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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Christopher Megrath

Eurovision Insignia Handover set to kick off the contest

The Eurovision Insignia Handover marks the official launch of the season.

The annual tradition sees a representative from the previous host nation journey to the next in order to officially 'hand over' the event. Mayor of Turin, Stefano Lo Russo, will personally see to this year's exchange which will be welcomed by Liverpool's mayor, Joanne Anderson.

The evening of industry guests will take place in Liverpool's St. George's Hall and for the first time ever, the typically online event will be broadcast live. Eurovision fans across the UK will be able to tune in on BBC TWO at 7:00 pm to watch the magic unfold.

READ MORE: When to expect Eurovision Song Contest tickets and how much they will cost

The event itself is held not only in the spirit of goodwill but to see which acts in the upcoming contest will face off against each other. Before they make their way to the grand final, participating countries battle it out in the semi-finals with a healthy amount getting the chop before the main event, with the handover doubling as an allocation draw.

This year 37 countries will take part but 'The Big Six' will be exempt from the draw and automatically qualify for the final. They are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and last year's winners, Ukraine. They act as the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) biggest financial contributors and therefore obtain a free pass to the grand final.

This means 31 countries will learn their fate during the handover and fans can get a first-hand look at who is likely to be knocked out of the competition. UK presenting royalty Rylan Clark and AJ Odudu will host the draw.

Fans will also see the unveiling of the official logo for the 2023 contest along with the slogan that embodies the overall atmosphere, feeling and journey the show plans to embody.

The Eurovision Song Contest: Handover Ceremony and Draw will air on BBC Two at 7 pm, January 31st.

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