The BBC has announced a shortlist of seven cities in the frame to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest.
The UK has stepped up to stage the event after this year's winner - Ukraine - was deemed unsuitable to host proceedings in 2023 due to the ongoing invasion by Russia.
Some 20 cities from every corner of the country expressed interest in hosting duties and now the list of contenders has been narrowed to just seven.
The list comprises six cities from England - Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield - as well as Glasgow in Scotland.
The nation's capital, London, failed to make the cut, while Wales and Northern Ireland have also been ruled out as potential destinations.
Each of the seven shortlisted cities will now be invited to make more detailed proposals of exactly how they would host Eurovision, with a final decision due in the autumn.
Neil Wilkes
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