With the news Eurovision is heading for the UK, fans across the north-east are already ripping off their velcroed skirts with excitement at the prospect of it coming to P&J Live in Aberdeen.
Calls have begun for the competition to be held in the Granite City following the announcement that Ukraine would not be able to host next year’s event due to the ongoing conflict.
P&J Live says Eurovision is “exactly” the type of event the complex was built to deliver.
An official statement from the BBC confirmed it will now begin the process to select a host city in the UK for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Statement on the #Eurovision Song Contest 2023 from Tim Davie, BBC Director-General https://t.co/CSPCfFNuJS pic.twitter.com/YSRH8AZvZ4
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) July 25, 2022
Though some may assume venues like Wembley or the O2 in London are most likely to clench their fists around the contest, others feel there is no better place than the Granite City.
Here are just a few of the reasons why P&J Live should be chosen as the host of the next Eurovision Song Contest.
Don’t just take our word for it though, have your say in the comments about why Aberdeen is the best place to welcome Eurovision.
Capacity of 15,000 at P&J Live
With a capacity of 15,000 standing floor, there is more than enough room in P&J Live in Aberdeen to host an event as massive as the Eurovision Song Contest.
This is more than the Hartwall arena in Helsinki which hosted the contest in 2007, the B&W Hallerne in Copenhagen which hosted in 2014 and almost double that of Skonto Hall in Riga which hosted in 2003.
P&J Live is the biggest events venue in Scotland, trumping the OVO Hydro which has a capacity of around 14,300.
Bets on the 2023 host have already started flooding in, with Aberdeen coming in at joint seventh favourite at 20/1 with William Hill. It is the second most popular with the bookies, with Glasgow taking the top spot at 4/7.
With numerous hotels scattered around the Aberdeen, it would be more than capable of becoming a very short-term home for the masses.
Eurovision host city odds
- Glasgow 4/6
- Manchester 7/2
- London 4/1
- Birmingham 6/1
- Liverpool 14/1
- Cardiff 18/1
- Aberdeen and Belfast 20/1
- Leeds and Newcastle 22/1
Star studded track record at P&J Live
P&J Live has a strong track record for hosting big events in recent years, with the stand-out being the Sports Personality of the Year in 2019.
Louise Stewart, head of exhibitions, entertainment & marketing at the venue, said: “Events such as Eurovision are exactly what our state-of-the-art venue was built to deliver.
“Having already hosted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2019, we have proved that we have the capabilities to host such prestigious events in the city, and we will continue to raise the profile of the destination as a premier location for live entertainment.”
Huge names including Elton John, Justin Bieber and Rod Stewart are also scheduled to take the stage in 2023.
An Aberdeen cultural awakening for Europe?
You can’t deny Aberdeen would provide a life-changing cultural experience for all those who came to watch Eurovision in the city.
Imagine Abba wannabes getting their platforms stuck in the cobbles, Conchita Wurst getting deep fried buttery in her beard, Sam Ryder on the rollercoaster at Codona’s, the opportunities are endless.
Aberdeen’s tourism sector took a hit through the pandemic, so a big event that would draw hundreds of millions of eyes to the north-east would give it more than a boost.
Local love for Eurovision in Aberdeen
Eurovision would be welcomed to Aberdeen with open arms, specifically those of superfan Kevin Sherwin.
The taxi driver has travelled more than 40,000 miles and spent more than £50,000 over the years attending Eurovision across the globe.
Speaking to the P&J in May, he said he would happily help the city stage next year’s event.
“I think Aberdeen could stage the contest, they have the biggest arena in Scotland, 10 hotels within a mile of one another and they have an international airport which is next door to the venue,” he said.
“Then throw in a tour of Balmoral Castle for the visiting delegations who would love to see where the Queen spends her summer holidays.
“And I could be the Lord Provost’s Eurovision advisor. After all, having been to 23 of these events, I kind of know what is needed to stage it.”
How do we make Eurovision happen in Aberdeen?
Local officials are already shouting from the rooftops that P&J Live in Aberdeen should be the next host of Eurovision and trying their best to make what currently feels like a dream a reality.
SNP MPs and MSPs from the region have already penned a letter to Tim Davie, chief executive of the BBC, urging him to put Aberdeen in the running as a host.
It says: “At a capacity of 15,000 and surrounded by hotels, P&J Live is just 2 miles from Aberdeen International Airport and minutes away from our city centre where you will find one of Europe’s ancient universities, a vast number of restaurants and bars, multiple theatres, hotels, an award winning art gallery and a stunning beach front.
“All of us wish Ukraine was in a position to host the contest next year, but we feel very strongly that Aberdeen can deliver a show that will match any city in the world.”
Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden was ahead of the game, emailing P&J Live back in May asking the venue would be pushing to host, saying: “I could think of no better location to host the event than our very own P&J Live.”
Stars including Katrina Leskanich from Katrina and the Waves, who won Eurovision in 1997, have already shared their excitement that the contest could be coming to the UK.
Practically hysterical over the announcement that the UK could host #Eurovision 2023 🥳🎉❤️❤️ https://t.co/p7jVibMPHU
— Katrina from Katrina & The Waves (@KatrinasWeb) June 17, 2022
While First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hasn’t highlighted the venue itself, she has said there are “several possible venues” in Scotland that could be a perfect fit.
None more perfect than P&J Live, in our opinion.
What do you think? Are Aberdeen’s streets ready to take on the sequins and sass of the Eurovision Song Contest? Let us know in the comments below.
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