Sweden's Loreen wins Eurovision for the second time
With Daniel Rosney in the arena, Andre Rhoden-Paul and Gem O'Reilly at the Eurovision Village fan zone, and Helen Bushby, Emma Saunders and Mark Savage watching live in Liverpool
With Daniel Rosney in the arena, Andre Rhoden-Paul and Gem O'Reilly at the Eurovision Village fan zone, and Helen Bushby, Emma Saunders and Mark Savage watching live in Liverpool
Live Reporting
Edited by Marita Moloney and Jasmine Taylor-Coleman
All times stated are UK
1) Austria – A Poe-faced performance?
Mark Savage
Watching at the venue
And we’re off! The lights have gone down in Liverpool Arena as Teya & Salena take to the stage.
As you’re about to discover, Teya has been possessed by the spirit of American poet Edgar Allen Poe, who has compelled her to write a hit song.
That song’s chorus is a chant of his name, “Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe”.It sounds daft, but there’s a serious point being made about the music industry’s use of ghost writers and the shockingly low royalty rates that streaming services pay.
It’s all wrapped up in an irresistibly catchy pop number, with a minimal-effort dance routine that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Post update
Luxembourg hopes to return to Eurovision
Graham Norton announces that Luxembourg is hoping to return to the Eurovision competition next year.
During its time in the competition it won five times in total, but the country stopped competing in 1993 due to financial restraints.
Air raid sirens sound in Ukrainian capital
Tony Brown
reporting from Kyiv
Just moments after the Eurovision 2023 final started, the air raid sirens over Kyiv sounded over the city.
The sound of air raid sirens has been a common occurrence in many Ukrainian cities since the start of the war.
Bars that had been hosting Eurovision parties had already started to empty out as curfew means everyone has to be home by midnight (22:00 BST).
And your hosts for this evening...
Emma Saunders
Watching at the venue
A warm welcome to Alesha Dixon, Ukrainian rock singer Julia Sanina and actress/singer Hannah Waddingham, who you may have seen during the semi-finals earlier this week - they are joined tonight by the one and only, Mr Graham Norton!
'It's a sea of lights and flags'
Daniel Rosney
Eurovision reporter, inside the arena
The audience all have wristbands controlled by technicians and they light up during specific parts of the show.
Every element of this show is well thought through.
All I can see is a sea of lights and flags.
During the opening sequence it feels like we could be in Ukraine. It feels as if we are on their home turf, not the other way around.
The crowd have been up on their feet in the stands for last year’s winners, Kalush Orchestra.
Fan zone enjoys opening performance
Diana Kuryshko
BBC News Ukrainian, reporting from Liverpool
The Fan Zone erupted into excitement as the Kalush Orchestra started Eurovision.
Everyone was singing along to their song Stefania, me included.
For me that song means so much - it was such a huge joy when Ukraine won last year.
The flag ceremony begins
Mark Savage
Watching at the venue
“This four-hour ceremony doesn’t last long enough,” declared the head of Eurovision a couple of years ago.“How about we add a long and massively unnecessary flag ceremony?”
And lo, it has come to pass.
Tonight’s iteration is better than previous years - as the 26 finalists appear on stage, we’re treated to a mash-up of classic British and Eurovision songs, including the Chemical Brothers’ Hey Boy, Hey Girl, Blur’s Song 2 and Go-A’s Shum.
Ukrainian star Tina Karol pops up to perform her 2006 entry Show Me Your Love; followed by Verka Serduchka (and his mother!) who spin through 2007’s Dancing Lasha Tumbai.
And with an “Eins, zwei, drei!” he kicks his one of his silver glittered high heels right into the audience!
Spice girl action
Emma Saunders
Watching at the venue
Recognise the voiceover? It’s Merseysider Sporty Spice introducing the upcoming flag parade - girl power is going to be a theme tonight, we can feel it!
Princess of Wales tinkles the ivories
Helen Bushby
Watching at the venue
Well this is quite a surprise - we've just seen the Princess of Wales playing the piano. She's obviously a Eurovision fan.
It isn’t the first time we’ve seen her play - back in 2021 she played at a carol concert in Westminster Abbey.
This performance was recorded earlier this month in the Crimson Drawing Room of Windsor Castle.
Kalush Orchestra start the show
Mark Savage
Watching at the venue
The show opens in Kyiv with an extended version of last year’s winner, Stefania by Kalush Orchestra.
In a pre-recorded video, they’re joined by stars including Joss Stone, Sam Ryder and Andrew Lloyd Webber, adding a British flavour to the song, as the band board a train and set off on a journey across Europe.
The Princess of Wales also made a brief cameo, playing the song's refrain on a piano.
All of a sudden, Kalush appear on the stage of the Liverpool Arena, in the outstretched palms of two giant hands, emblazoned with Ukrainian folk motifs.
They're joined by dozens of dancers in traditional Ukrainian clothes as they march across the catwalk to the middle of the auditorium.
There, they perform their new single Changes, which encapsulates Ukraine’s defiance in the face of Russia’s aggression: “Give my all down to the wire / Set me free.”
It’s a buoyant, joyous performance that explicitly binds Ukraine to Liverpool, setting the tone for this year’s contest.
Eurovision final begins!
Marita Moloney
Live reporter
The Grand Final of this year's Eurovision is now under way.
Viewers in the UK can watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer - and by clicking the triangular Play icon at the top of this page.
My most joyous Eurovision ever
Ngunan Adamu
Eurovisioncast Host
It seriously feels like Eurovision has brought the sunshine tonight with a sprinkle of magic and good luck.
But who will shine tonight in the Grand Final?
I've never changed my voting as much as I have this year and I still feel there will be some surprises, some hiccups and definitely tears of some sort.
I'll definitely be crying tonight, this has been the most joyous Eurovision ever and I can't wait to see the legacy of Eurovision in Liverpool.
Listen to Eurovisioncast on BBC Sounds
Crowd going wild in the arena
Daniel Rosney
Eurovision reporter, inside the arena
Two drag queens are on stage DJ-ing and playing the hits of Eurovision from years gone by.
They’ve just played Lorraine’s Euphoria, Sweden’s 2012 winning song.
Loreen is back this year and is one of the favourites to win tonight.
The crowd absolutely went wild then - but will they feel the same for her performance tonight when she performs Tattoo?
There is now less than five minutes to go – a big countdown is on screen.
WATCH: A good luck message for Mae from comedian Maisie Adam
We've got another message via Eurovisioncast for UK contestant Mae Muller now, this time from comedian Maisie Adam.
She wants to wish her lots of luck tonight - and share some very important advice...
Video content
The press room is buzzing
Helen Bushby
Watching at the venue
Here we are in the vast Eurovision media room. It's divided into two, with the press in one section (pictured above) and bloggers and fans in the room just next door.
The fans' areas is definitely the noisier of the two, at least for the moment!
We'll keep you posted on reaction from in here though - it's about to get very noisy.
Kyiv watch party relives Ukraine's best Eurovision moments
Tony Brown
Reporting from Kyiv
In the Ukrainian capital, Eurovision fans who haven’t been able to travel to Liverpool are gathering to celebrate the night.
In this bar in Kyiv, fans are watching old clips of past Eurovisions, including the contest Ukraine hosted in 2017 after their last win.
Why is Australia taking part?
You may be scratching your head asking yourself why Australia is taking part in Eurovision.
Well, our friends down under are Eurovision regulars now.
The nation first took part at the 2015 song contest in Vienna as a one-off, but has returned every year since.
Australia has a long tradition of broadcasting the song competition and a loyal fan base, according to Eurovision organisers.
'It's absolutely amazing to be here'
Andre Rhoden-Paul
Reporting from the Eurovision Village
Towards the back of the Village, I find Pete Wallington, from Weston-super-Mare having a drink watching the VengaBoys.
"It's so amazing. The sun's out everyone's dancing, everyone's having a great time," he tells me.
Pete, who was in the arena for second semi-final, says his money is on France's La Zarra to win.
"They all say Finland, but personally I think France, and no one is talking about Cyprus."
His friends Harrison and Simon Morse also join him, in matching Union Jack bowties and glasses.
"It's absolutely amazing to be here. We're with people of like minds sharing in the togetherness of the Eurovision Song Contest," Harrison says.
Simon interjects: "And it's a big party, LGBT people, gay people, we love to party!"
Play bingo with us....
Marita Moloney
Live reporter
It's become a bit of a tradition at many Eurovision watch parties - and we're not certainly ones to shirk a bit of competitive spririt.
So we're going to be crossing off our bingo cards in the newsroom as we watch the show. Don't worry, there won't be any drinking involved, here at least...
You can play along with us by drawing yourself a 4x4-square grid and adding the following in random order:
Hard rock / Headdress / Liverpool dock / Plaits / Moustache / Royal Albert Dock / Out of tune / Former contestant / Long nails / Animal print / Jumpsuit / Wind machine / Podium / Food / The Beatles / Dry ice/smoke on stage / Cape
The aim to cross-off four squares in a line - horizontally, vertically or diagonally.