In anticipation of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Beatles statue in Liverpool has been dressed in traditional Ukrainian attire for BBC filming.
The statue, featuring Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, will don white vyshyvankas, embroidered shirts typically worn to celebrate Ukrainian tradition on Vyshyvanka Day.
Liverpool is hosting the contest on behalf of Ukraine, a country still recovering from the effects of war. As the 40-day countdown to the event begins, preparations are underway to transform the M&S Bank Arena for the contest. The grand final will be broadcast live on television to millions of viewers worldwide, as well as in cinemas across the UK.
The city of Liverpool will host the event on Saturday, May 13th, following two semi-finals earlier in the week. In-person tickets for the grand final sold out in under 40 minutes.
The UK is hosting the contest on behalf of Ukraine after the country’s victory in the previous year’s competition. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prevented the winning country from hosting the 2023 contest, leading to the UK’s selection as a substitute host.
The contest will be hosted by a star-studded cast, including Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina, and Graham Norton.
British singer Mae Muller will represent the UK with her track, “I Wrote A Song.”
