Brit Awards moments: Sabrina Carpenter rules Britannia, and a tribute to Liam Payne
This was Charli XCX’s big night. Best artist, best album, best song, and more.
The Brat singer took home five awards in total, including the songwriter of the year prize announced ahead of the ceremony.
Pic: Reuters
Elsewhere, last year’s record-breaking Brits winner Raye took home the best RnB act prize, and there were also awards for Sam Fender, Fontaines DC and former Little Mix star Jade, who gave a shout-out to her bandmates in her acceptance speech.
As usual, there were several memorable moments throughout the ceremony. Starting with the opener…
Espresso/ Rule Britannia
Sabrina Carpenter went all out for the Brits. Pic: PA
Sabrina Carpenter understood the assignment. Think Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack tea towel dress in 1996, Dua Lipa’s tube arrival in 2021. The British stars know we love to see the United Kingdom celebrated, but US star Sabrina Carpenter could have been forgiven for going without the pomp and ceremony.
But no. She really did her homework.
Wearing a red sparkly military-style blazer dress and walking down an aisle lit up with the Union flag, the star was followed by dancing Beefeaters as she launched into Espresso. A mash-up into Rule Britannia followed, before she moved on to perform a cheeky rendition of Bed Chem.
We can only applaud.
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Selfies on the red carpet
The star later went on to collect the global success award – announced by none other than music icon Diana Ross, who livestreamed into the ceremony from a show in New York.
Collecting the prize on stage, Carpenter recalled coming to the UK for the first time 10 years ago when she said only about 10 people knew who she was. Next week, she’s back at the O2 Arena to headline.
The Espresso singer added: “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.”
Calls to save the grassroots
Myles Smith picked up the rising star prize. Pic: PA
Rising star winner Myles Smith may be a newcomer to the Brit Awards, but he wasn’t afraid to use the stage to let his thoughts on the state of the music industry be known.
The 26-year-old, who performed his songs Nice To Meet You and Stargazing, told the audience that while he had the “attention of the nation” he wanted to ask three questions, with his first to the government.
“If British music is one of the most powerful cultural exports we have, why have you treated it like an afterthought for so many years?” he said. “How many more venues need to close? How many more music programmes need to be cut before we realise that we can’t just celebrate success, you have to protect the foundations that make it?”
Smith went on to question major venues: “If artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grassroots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?”
Finally, “to the execs in the room, and to the people behind the scenes”, he asked: “Are we building careers or are we just chasing moments?”
Ezra Collective backstage with their award. Pic: PA
In November last year, plans were announced for a voluntary levy on tickets for concerts at stadiums and arenas to help fund grassroots venues after the closures of high numbers in recent years.
Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective also spoke about the importance of nurturing young artists as the jazz group collected the group of the year award, saying they are where they are now “because of the great youth clubs, and the great teachers and the great schools that support young people playing music”.
Bass player Georgia Davies, of indie group The Last Dinner Party, also spoke about the importance of saving independent music venues.
“We wouldn’t be a band, and a lot of the artists here would not be bands either, without the UK’s incredible independent venues, and they are the lifeblood of the music industry and they are dying,” she said, as the band collected the best new artist award.
Jack Whitehall’s return
Pic: PA
It’s been four years since comedian Jack Whitehall was last at the helm of the Brits.
He made his comeback with gags about Stormzy – “the grime scene’s Ronald McDonald”, in light of his controversial collaboration with the fast food chain – and dynamic pricing, following the ticket sale for the Oasis reunion gigs announced last year.
Whitehall’s jokes also included a skit sending up Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s infamous Grammy red carpet appearance last month, when Censori dropped her coat to show an incredibly revealing dress and no underwear.
This time round, it was Whitehall’s parents, Michael and Hilary, preparing to shock the paps.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, Jack,” his mum shouted.
Stormzy doesn’t agree with fan vote
Pic: PA
The rapper was named best hip-hop/ grime act, one of the genre awards which are voted for by the public.
Wearing sunglasses on stage, he told the audience he had hurt his eye playing padel.
The 31-year-old said that while he was grateful to the Brits and those who had voted, he did not “entirely” agree with the way the genre prizes are chosen.
“I don’t entirely think this award should be fan-voted,” Stormzy said. “I don’t think any of the awards should be fan-voted, not on a controversial one. I don’t know, sometimes I think it doesn’t let people have their moments.
“I think Cench (Central Cee) was the rap artist of the year, but these things don’t define us as much as they’re amazing and we love them. I’m very grateful to the Brits, and I’m grateful to the public.”
Chappell Roan’s tribute
Chappell Roan, pictured at the Grammy Awards in February. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
As well as Charli XCX and Carpenter, it was a big night for US star Chappell Roan, who won the awards for best international artist and best international song, for Good Luck, Babe!
The singer could not attend the ceremony but recorded acceptance speeches, and dedicated her artist award to trans artists, drag queens, fashion students, sex workers and the late Sinead O’Connor.
“Thank you to my team and my fans all over the world, but especially to my UK girlies, you have been there since day one, and Chappell Roan was born through experiencing queer joy,” she said.
“It’s so special, I had to write an entire album about it. I dedicate this to trans artists, to drag queens, to fashion students, sex workers and Sinead O’Connor. Because of all those people, they have laid the groundwork for me to be here today.”
‘So many amazing memories of Liam’
Pic: PA
Whitehall said the Brits had to pay tribute to Liam Payne, who was someone who played such a huge part in the show over the years.
The 31-year-old died in October, after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
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Paying tribute, Whitehall said Payne had “achieved so much in the short time that he was on this Earth, and was not only a supremely gifted musician, but an incredibly kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with”.
He continued: “We have so many amazing memories of Liam here at the Brits, so tonight we celebrate his legacy.”
A video was then played showing clips of the singer with his family, as well as footage from his time as a contestant on The X Factor and with One Direction.
Payne won seven awards with One Direction during the band’s time together, and also performed at the event when he launched his solo career.
Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.
As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.
Pete Townshend
“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.
“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”
If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.
But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.
Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation.
Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.
“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”
Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.
For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.
Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.
“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”
Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.
“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.
“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”
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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.
“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.
Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.
It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.
Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.
The charges relate to four women.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.
He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.
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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges
The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.
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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.
He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.
Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.
Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.
Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.
Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.
Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.
In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.
The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.
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