Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker backs Cardiff and the 'land of song' to host next year's Eurovision
Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker has suggested Cardiff would be a fitting place to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year.
The Welsh capital is one of many cities being touted following confirmation on Monday 25th July that the United Kingdom will host the event in 2023 on behalf of Ukraine.
Organisers of the contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), decided the event could not be held in the war-torn country following the Russian invasion.
The bidding process to select a host city is set to begin this week, with the BBC and EBU jointly making the final decision.
Baker was part of Bucks Fizz alongside Bobby G, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston when they triumphed at Eurovision in 1981, winning with their hit song Making Your Mind Up.
Speaking to ITV Wales, Baker, 68, said Wales would be a deserving host.
"I just think that Welsh people are warm and friendly, of course it's the land of song, it makes absolute sense that Eurovision should at least consider it coming from Cardiff, it would be amazing," she said.
"So yes for me it's up there in my top three I would say."
Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland also called for Cardiff to host the event, he said : “I’m a fan of Eurovision and I think it’d be great to see it here in Wales, the land of song.”
He added: “I think Cardiff would be a great venue because it’s got the capacity.
"The reality is there are only a few places in the UK that have the capacity, there has been talk about the Manchester Arena, Glasgow.
"It seems to me that there’s a consensus that it needs to be out of London, which is a good start, and therefore I think Cardiff definitely needs to be in the running as a major international venue, not just for sporting events, but for cultural events, as well.
"I can’t think of a better venue for a cultural event of this magnitude than Cardiff so I think we should go for it.
"And I would urge the BBC to work on that basis."
Bucks Fizz relaunched as The Fizz a few years ago after changing their name because of a legal row with former member Bobby G, and reformed with original members Aston, Baker, Nolan and newest recruit Bobby McVay, who represented the UK at Eurovision in 1983.
Ukraine will automatically qualify for the grand final alongside the so-called big five nations, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, who get a free pass because of their financial contributions to the event. It will be the ninth time Eurovision has taken place in the UK – more than any other country.