Manchester legends, suprise appearances from Bjork and Dua Lipa, and a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne full with a message from Dolly Parton – this was the Brit Awards 2026.
Olivia Dean was the evening’s large success story, taking residence 4 awards together with artist of the 12 months and greatest album, and there have been additionally wins for acts together with Sam Fender, Wolf Alice, Lola Younger and Dave.
However as a lot as celebrating the winners, the Brits is all in regards to the performances, the surprises, the bits you do not see.
This 12 months’s ceremony happened in Manchester for the primary time. Listed here are our stand-out moments for 2026.
Manchester’s best all on the guest-list
If you transfer the celebration to Manchester, there are particular folks it’s a must to invite. Glad Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez are after all on the guestlist, and also you want a Gallagher brother within the combine.
Fortunately, Noel Gallagher was introduced with a particular award for songwriting, in honour of the again catalogue that soundtracked the summer time when Oasis reunited final 12 months.
Receiving a standing ovation as he walked on to the stage, he began with what would as soon as have been uncharacteristic due to his little brother, Liam, and all of the musicians who performed in Oasis through the years. “I’ve bought to thank my brother,” he started, pausing for the inevitable cheer from the gang. “And Bonehead and Guigsy, Tony McCarroll, Alan White, Gem (Archer) and Andy (Bell), they introduced these songs to life.
“With out them, I’d simply be a singer-songwriter, and nobody provides a sh*t about singer-songwriters. However extra importantly I would wish to thanks, the individuals who’ve stored these songs alive for the final 35 years.”
Noel Gallagher accepts an award for Songwriter of the Yr. Pic: Reuters
Gallagher’s award presentation included a shock video message from an honorary Manchester legend – Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola, who informed him to share the award with Liam.
Ryder and Bez have been suitably chaotic as host Jack Whitehall visited their desk.
Ryder informed Whitehall he would not bear in mind so much about Brits ceremonies within the band’s Eighties heyday, however does recall a narrative about being let off throughout a police bust as a result of he needed to be on the present. Which is, as Whitehall rightly places it, probably the most “on model story” they may have informed.
The important thing to their friendship is their “42-year sexless marriage”, they added.
Shock visitors
Dua Lipa made a suprise look throughout Mark Ronson’s medley efficiency. Pic: Reuters
The Brits has a historical past of placing collectively distinctive collaborations, from 5 and Queen, to Justin Timberlake and Kylie Minogue, and Rihanna and The Klaxons.
However this 12 months they actually pulled out the stops, with Bjork becoming a member of the genre-bending Rosalia throughout one of many evening’s stand-out performances, James Blunt taking part in the piano for Alex Warren, and Dua Lipa arriving on a large disco ball for Mark Ronson’s celebratory present marking an excellent achievement award.
Ronson’s hit medley additionally featured Ghostface Killa and a cameo from Kasabian frontman Serge Pizzorno, with vocals from the late Amy Winehouse for Again To Black and Valerie.
Harry Kinds opens the present
Harry Kinds opens the 2026 Brit Awards in Manchester. Pic: Reuters
When Harry Kinds was final on the Brits in 2023, he cleaned up in related trend to Dean.
This was his return, an unique TV efficiency of his new single, Aperture, and little doubt he’ll be again right here once more with extra nominations in 2027 following the much-anticipated launch of his new album subsequent month.
Kinds arrived on the ceremony in a saggy, double-breasted, pinstripe womenswear go well with by Chanel, teamed with black ballet flats, and stored the look, minus the jacket, to carry out on stage.
He was joined by a gospel choir for the efficiency, which opened with synchronised hand shaking and head actions and concluded in the identical means. It was type of giving A-level drama efficiency vibes, in case your A-level drama efficiency had been given a high finances and slickly produced.
It is an A* from us.
What was reduce?
Max Bassin of Geese accepts the award for Worldwide Group of the Yr on the Brits
The present went out reside on ITV, however Whitehall was fast to make a joke in regards to the BAFTAs controversy final weekend.
The Brits ceremony can typically get a bit “raucous”, he stated, however reassured viewers there was somebody working the bleep button.
“It is the man who did the BAFTAs, he is the very best within the enterprise,” Whitehall joked.
A number of incidents of swearing, a joke about Lord Peter Mandelson, and a shout of “free Palestine” have been all censored.
Whitehall made the Mandelson joke as he got here throughout Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, telling him the Brits is “the one celebration he is allowed into today”.
When it got here to speeches, most steered away from politics. New York rock band Geese did not, although, with drummer Max Bassin amassing the award for greatest worldwide group and saying: “What’s up the Brits? I simply need to say: free Palestine, f*** ICE, RIP Mani, let’s go Geese. Thanks.”
‘There’ll by no means be one other Ozzy Osbourne’
The tribute efficiency to Ozzy Osbourne. Pic: Reuters
The evening ended with an all-star tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, fronted by Robbie Williams.
Earlier than the set, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne went on stage to gather a lifetime achievement award honouring the heavy steel legend following his dying final 12 months.
To introduce the award, US nation legend Dolly Parton appeared by way of video hyperlink and stated Osbourne’s legacy had “left a everlasting imprint within the cloth of music lovers in all places”.
Parton then referred to as Sharon as much as the stage.
Learn extra:
Brits 2026: Purple carpet trend
The complete checklist of winners
The Brit Awards in Manchester because it occurred
“Ozzy was genuine,” Sharon stated. “He was a gifted, completely unpredictable, wild man. He was a real artist.”
Calling him a “humble egomaniac”, she additionally praised the whole lot her husband achieved.
“He was at all times proud to be that working-class Brummie and by no means let anybody overlook it,” she stated.
Kelly then thanked the viewers for loving her father “as a lot as we do”. Referencing Ozzy’s soccer crew, Aston Villa, she stated: “I hope I do not disrespect Manchester by saying this, however up the Villa and Birmingham perpetually.”
Sharon added: “There’ll by no means be one other Ozzy f****** Osbourne.”
Tributes to Mani and Amy Winehouse
There have been additionally tributes to Stone Roses bassist Mani throughout the present, with The Charlatans frontman main the In Memoriam part and calling him “one of many phenomenal ones”.
Ronson additionally paid tribute to Amy Winehouse, recalling how they wrote her hit music Again To Black and the way it modified his life.
Talking in regards to the artists he went on to work with, from Girl Gaga to Bruno Mars, he stated: “I do know the music I made with Amy is the rationale that any of them know who I’m anyway. That is why I at all times treasure her voice, her expertise and our bond, all of it.”
