British and international icons takeover Manchester with first-ever BRIT Awards ceremony outside the capital

All eyes were on our city last night (28 February 2026) as The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard left London, for the first time in its almost five-decade history, and chose Manchester as its host city.

Hosted at Co-op Live arena and broadcast live on ITV, the evening was a landmark celebration of the biggest, most iconic names in British and International music. Fans from across the UK and around the world tuned in for the jam-packed two and a half-hour show, hosted by award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and writer Jack Whitehall.

Complete with 10 phenomenal performances, set across five stages, and boasting special guests galore, the award ceremony aimed to be one of the biggest and boldest BRIT Awards in history.

Taking home the ultimate glory, having received a whopping five nominations, British breakout star Olivia Dean won the most awards on the night taking home four BRIT trophies, as well as having already picked up Best New Artist at last month’s Grammy awards and becoming the first woman in UK chart history to land a debut No. 1 single and album in the same week.

The show opened in style with a worldwide exclusive performance of ‘Aperture’ by global superstar Harry Styles, a song which hit the charts just a few weeks ago and is already proving a fan favourite from his highly-anticipated upcoming album.

Manc iconic Shaun Ryder and Bez of Happy Mondays fame took to the stage to present Wolf Alice with the Group of the Year award, before frontwoman Ellie Rowsell and the gang blew the audience away with a stunning rendition of the band’s new hit ‘The Sofa’. 

Manchester legend Noel Gallagher received this year’s Songwriter of the Year award, in acknowledgment of the songwriting that has permeated the fabric of British culture for over three decades, and that continues to resonate with audiences around the world.

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BRIT record-holder RAYE performed a two-song medley of ‘Where is My Husband’ and ‘Nightingale Lane’, and two more artists made their BRITs performance debut; Alex Warren gave The BRITs a unique version of his record-breaking hit single ‘Ordinary’, accompanied by James Blunt on piano and Manchester’s very own Halle Orchestra, before Gen-Z rock star SOMBR performed ‘Undressed’ and ‘Back to Friends’ with a dynamic set.

As always, a touching In Memoriam segment saw Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess take to the stage to speak about Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist Mani, who passed away last November.

Honouring another absolute legend we lost last year, global rock icon Ozzy Osbourne received the BRITs Lifetime Achievement award, in recognition and celebration of his inimitable impact and influence on music worldwide. Introduced by country music icon and close friend Dolly Parton via VT message, the award was accepted in person by Sharon and Kelly Osbourne before the evening was closed with an all-star rock tribute performance of ‘No More Tears’ fronted by Robbie Williams and featuring musicians that played as part of Ozzy’s band over the years: Adam Wakeman, Robert Trujillo, Tommy Clufetos and Zakk Wylde.

Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards, Stacey Tang, said: “Tonight felt like a landmark moment for the BRIT Awards. Bringing the ceremony to Manchester for the first time in its history gave the show a new kind of energy and the city met us with the openness it’s famous for. What unfolded on stage - from boundary‑pushing performances to career defining moments - reflected a year characterised by artistic ambition and the international pull of UK music. At its core, The BRIT Awards exist to celebrate creativity in the UK and across the globe. In times that are tumultuous and uncertain, music remains one of the most powerful forces for connection, fostering community and joy.”

See the full list of winners below.

The BRITs Voting Academy - responsible for determining the nominees and the overall winners of categories including Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year and Breakthrough Artist - is comprised of approximately 1200 members who are responsible for shaping the creative and commercial success of the British music industry, including artists, producers, labels, retailers, publishers, managers, media, live, social and DSPs. Since 2017, the BRITs Voting Academy has undergone an annual refresh to ensure its membership is inclusive and relevant, as well as being representative of today’s industry with members aligned on an artist-first approach. The BRITs’ commitment to diversity is supported with a balanced split of women and men, as well as representation of members who identify outside the gender binary, and with a quarter of those who vote identify as being from a Black, Asian or ethnic minority background. The Academy and the voting process is overseen by Civica - an independent voting scrutineer.

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