Before Britain's entry in second place, Ukraine won this year's competition held in Italy.
LONDON: Britain said on Monday it had reluctantly agreed to replace Ukraine as the host of next year's Eurovision song contest after organizers said there was no prospect of the event going ahead in the war-torn country.
Instead the BBC will create the world's "largest and most complex music competition", and will now begin choosing a host city in the UK in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Before Britain's entry in second place, Ukraine won this year's competition held in Italy. He insisted he could host next year despite the Russian invasion.
But the EBU rejected it, and Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC accepted a program organized by the UK influenced by "Ukrainian sentiment".
"The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not take place in Ukraine but in support of Ukraine," UA:PBC chief Mykola Chernotsky said in a joint statement with the EBU and the BBC.
"We are grateful to our BBC partners for showing solidarity with us," he added.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said it was his "strong desire" for Ukraine to host the 2023 edition and found it "deeply regrettable" that this was no longer possible.
Culture Secretary Nadine Doris said the BBC had acted at the request of the EBU "and the Ukrainian authorities" led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I am sorry that due to Russia's constant bloodshed, it has not been possible to host this event in Ukraine, where it should be," he said.
"As hosts, the UK will respect the spirit and diversity of the competition, and most importantly ensure that it reflects Ukraine's recent Eurovision victory and Ukrainian creativity."