Sharing their own exclusive personal experiences of the Eurovision Song Contest with Jason will be Sam Ryder who came second in 2022’s contest and Katrina Leskanich from Katrina and the Waves, the UK’s last Eurovision Song Contest winner from 1997, plus Jason meets Mae Muller who is representing the UK in Liverpool. Comedian Jason Manford and singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes present Eurovision Calling: Jason and Chelcee’s Ultimate Guide. This entertainment programme will see the pair explore why the Eurovision Song Contest is the greatest show on Earth. Using a mix of fascinating archive footage and revealing interviews with fans, experts and competitors, this one hour film will delve into the story of how the Contest has become the world’s largest live music event, creating global superstars and leaving an impact on the lives of many. Junior Eurovision 2022 UK representative Freya Skye will be reporting for Newsround from Liverpool during Eurovision week. She will also be live in the Blue Peter studio on the 12th May looking ahead to the Grand Final and giving her predictions. Sam Ryder's Space Man came second in the 2022 Contest but will it make our countdown? All is revealed to studio guests, UK 2018 entrant SuRie, BBC Radio 1's Dean McCullough and 'Dr Eurovision' Paul Jordan who, incredibly, has a PhD in Eurovision Studies. Plus a host of Eurovision super-fans including Scott Mills, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, join the fun as the hits keep coming.

The final interval act The Liverpool Songbook, is a celebration of the host city’s incredible contribution to the world of pop music. The BBC have brought together six iconic past Eurovision acts – Israel's Netta, Italy's Mahmood, Iceland's Daði Freyr, Duncan Laurence from the Netherlands, Sweden's Cornelia Jakobs and Liverpool's very own Sonia, celebrating 30 years since she came second at Eurovision in 1993. During the Eurovision Flag Parade of all 26 Grand Finalists, everyone will be treated to a unique performance by some iconic past Ukrainian Eurovision contestants. Get ready for a new twist on their Eurovision entries weaved with British classics when GO_A, Jamala, Tina Karol, and Verka Serducha take to the stage and remind everyone why they became much deserved Eurovision icons. Part of EuroFestival - the programme of new commissions being delivered by Liverpool as host city - BBC Arts and The Reading Agency, are sharing a recommended reading list of reads sure to the hit the right note with both experienced and reluctant readers.How do you write a great Eurovision song? How did a made-up band from Glasgow end up on stage in San Marino as part of their official Eurovision selection process? Part travelogue, part comedy entertainment with a dose of Scottish Eurovision history -this hilarious and irreverent film looks to answer those questions and more. For Semi-Final 1’s interval – during which voting is open (but not for audiences in the UK) – global superstar Rita Ora takes to the stage to deliver a show-stopping medley of some of her biggest hits. Holding the record for the most top 10 singles in the Official Charts by a British female artist and having accumulated 10 billion streams, Rita will also perform the world exclusive of her brand-new single Praising You to millions watching across the globe. Rylan has been invited to Ambridge to judge the village’s Eurovision Variety Show – but trouble ensues when his sat-nav goes awry, and Ambridge residents find themselves competing to come to his rescue...

Libraries will host displays and events bringing the chosen books to a wider audience, while six much-loved books set in Eurovision countries will feature in Between the Covers, the nation’s biggest book club. Winning Eurovision then was a chance not only to celebrate, but to show a different side of Ireland. Hosting the event in 1981, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997, the country was unified in a joyous way and given a chance to be truly, purely proud of their small nation. First broadcast in February, Rylan and AJ Odudu launch 2023's exciting Eurovision journey with Eurovision Song Contest: Handover Ceremony And Draw. Kirsty Wark presents a special Eurovision Song Contest episode of The Reunion to discuss the early years of the competition. Joining Kirsty to reminisce is 'Dana' Rosemary Scallon who was still a schoolgirl when she won the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with "All Kinds of Everything", Phil Coulter who arranged that song and co-wrote a previous winner, "Puppet on a String", renowned Eurovision academic Dean Vuletic, BBC broadcaster Pete Murray who commentated on the contest for much of the 50s and 60s, and pop royalty Lulu - who was already a well-established star when she won in 1969 with "Boom Bang a Bang." Battling against them on the blue team are Carrie Grant, who was part of vocal trio ‘Sweet Dreams’ at Eurovision 1983 and has since headed up the UK’s Eurovision jury. She’s joined by The X-Factor finalist and soul singer Andy Abraham, who represented the UK in 2008.

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And in the third hour, Sophie is celebrating the songs that came oh so close to victory, as she plays the very best second place finishers in Eurovision history. Featuring Sam Ryder, Mahmood, Eleni Foureira, The Common Linnets, Barbara Pravi and many more. A Listen production. Then BBC Three have all you need to get into the Eurovision spirit the eve of the 2023 Grand Final (Friday 12 May) with a flurry of watch again treats. From Liverpool's world-famous waterfront, Fleur East presents a special Top 20 Eurovision Countdown - songs that missed out on the big prize but still went on to become monster hits. Scott Mills will be broadcasting his show live from Liverpool on Wednesday 10 May and Friday 12 May with Richie Anderson in the hot seat presenting the show on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May (as Scott prepares to host the live Semi-Finals on BBC One and BBC iPlayer with Rylan). After audiences have cast their Grand Final votes, each national spokesperson from the 37 participating countries will present the points of their professional jury live to the world.

In this special Eurovision themed episode of Music Life (Saturday 6 May), last year’s UK entry Sam Ryder welcomes other musicians who have all performed in the competition. On the eve of the Grand Final, BBC Local Radio will bring all the excitement and atmosphere from the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool followed by Sam Ryder’s Eurovision Special, 8pm-10pm across all local BBC radio stations and BBC Sounds. Readers, libraries and reading groups are invited to take part in the Big Eurovision Read, a reading-for-pleasure initiative marking this year’s Song Contest being hosted in the UK.Offering a fantastic opportunity for thousands of people to come together and be United by Music each city will host large scale official screenings of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final 2023. An uplifting story about a group of music fans who dreamed of entering Eurovision, A Song For Scotland is an Only Films production. BBC Wales Both Semi-Finals broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer will be presented by Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina and Hannah Waddingham with Eurovision legend Graham Norton joining the musical trio on stage for the Grand Final. Rylan and Scott Mills will provide commentary for audiences on BBC One and BBC iPlayer for both Semi-Finals, with Mel Giedroyc and Graham stepping into the commentary box for the Grand Final.