Eurovision 2023 live: public voting closes as Liverpool prepares to announce the results

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The best jurors look like video game select screens.

30 juries down out of 37. Here are your top five:

1. Sweden – 277

2. Italy – 148

3. Israel – 142

4. Finland – 141

5. Estonia – 110

I am not vindictive* and I don’t hold a grudge** but I remember last year someone tweeting that I didn’t know what to write with the UK doing well and so I couldn’t be sarcastic and Guardian Brit-bashing about it. Sometimes people just read into what gets written in the Guardian what they want to read. I’d been so supportive of Sam Ryder, and I’m really feeling for Mae Muller here who is languishing on just ten points so far.

[*I am]

[**I do]

Cyprus in a flap because they can’t give 12 points to Greece, so they go to … Sweden. I think they have a 93-point cushion at the top now.

Einar Stef?nsson, the Icelandic jury guy, doing an impression of Batman’s Bane or something, and taking absolutely forever to deliver the one word “Australia”. Come on mate, some of us have got work again in the morning.

Israel, Estonia and Finland make up the rest of the top five so far, but all of this will change ENTIRELY when the public votes are added. Sweden have built up a decent cushion so far.

We’ve got a break from the jury announcements to have a quick chat with early leader Loreen. She doesn’t seem entirely with it. She is possibly as tired as I feel. She has praised the “bloody amazing” audience in Liverpool.

Sweden currently lead and Italy are second. Marco Mengoni is also struggling to find words in his interview segment too.

The German jury guy, Elton, has produced a biscuit for some reason.

We are – I think – 13 juries in and Sweden, Italy and Israel are the frontrunners, but my favourites Austria just got the douze points from Belgium!

I know there are some Thursday quiz regulars in the comments who have been asking after Willow. I can confirm that this has all been a bit much for her this evening, and she has retired to a comfy blanket on the sofa with a resigned look.

Niamh Kavanagh, the 1993 winner, has delivered Ireland’s 12 points to Sweden, amid much joshing about having beaten Sonia into second place that year. Sonia is from Liverpool and appeared in the medley of songs from Liverpool.

The early pace-setters are Sweden, Israel, Lithuania, Estonia and Czechia after five juries.

The first jury is Ukraine. It is Zlata Ognevich, who competed in 2013. Sweden get the 12 points. I’m not going to write out every jury result – there are 37 to get through!