Eurovision 2023 Update: Leadership Team Confirmed, Two Countries Withdraw

The BBC has tasked its executive team with overseeing the broadcast of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, which is due to take place in Liverpool next year.

Despite Britain being the host, the BBC has promised the show will “celebrate Ukraine’s victory as well as Britain’s creativity”. Ukraine was unable to host the competition due to security issues stemming from the ongoing Russian invasion.

Martin Green has been appointed managing director for the operation, which will see the BBC broadcast in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Green recently served as Chief Creative Officer of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and Head of Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He will report to Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted at the BBC.

Rachel Ashdown is the BBC’s Chief Inspector, who will be working with BBC Studios to produce three live shows: two semi-finals and a grand final. She will also commission other programs to be broadcast on the BBC. Ashdown has been responsible for all BBC coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2018.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cartmell, the BBC’s UK head of delegation at this year’s competition in Turin, will run the competition and have overall responsibility for the semi-finals and grand final, and Lee Smithurst has been appointed head of the show’s editorial content and creative Management of the three live shows.

Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen, who was director of the competition in 2021 and 2022, will again take up the post this year, working with each participant’s national delegation to realize their creative ambitions, while James O’Brien has been appointed director in charge of production for the BBC Studios.

“Martin is an inspirational leader whose skills and passion for the Eurovision Song Contest are a winning combination and will make him the perfect ambassador for the BBC,” said Kate Phillips, BBC’s Director of Unscripted. “His impressive track record of running major events speaks for itself. Brilliant at bringing people together, he will inspire our partners to increase the value for royalty payers as well as the broader economic benefits of hosting the event in the UK. Martin and the highly experienced team we announced today will ensure 2023 is the most exciting, creative and innovative Eurovision ever.”

Martin Green added: “I am delighted to have been asked to oversee the implementation of Eurovision 2023 for the BBC. As a lifelong fan of the competition, it’s a dream come true. I look forward to working with the brilliant team at the BBC, Liverpool and EBU and of course the Ukrainian colleagues; I speak for all of us when I say we will make you proud.”

There are also reports that two countries, North Macedonia and Montenegro, have withdrawn from next year’s competition because of the high entry fee. Although it was not disclosed how much each participating country would have to pay, BBC News reported that the entry fee has increased after the EBU banned Russia from the competition following its invasion of Ukraine. BBC News described Russia as a “big financial contributor”.

As answer to diversityWhen asked, the EBU declined to comment on the claims but said in a statement: “The EBU aims to keep the cost of participating in the Eurovision Song Contest as affordable as possible. Each participating broadcaster pays a fee calculated based on the number of countries participating in that year’s show and their total contribution to EBU membership. Annual membership dues and dues are calculated using factors that take into account the relative size and financial status of the member.”