page_title: Eurovision Song Contest 1998
section_title: Location
hierarchical_section_title: Eurovision Song Contest 1998 / Location
caption_attribution_description: The National Indoor Arena in central Birmingham Photo by G-Man 2005
context_page_description: The Eurovision Song Contest 1998 was the 43rd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Birmingham, United Kingdom, following Katrina and the Waves's win at the 1997 contest in Dublin, Ireland with the song "Love Shine A Light". It was the UK's fifth win, and the eighth time that the UK hosted the contest, the last being in Harrogate in 1982. The contest was staged at the National Indoor Arena on 9 May 1998, presented by Terry Wogan and Ulrika Jonsson. Wogan was the third person in the contest's history to combine the roles of presenter and commentator, after the hosting duo of Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone in 1978. When not on stage, he was backstage in his private booth providing the necessary TV commentary to BBC viewers.
  Twenty-five countries participated in the contest, with North Macedonia making their official debut, even though they had submitted an entry in the non-televised 1996 pre-qualifying round, which failed to qualify into the televised final of that contest. Belgium, Finland, and Slovakia returned to the contest after 1996.
context_section_description: The United Kingdom, along with their national broadcaster the BBC, hosted the contest at the National Indoor Arena in the city of Birmingham. It was the first time since 1982 that the Eurovision Song Contest was staged in the United Kingdom, and the last to date. This was a record-breaking eighth time that the United Kingdom staged the contest, having done so for the 1960, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1977, and 1982 contests. The announcement of the host city and venue took place on 8 August 1997.
caption: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham – host venue of the 1998 contest. (pictured in 2005 before renovation)
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