MTV: Going Down To Liverpool

A rich music heritage and the fact it’s the European Capital of Culture for 2008 have helped swayed MTV to chose Liverpool to host next year’s MTV Europe Music Awards.

This will be the third time the U.K. has hosted the awards, having previously staged the event in London (1996) and Edinburgh (2003).

"It is fantastic to be back in the U.K. and it is only natural that Liverpool should host the fifteenth annual Europe Music Awards. Not only is it the European Capital of Culture next year but the influence of its rich music heritage is still felt today," said Richard Godfrey, senior VP of content & music, MTV Networks International.

"The state-of-the-art Echo Arena Liverpool is the perfect venue for such a large-scale multi-platform event and will give us the opportunity to bring newer and more exciting elements to next year’s show," Godfrey added.

"The MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool in 2008 is a perfect match – it’s pop music coming home," said Bryan Gray, chairman of Liverpool Culture Company.

The event-hosting Echo Arena Liverpool is opening in January 2008 with a 10,600 capacity.

The brand new concert and event facility is located on the city’s famous riverfront and is set to be one of the most environmentally friendly venues of its kind in Europe.

This year’s European Music Awards were held in Munich on November 1st.