷🇸 Serbia
2009
Winner: 🇳🇴 Norway — Alexander Rybak with ‘Fairytale’
Host: 🇷🇺 Russia
2010
Winner: 🇩🇪 Germany — Lena with ‘Satellite’
Host: 🇳🇴 Norway
2011
Winner: 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan — Ell & Nikki with ‘Running Scared’
Host: 🇩🇪 Germany
2012
Winner: 🇸🇪 Sweden — Loreen with ‘Euphoria’
Host: 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
2013
Winner: 🇩🇰 Denmark — Emmelie de Forest with ‘Only Teardrops’
Host: 🇸🇪 Sweden
2014
Winner: 🇦🇹 Austria — Conchita Wurst with ‘Rise Like a Phoenix’
Host: 🇩🇰 Denmark
2015
Winner: 🇸🇪 Sweden — Måns Zelmerlöw with ‘Heroes’
Host: 🇦🇹 Austria
2016
Winner: 🇺🇦 Ukraine — Jamala with ‘1944’
Host: 🇸🇪 Sweden
2017
Winner: 🇵🇹 Portugal — Salvador Sobral with ‘Amar Pelos Dois’
Host: 🇺🇦 Ukraine
2018
Winner: 🇮🇱 Israel — Netta with ‘Toy’
Host: 🇵🇹 Portugal
2019
Winner: 🇳🇱 Netherlands — Duncan Laurence with ‘Arcade’
Host: 🇮🇱 Israel
2020
Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
Winner: 🇮🇹 Italy — Måneskin with ‘Zitti e buoni’
Host: 🇳🇱 Netherlands
2022
Winner: 🇺🇦 Ukraine — Kalush Orchestra with ‘Stefania’
Host: 🇮🇹 Italy
Which are your favourites?
