British star Harry Styles has won the biggest award at this year’s Grammys, the prize for best album – on a night that also saw Beyonce make history to become the ceremony’s most decorated artist of all time.
Former One Direction star Styles collected the top prize for his third album Harry’s House, seeing off serious competition from artists including Adele, Lizzo and Kendrick Lamar, as well as record-breaker Beyonce.
Earlier in the night, the 29-year-old told the audience that the album “from start to finish” had been “the greatest experience” of his life.
Image: Styles performed his hit As It Was earlier in the night. Pic: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Beyonce arrived late to the show (even Queen Bey gets stuck in traffic, it seems), but made it in time to pick up her gong for best dance/electronic album for Renaissance – her 32nd Grammys trophy, which saw her break the record previously held by the late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti, who won 31 throughout his career.
“I’m trying not to be too emotional,” the 41-year-old said as she collected her award on stage. “I’m trying just to receive this night.”
The award was presented by British star James Corden, who told the crowd as he announced the result: “We are witnessing history tonight.”
Image: New BFFs: Adele and The Rock. Pic: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Adele was also among the winners who took to the stage. Despite her partner Rich Paul apparently telling her “not to cry” should she win any of the gongs she was nominated for, the star was visibly emotional as she collected the best pop solo performance prize for her hit song Easy On Me, and dedicated it to her son, Angelo.
The 34-year-old accepted the award from her “new best friend” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who she got to meet for the first time at the start of the night.
Image: Cardi B was among the stars to make headlines with their red carpet looks. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Elsewhere, there was something of a surprise win for 73-year-old blues singer Bonnie Raitt, who beat the likes of Adele, Beyonce, Styles, Lizzo and Taylor Swift to win the award for best song for Just Like That.
Song of the year, which recognises composition and songwriters, is one of the “big four” prizes at the Grammys, along with record of the year, album of the year and best new artist.
Record of the year, which looks at the recording of a track and honours the contributing artists, producers and engineers, went to Lizzo, for About Damn Time, while jazz singer Samara Joy saw off competition from British stars Wet Leg (a favourite of Barack Obama), as well as 2021 Eurovision winners Maneskin, to be named best newcomer.
Image: About Damn Time: Lizzo was also among the performers. Pic: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Lamar won the Grammy for best rap album, for Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, while best country album went to Willie Nelson for A Beautiful Time.
As much as the trophies, the Grammys is about the performances, and the biggest of the night came from artists including Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Rakim, Salt N Pepa and Grandmaster Flash – their medley of songs celebrating 50 years of hip-hop.
The special segment began with LL Cool J presenting the global impact award to Dr Dre, announcing that in future years the prize will now be named after him.
Image: Dr Dre’s legendary hip-hop career was honoured with the global impact award – now to be named after the star. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Image: Kim Petras, right, and Sam Smith were recognised for their hit Unholy. Pic: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Non-binary star Sam Smith and Kim Petras gave a raunchy rendition of their huge hit Unholy after picking up the Grammy for best pop duo performance for the song – making Petras the first transgender woman to win the award.
And Kacey Musgraves, Mick Fleetwood, Sheryl Crow and Quavo were among the stars who performed during the in memoriam section, which paid tribute to artists including Migos rapper Takeoff, Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie and Jeff Beck.
Image: Viola Davis joins the EGOT club
With more than 90 awards, many are handed out before the televised ceremony, and another big moment came earlier in the night – when actress Viola Davis earned the coveted EGOT status after winning the Grammy award for best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording.
The title of EGOT is given to those that have won one of each of the four major US awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony – and Davis becomes only the 18th person to achieve the accolade.
And two other off-camera prizes saw success for Wet Leg; less than two years on from their very first live gig, the Isle Of Wight duo picked up the trophies for best alternative music performance and alternative music album.
The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo will be among the stars headlining Glastonbury Festival this year, it has been announced.
Glastonbury organisers have revealed the line-up for this summer’s event, taking place between 25 June and 29 June, after months of speculation.
The 1975 will take to the iconic Pyramid Stage on the Friday to headline, then Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young will perform on Saturday and Olivia Rodrigo on the Sunday.
Other big names performing include British pop sensation Charli XCX, rapper Loyle Carner electronic group The Prodigy.
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Young’s announcement in January came amid some confusion, as he had days before told fans he was pulling out of the festival because the BBC’s involvement was a “corporate turn-off”.
The Canadian singer-songwriter later said this decision was down to “an error in the information I received”.
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The 1975 will be headlining for the first time, having made their Glastonbury debut in 2014.
The Cheshire band, known for hits such as Somebody Else and Chocolate, have regularly made headlines due to the antics of frontman Matty Healy.
Glastonbury, which takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset in the summer, has worked closely with the BBC – its exclusive broadcast partner – since 1997.
Image: Neil Young performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival last May. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Appetite for the esteemed festival saw standard tickets sell out in 35 minutes in November.
They cost £373.50 plus a £5 booking fee, up £18.50 from the price from the 2024 festival, and were sold exclusively through the See Tickets website.
The date for the resale – where tickets not fully paid for are put back up for purchase – is set for some time in spring.
The headliners last summer on the iconic Pyramid Stage were Dua Lipa, SZA and Coldplay, who made history as the first act to headline the festival five times.
2026 is likely to be a year off for Glastonbury, with the festival traditionally taking place four out of every five years, and the fifth year reserved for rehabilitation of the land.
Ofcom received 825 complaints over the Brit Awards, with the majority relating to Sabrina Carpenter’s raunchy performance and Charli XCX’s outfit, the media watchdog says.
US pop star Carpenter, 25, sported a red sparkly military-style blazer dress for her performance at the awards show on Saturday night, paired with stockings and suspenders for a rendition of Espresso.
The song was mixed with a Rule Britannia mash-up, as dancers in military parade dress followed her.
She then switched to a red sparkly bra and shorts for her next song, Bad Chem, which she performed alongside dancers in bras and shorts while sitting suggestively on a large bed.
Image: Sabrina Carpenter performing her second song. Pic: Reuters
Carpenter later received the global success award at the ceremony, and was also nominated in the international artist and international song of the year categories.
But much of the buzz on social media surrounded her performance, which took place before the 9pm watershed.
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The singer addressed the concerns during her acceptance speech for artist of the year, saying: “I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of ‘free the nipple’ though, right?”
Carpenter paid tribute to the UK in her acceptance speech, saying: “The Brits have given me this award, and this feels like such an insane honour in a very primarily tea-drinking country… you really understood my dry sense of humour because your sense of humour is so, so dry. So I love y’all more than you even understand.”
Actor Noel Clarke begins his High Court libel case against The Guardian’s publisher today.
Clarke, 49, is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles it published about him in April 2021.
They were based on the claims of 20 women Clarke knew “in a professional capacity” who allege his behaviour towards them amounted to sexual misconduct.
Clarke, known for his roles in the Kidulthood trilogy and Dr Who, “vehemently” denies “any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing”.
What will the trial cover?
Clarke is suing GNM for libel, sometimes also referred to as defamation.
It’s a civil tort – not a criminal offence – defined as false written statements that have damaged the person’s reputation. This means Clarke can seek redress or damages but no one will face charges or prison.
Clarke claims the articles The Guardian published in 2021 altered public opinion of him, damaged his reputation, and lost him work.
He said after the allegations emerged: “In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me.
“If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.”
The Guardian is defending the claim on the basis of truth and public interest.
It said in its statement: “Our reporting on Noel Clarke in 2021 was based on the accounts of 20 brave women. After we published our first article, more women came forward.
“At trial, 32 witnesses are set to testify against Mr Clarke under oath. We look forward to a judge hearing the evidence.”
The trial will only focus on liability – not the amount of damages to be paid if Clarke is successful.
The actor tried and failed to get the case struck out in January, with his legal team saying it had “overwhelming evidence” of “perversion of the course of justice”.
His lawyers told the High Court three of the journalists involved in the articles had “deliberately and permanently” deleted messages, which meant he could not get a fair trial.
Lawyers for GNM told the court there was “no adequate evidential basis” for Clarke’s application for a strike out and said it sought “to smear Guardian journalists and editors without any proper justification”.
The trial, which will be presided over by judge Mrs Justice Steyn, is expected to last between four and six weeks.
Image: In July 2015. Pic: PA
What has happened since the articles were published?
A month before the articles about him were published in April 2021, Clarke received BAFTA’s outstanding contribution to British cinema award.
However, once the allegations against him emerged, he was suspended by the organisation and the prize rescinded.
His management and production company 42M&P told Sky News they were no longer representing him and Sky cancelled its TV show Bulletproof, starring Clarke and Top Boy actor Ashley Walters as the lead roles.
ITV also decided to pull the finale of another of his dramas, Viewpoint, following the Guardian articles.
The Met Police looked into the allegations against Clarke for any potential criminal wrongdoing, but in March 2022 announced they “did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation”.
Clarke filed the libel claim the following month and has attended several of the preliminary hearings in person.
He says he has faced a “trial by media” – and that the ordeal has left him suicidal and in need of professional help.
Image: At the UK premiere of Kidulthood in London’s Leicester Square in 2006. Pic: PA
‘Rising star’
Clarke made his TV debut in a revived version of Auf Wiedersehen Pet in 2002.
Soon after he played Mickey Smith in Dr Who and Kwame in the six-part Channel 4 series Metrosexuality.
He wrote and starred in the film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood, and Brotherhood, which were based in west London, where he grew up, and explored the lives of a group of teenagers given time off school after a bullied classmate takes their own life.
It was a box office success and eventually saw Clarke given BAFTA’s rising star prize in 2009.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.