The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in either Glasgow or Liverpool, after a shortlist of cities in Britain was cut from seven to two. 

Ukraine won the annual song contest this year but next year's event will be held in the UK as Kyiv continues to fight a war with Russia. 

The announcement of the two shortlisted cities by the BBC means that the northern England cities of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield will miss out. 

A final choice will be made "within weeks", the broadcaster said on Tuesday.  

Ukraine won this year's contest, held in Italy, while Britain won second place with singer Sam Ryder.  

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs Eurovision, ruled Ukraine out as the host country on security grounds and the government in Kyiv agreed to a UK-hosted event with a strongly Ukrainian flavour.

The BBC will produce the world's biggest live music event, taking in performers from across Europe and Central Asia as well as Israel and Australia.

It has been held five times in the UK in the past, four times in London and once in Birmingham in 1998. 

Neither Glasgow or Liverpool have Eurovision hosting experience.

In May, Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra won in Turin, on a wave of support for their country following Russia's invasion. 

Britain's entrant Sam Ryder came second with his quirky song "Space Man".

Despite protests from President Volodymyr Zelensky's government, the EBU ruled that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of more than 10,000 people involved in the production and a further 30,000 fans expected to attend.

Britain said in July that it had agreed to host the event.

Ukraine is still guaranteed a place in the 2023 grand final along with the EBU's "top five" countries: Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.