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Boris Johnson Says He Thinks Ukraine ‘Can And Should’ Host Eurovision In 2023

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Boris Johnson has said Ukraine should be given the opportunity to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, as organisers confirmed that they were beginning discussions about holding the event in the UK.

Last month, Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra stormed ahead at Eurovision, with the British representative Sam Ryder finishing in a respectable second place.

Speculation soon began about whether the competition would be able to take place in Ukraine in 2022, amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

On Friday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a public statement that they had conducted a “full assessment and feasibility study” with Ukrainian state broadcaster UA:PBC.

However, it concluded that after “exploring all scenarios” with the network, they shared “their sadness and disappointment that next year’s Contest cannot be held in Ukraine”.

“As a result of this decision, in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year’s runner-up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom,” they added.

While a No.10 spokesperson previously insisted they “welcomed” the idea of hosting Eurovision in the UK, Johnson claimed on Saturday morning that he’d like to see the event take place in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters shortly after returning from an unannounced visit to Kyiv, Johnson explained: “I have just been to Kyiv. I won’t say it is completely jiving and buzzing and popping but it is far, far more lively. People are much more confident. People are out in the streets eating in cafes and restaurants in a way that they weren’t even few weeks ago.

“The Ukrainians won the Eurovision Song Contest. I know we had a fantastic entry, I know we came second and I’d love it to be in this country. But the fact is that they won and they deserve to have it.”

He added: “I believe that they can have it and I believe that they should have it. I believe Kyiv or any other safe Ukrainian city would be a fantastic place to have it.”

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson

Leon Neal via Getty Images

Following the EBU’s statement, a representative for the Ukrainian broadcaster claimed they’d been “denied the right” to host the contest and called for negotiations on a new location to be put on hold.

“We are disappointed with this decision of the EBU,” they said. “During this month, a large number of people in Ukraine have thrown all their efforts to fulfil the conditions for holding Eurovision in our country. Security is, of course, our first priority.

“The team of UA:PBC, state and local authorities did a thorough job and offered different options. It is a pity to see such an unappealable statement, therefore, we ask our partners to hold further negotiations.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said last month he wanted to see the 2023 event going ahead in Ukraine, comments which were echoed by the Kalush Orchestra.

Since debuting in the competition in 2003, Ukraine has racked up three wins, with Kyiv consequently hosting the Eurovision live final in both 2005 and 2017.

This article has been updated to include a comment from UA:PBC.

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The Beyoncé Renaissance Is Coming: 35 Tweets That Sum Up The Excitement Of Her New Album Announcement

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The drought is almost over. Six years after the release of her seminal album Lemonade, Beyoncé has confirmed she’s got new music coming in a matter of weeks.

On Thursday morning, the music legend announced her seventh album Renaissance (subtitled “Act I” on her official website) would be coming on 29 July.

Needless to say, the stir quickly caused a huge stir on social media, with Beyoncé and Renaissance both quickly rising up the list of global trending topics on Twitter.

Here’s what fans have had to say so far…

First of all, the early-morning timing of the announcement didn’t go unnoticed

And it had everyone scrambling to wake their friends up

Everyone was celebrating a new Beyoncé album was finally within reach after such a long time

Although some couldn’t help questioning why the queen of the surprise release was giving fans so much notice?

Others pointed out that the star has been so innovative with the past releases that even a return to tradition felt fresh for Beyoncé

Although the tracklisting is yet to be unveiled, the fact Renaissance has 16 songs was major cause for celebration

And some were even getting excited about all those “explicit’ tags

The thought of having new Beyoncé music in the summer was a huge draw for a lot of the Hive

While others pointed out a new album from the record-smashing singer is just what the world needs

It didn’t take long for sleuths to point out that Beyoncé first teased the album title last year

And they’re now combing through that same interview looking for more nuggets of information

Fans are more than happy to spend on merch despite not having heard a single song yet

And does a new album mean a new tour?

Hold on… what does ‘Act I’ mean?

But whatever happens next, we are READY

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George Ezra Addresses Decision To Remove Death Lyric From Queen’s Jubilee Performance

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George Ezra has explained the decision to remove a lyric about death from his performance at the Queen’s Jubilee celebratory concert.

Earlier this month, George was one of the A-list performers who took to the stage outside Buckingham Palace in honour of the 96-year-old monarch’s Platinum Jubilee.

However, fans watching at home quickly picked up on the fact that during his rendition of the song Green Green Grass, he took out the lyric: “You better throw a party on the day that I die.”

During Tuesday’s instalment of Good Morning Britain, George was asked about the censored lyric, admitting he was asked by organisers to remove the line.

“When you’re playing for the Royal Family, when they say ‘jump’, you jump, you don’t question it,” he told Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley.

The Shotgun singer continued: “My take on it was that it was going to make it more obvious to change it, and the thing is it kind of turned out that way.

“It’s the thing that I get asked about a lot now and I just say, ‘Well, I wasn’t going to fight back, was I?’.”

George previously told The Sun: “I don’t know if it came from the royals or the producers of the show, but it’s pretty obvious that if you’re playing for the Royal Family and the powers that be say, ‘We don’t want you to sing that lyric,’ then you’re not going to argue.”

Other performers on the night included Diana Ross, Eurovision singer Sam Ryder and Rod Stewart, whose rendition of Sweet Caroline also raised eyebrows.

Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am on ITV.

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Justin Bieber Battling Virus That Has Paralysed Half His Face

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Justin Bieber has announced he is taking some time off from touring in order to deal with a virus that has paralysed half his face.

In a video posted on Instagram, the singer explained that he’s postponed several shows after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that has affected a nerve in his ear.

As a result, he’s unable to blink his right eye and can smile only on the left side of his face.

“This nostril will not move,” he added.

As a result, Justin said, he’s “physically unable” to perform in concert for the time being. Instead, he will “rest and relax” until he’s able “to do what I was born to do.”

Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when the varicella-zoster virus ― which also causes chicken pox and shingles ― infects a nerve in the head. Treatment often involves steroids and/or antiviral medicines.

Justin didn’t say if he was taking medicine. However, he said he’s doing “all these facial exercises” to get his face back to normal. He added that he doesn’t know how long that will take.

You can see the complete video selfie below.

This has been a rough year healthwise for Justin and his wife, Hailey.

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Jennifer Lopez Felt Sharing Super Bowl Stage With Shakira Was ‘Worst Idea In The World’

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For fans, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 Super Bowl halftime show was a peak cultural moment in a year that came to be defined by both political divisions and a pandemic.

J-Lo, however, had a much different opinion on the massively hyped performance ― or at least she did in the days leading up to it. In her Netflix documentary Halftime, the actor and singer is shown in rehearsals with her music director Kim Burse and appears visibly stressed over the time constraints.

“We have six fucking minutes,” J-Lo proclaims, according to Entertainment Weekly. “We have 30 seconds of a song, and if we take a minute, that’s it, we’ve got five left. But there’s got to be certain songs that we sing, though. We have to have our singing moments. It’s not going to be a dance fucking revue. We have to sing our message.

“This is the worst idea in the world to have two people do the Super Bowl,” she continues. “It was the worst idea in the world.”

Elsewhere in Halftime, J-Lo doesn’t hold back as she maps out the logistics of the show with Shakira directly. “If it was going to be a double-headliner, they should have given us 20 minutes,” she says. “That’s what they should’ve fucking done.”

Catch the trailer for Halftime below…

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In the end, J-Lo and Shakira’s performance lasted about 14 minutes. By comparison, Madonna in 2012 and Lady Gaga in 2017 were each given about 14 minutes to perform in the Super Bowl show. This year’s halftime show, featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, clocked in at nearly 14 minutes.

J-Lo’s manager Benny Medina shared his client’s frustrations over the NFL’s choice of a co-headlining performance.

“Typically, you have one headliner at a Super Bowl. That headliner constructs a show, and, should they choose to have other guests, that’s their choice,” he said, according to EW. “It was an insult to say you needed two Latinas to do the job that one artist historically has done.”

In spite of their limited stage time, J-Lo and Shakira each turned in a dazzling performance that won raves from critics and even managed to deliver a subtle political message. The Los Angeles Times applauded them for having “fused old-school razzle-dazzle with an of-the-moment sense of Latin American pride,” while Entertainment Weekly called it “punchy, political, and flat-out electric.”

Halftime, which premiered on Wednesday at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, follows J-Lo as she “reflects on her milestones and evolution as an artist, and navigates the second half of her career continuing to entertain, empower and inspire,” according to press notes.

It’s now available for streaming on Netflix.

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