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Give it all the awards: Liverpool 2023 adds a BAFTA to its trophy haul

13 May 2024 at 15:24 CEST
With the 67th Eurovision Song Contest taking home an award at the prestigious BAFTAs, we take a peek inside Liverpool 2023's ever-expanding trophy cabinet.
Hannah Waddingham and production team accept the Live Event Coverage BAFTA Getty Images for BAFTA

Sweden's SVT might have taken home the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 trophy, but the United Kingdom's BBC continues to reap the rewards of the tremendous job it did at the hosting the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, on behalf of Ukraine. 

One year on from the 2023 Grand Final on 13 May, and we can add yet another honour to its long list of lauds, and this one may well be its most prestigious achievement yet.

Hannah Waddingham, Julia Sanina and Alesha Dixon hosted the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023
Chloe Hashemi / EBU

On Sunday 12 May, the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 won an award at the 70th BAFTA Television Awards. The production team from BBC Studios / BBC One were presented with the BAFTA in the Live Event Coverage category, triumphing over The Coronation Concert and The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance. 

The prestigious prize is arguably the highlight of the production's hefty awards haul so far, and takes its trophy tally into double figures.

Liverpool 2023 host Hannah Waddingham attends the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards BAFTA via Getty Images

Just a few weeks earlier, the production team of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 took home two BAFTA Television & Craft Awards. 

On 29 April, Nikki Parsons, Ollie Bartlett and Richard Valentine won the award for Director: Multi Camera, while the Entertainment Craft Team award went to Julio Himede, Tim Routledge, Kojo Samuel, Michael Sharp and Dan Shipton. 

Michael Sharp, Kojo Samuel, Dan Shipton and Tim Routledge with the Entertainment Craft Team BAFTA Getty Images for BAFTA

On 26 March, the Royal Television Society held its annual awards ceremony, and among the prizes handed out in 30 categories, the 67th Eurovision Song Contest received a double win of two trophies to take home.

The Eurovision Song Contest won the award for Live Event, while the Entertainment Performance award went to Hannah Waddingham, for the memorable job she made of presenting duties, as one of the 4 hosts of the Contest in Liverpool.

Taking home the Live Event prize at the Royal Television Society awards RTS / Richard Kendal

A few months earlier, at the Royal Television Society Craft & Design awards, the Eurovision Song Contest had been awarded another gong - this time the Production Management Team award.

And in February, the annual Broadcast Awards were held at Grosvener House in London, where the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 picked up the prize for Best Music Programme.

One jury member applauded the production by saying: “Eurovision 2023 was the perfect celebration of music and unity”, while another praised the producers for making “Ukraine feel at home in the streets of Liverpool”.

Sue Perkins presents Liverpool 2023 with the Broadcast Award for Best Music Programme Broadcast Now / MBI Events

Also in February, the TPI awards saw Liverpool 2023 handed yet another sizable gong, with the production winning in the category of Outstanding Event Production. 

And at the BBC Awards in December, two BBC mic-shaped trophies served as a double mic-drop moment, when the production of the Eurovision Song Contest won both the Outstanding Achievement award and the People's Choice award.

Mic-drop moment Lee Smithurst

And finally, in the wake of Liverpool 2023, last September the EBU accepted the inaugural Changemaker Award from the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) for the impact of the Eurovision Song Contest. The award was given in recognition of the Eurovision Song Contest's remarkable cultural impact and its commitment to technological and digital innovation which promotes unity, diversity, and inclusivity through the power of music.

The Changemaker Award was given to the Eurovision Song Contest for its “contribution to society and culture – celebrating a brand that continues to stay relevant and fresh on a huge scale”. 

The Eurovision Song Contest extends a huge congratulations to everyone behind the 2023 production of the Eurovision Song Contest, for that memorable Mersey trip we all got taken on 12 months ago. 

They're moments that will stick with the Contest and its fans forever - much like a Tattoo, one might say!