Could Eurovision be about to hit a 'Brum' note?

Israeli pop singer Dana International was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham in 1998

Birmingham is "open" to Eurovision bosses making their minds up to let the city host the next song contest.

It comes as the BBC is in talks with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) "to potentially host" the 2023 event in the UK.

Birmingham was the "Royaume Uni's" most recent host city, with Dana International taking the prize in 1998.

Now community chiefs think there is a chance those behind the show could save all their kisses for Birmingham again.

Resorts World Arena could be a potential venue for the event

As could the Utilita Arena...home to some of the country's biggest sporting and musical events

According to West Midlands mayor Andy Street, there is "no reason" why the competitive crooners cannot belt out ballads in a city with a musical legacy that includes Black Sabbath, Duran Duran and Musical Youth.

Traditionally, the winning country is asked to host the following year's contest.

Under the convention, Ukraine would have hosted in 2023, but the show's organisers concluded, after a "full assessment and feasibility study", that the event could not be held there due to the conflict in the wake of the Russian invasion.

The UK's entrant in the 2022 competition, Thor lookalike Sam Ryder, came second

The UK's 2022 entrant, Sam Ryder, was runner-up last month in Turin, with the EBU saying it was since in discussions with the BBC.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "As a global destination with a proud track record of hosting successful major events, the city council is always open to exploring further opportunities to showcase Birmingham on the international stage.

"We are therefore open to working with the UK government and other stakeholders to investigate the potential for hosting the Eurovision song contest."

Birmingham hosts the 2022 Commonwealth Games next month.

Mr Street said he would personally be making contact with the Director General of the BBC "to find out more".

Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine were crowned winners in Turin last month

Eurovision fan Matt Grocott, 33, from Birmingham, who runs a Eurovision page on Facebook, said it would be "fantastic" to see the competition return to the city.

He said he became a fan in the early 1990s and enjoyed the way the competition brought countries together.

He said: "We have the Commonwealth Games as well this year so I think [Eurovision] would bring a lot of tourism into the city as well - it would help put Birmingham on the map."