EUROVISION champs Ukraine could be hosted by Spain after the country’s national broadcaster RTVE made an offer to accommodate their 2023 contest.
Last night saw the troubled country’s act Kalush Orchestra score top points, scooping more than 400 votes from the public to add to the judges tally.
Bookmakers had tipped Ukraine, which is currently under invasion from Russia, to win from the outset.
After they were crowned victorious in the Eurovision 2022 final, the band’s frontman, Oleh Psiuk, told the 7,500-strong audience: “I ask all of you, please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Avostal, right now,”
Many of them gave the band a standing ovation in front of a global television audience of millions.
Yet because of Ukraine’s current political climate, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is believed to want to reclaim many territories lost at the fall of the Soviet Union, the country’s position as host nation is surrounded by uncertainty.
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Spain clocked up third place with contestant Chanel’s track, SloMo, and website Eurovoix reports that María Eizaguirre, a spokesperson for the Spanish public broadcaster, has given the contest the thumbs up.
It added: “RTVE is ready to support Ukraine in everything it needs to organise the contest.”
The website also notes “a number of broadcasters” including Sweden will throw their hats into the ring.
In Eurovision’s history, there have been several instances where a previous year’s winner didn’t host the contest.
The last time this happened was in 1980.
The UK has stepped up as a replacement host on four separate occasions.
On the night, viewers seemed less than impressed with Spain’s “racy” performance – which saw Chanel flash her bum on multiple occasions.
One said: “Why are the Spanish women wearing thongs on stage, though? Trying to get cheap votes from horny men :S. Have some self-respect bro.”
Another suggested: “Spain nearly wearing a thong to distract from the bad song.”
Someone else joked: “Spain absolutely winning the Eurovision thong contest.”
And another gagged: “It’s a song contest, not a thong contest.”
One asked: “Do we really need to see her a**e in a thong???? The men might love it but I’ve just had my tea.”
Chanel performed SlowMo – a Latin pop and reggaeton song, incorporating both Spanish and English lyrics.
The 30-year-old confessed to watching and dreaming about participating in the Eurovision Song Contest since being a young child.
Meanwhile, the UK’s Eurovision hopeful Sam Ryder took to the stage with an upbeat performance of his uplifting pop song Space Man – and came second in the final vote.
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Eurovision fans heaped praise on Sam for “achieving the impossible” by finishing as runner-up in Turin, Italy ending decades of embarrassment.
This was Britain’s best result since 1998 when we also finished second. We last won the contest in 1997 and have regularly finished at the bottom of the leaderboard in recent years.
