The British national broadcaster BBC has confirmed to ESCToday that the United Kingdom intends to participate at the forthcoming 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine next year.

Thus the United Kingdom joins Iceland, Malta, Lithuania, Cyprus, Latvia, Portugal, Slovenia, Armenia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, France, Germany, Ukraine, The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Estonia all whom have confirmed their intention to compete  at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine.

So far a total of 21 countries have confirmed their intention to participate at the fortchoming 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Ukraine.

The official list of participating countries at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest is expected to be released by the EBU by late December 2016/early January 2017.

In 2016 the United Kingdom selected its Eurovision entry via a national selection. Joe & Jake flew the British flag at the 2016 ESC in Stockholm with their entry You’re not alone.

The United Kingdom debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957  has won the competition 5 times: in 1967 with Sandie Shaw, in 1969 with Lulu, in 1976 with Brotherhood of Man, in 1981 with Bucks Fizz and in 1997 with Katrina & The Waves.

You should not forget that the United Kingdom also holds the record of hosting the contest a total of 8 times: London 1960, 1963, 1968, 1977, Edinburgh 1972, Brighton 1974, Harrogate 1982 and Birmingham 1998.

The UK has only missed one contest since their debut in 1957, notably the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest. The Brits have been competing in Europe’s favourite television show religiously every year since 1959.

The preliminary dates for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest have been set on 9, 11 and 13 May.