Turin has been announced as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
The international music event will take place in Italy after rock and roll band Maneskin, representing the country, secured victory in Rotterdam earlier this year with their track Zitti e Buoni.
The event took place with strict coronavirus restrictions, and a number of acts, including one-time Icelandic front-runners Daoi & Gagnamagnio, were forced to pull out of performing live after positive tests.
Ciao Torino! 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
The secret’s out! #Eurovision 2022 will be held in Turin! 🤩
All the details right here 👉 https://t.co/HrJ1rhnKRv
🎶 #ESC2022 | 🏙 @twitorino | 📺 @EurovisionRai pic.twitter.com/k3vJk6HnGy
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) October 8, 2021
The previous year’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which produces the contest, made the announcement in a video running down Italy’s two previous times as host – Naples in 1965 and Rome in 1991.
Eurovision Song Contest executive supervisor Martin Osterdahl said: “Turin is the perfect host city for the 66th Eurovision Song Contest.
“As we saw during the 2006 Winter Olympics, PalaOlimpico exceeds all the requirements needed to stage a global event of this scale and we have been very impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment from the city of Turin who will welcome thousands of fans next May.
“This will be the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Italy in 30 years and, together with our host broadcaster Rai, we are determined to make it a special one.”
Rai chief executive Carlo Fuortes said: “We are happy that Turin will host the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, the international festival loved by a huge audience in every country.
“Thanks to the beautiful victory of the Maneskin, the contest returns to Italy after 31 years, in a city that has all the characteristics to host such a prestigious event.
“The choice made by Rai, together with EBU, was not easy given the very high level of the proposals made by the competing cities, which I thank for their enthusiastic participation.
“From today, an exciting journey begins for Rai and the city of Turin that will lead us to May 2022. A great challenge for Rai and for our country.”
The UK suffered a crushing defeat at last year’s contest, with James Newman’s song Embers scoring nil points.