Eurovision 2023: Prime Minister says he is looking forward to event

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the Eurovision final will be a "fun night"

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "looking forward" to Eurovision fun when Liverpool stages the song contest, adding it was a "source of pride for the entire country".

Liverpool is hosting the event on 13 May on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.

The prime minister said he will be hosting a Eurovision event at Downing Street with Ukrainians families.

"It'll be a fun night," he said, adding there will probably be sequins "although probably not worn by me".

Mr Sunak told BBC Breakfast he was not planning to be in Liverpool for the final but will be staging an event in the capital.

"We are planning to host an event here in Downing Street hopefully with Ukrainian families.

"Obviously the reason we're hosting Eurovision is because of the situation in Ukraine, so we thought it would be a nice idea to bring Ukrainian families here to watch the evening."

He added: "I'm sure there will be sequins but probably not ones worn by me."

He said Eurovision was a "good source of pride for the entire country that we are able to do this".

"It'll be a good night," Mr Sunak added.

The Royal Liver Building was illuminated as the Eurovision Song Contest was officially passed to the city

Liverpool beat several other UK cities for the honour of staging the event on behalf of Ukraine, who won last year's contest.

It will be the first time the UK has hosted the contest for 25 years.

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Events across Liverpool will run from 1-14 May, the day after the final.

Artist Mae Muller will represent the United Kingdom at the song contest.