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.
The BBC has responded after it was reported that two Strictly Come Dancing stars have been accused of taking cocaine.
The broadcaster is said to have hired an external law firm to probe the drug-taking allegations, which a source said were “well-known” on the show, The Sun on Sunday reports.
The claims were reportedly made on behalf of celebrity contestant Wynne Evans in a legal submission to the BBC in March.
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Sky News: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Sky News understands that it is not unusual for the BBC to engage an external individual to provide additional expert resource to help deliver a BBC-led investigation. In these cases, they would report to an established BBC team.
PA file pic
The allegations published in The Sun on Sunday include a source saying that one Strictly star had told another about a third celebrity on the show: “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”
“The BBC have known about these allegations for some time, and acknowledged receiving them. Now they are taking firm action,” the source reportedly said.
The two individuals accused of drug taking have not been named.
It is the latest crisis to hit the BBC and Strictly.
In July last year, Amanda Abbington accused Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice of “abusive or threatening behaviour”. The actress, who was paired with Pernice, withdrew from the show in 2023.
The BBC upheld “some, but not all” of the allegations, with Abbington describing an apology from the corporation as a “vindication”, while Pernice denied displaying “abusive or threatening behaviour”.
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Also in July 2024, Strictly professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima confirmed he was leaving the show amid reports of alleged misconduct.
Separately, Laura Whitmore alleged “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on the show.
In January this year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans made “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch, for which he later apologised.
The Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, is getting under way, and the conflict in Gaza seems to be feeding into what’s happening.
From shows cancelled to artists divided, it’s no joke.
Rachel Creeger has had a distressing start to her stand-up run.
Two weeks ago, out of the blue, she says the venue Whistle Binkies rang her and fellow Jewish comedian Philip Simon to cancel their slots.
Rachel Creeger says her Edinburgh shows have been cancelled by the venue
She told Sky News it’s come down to “what we bring to that venue by being ourselves”.
The pair were allegedly given three reasons for the cancellation.
One was linked to a “vigil for IDF soldiers” that she says the venue initially claimed had been held during her performance last year but, according to Creeger, later had to admit hadn’t taken place.
“That never happened,” she insists.
Rachel says she was told her previous performances there had resulted in the venue having to pay for graffiti to be removed from toilet doors every three days.
“Again, we didn’t see evidence of that at all,” she says.
“We’re not the ones writing it… but if it was bothering them and they worried it was bothering us, then maybe we’d have volunteered to help them – or to help clean it.”
She claims she was also told the venue was responding to staff concerns about their own safety should Creeger’s show go ahead.
“It’s a pub in Edinburgh, it’s a music venue, they themselves have bouncers most evenings… And perhaps they might say if there’s a concern about extra risk, we should do all we can to make our performers safe.”
‘More unites us than divides us’
Creeger says her show is in no way political.
“It’s based around the idea that a Jewish mother can answer any question, solve any problem… I will make it better for you, the audience gets to write a question and put it into a chicken soup pot… The reason I kind of love it is because by the end of it people leave feeling actually more unites us than divides us.
“We’re not the people making the trouble,” she adds.
“I’ve certainly never started a protest, I’ve never done graffiti, I’ve never caused harm anywhere; my show doesn’t do that, my show is lovely.”
As Britain’s only touring comedian who is also a practising Orthodox Jew, she says since the 7 October attack she and other Jewish comedians are experiencing a significant increase in antisemitism while performing.
“We’re not Israeli, we’re British Jews,” says Creeger.
“The situation there is horrendous and distressing and painful for people of any number of religions and races… To be kind of scapegoated with dog whistles around that is clearly very, very unpleasant.”
The Fringe Society has said its role is to provide support and advice to all participants at the festival “with a vision to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat”.
A spokesperson explained they don’t manage or programme venues and “we understand that the show cancellations have been a choice made by the venue”.
Whistle Binkies hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment.
Police Scotland told Sky News it hasn’t “received any reports of concern” about Creeger’s show.
There are, of course, huge sensitivities when it comes to discussing what’s going on in the world right now.
American stand-up Zainab Johnson is making her Fringe debut this year.
While her show Toxically Optimistic is all about putting a positive spin on life’s challenges, she doesn’t shy away from tackling the serious stuff if it comes up.
Zainab Johnson says her show doesn’t shy away from tackling serious issues
‘Shows becoming serious is a part of life’
“If I’m doing a show and somebody wants to yell out Free Palestine, well let’s talk about it,” she tells Sky News.
“I am the comedian where, if the show has to become serious, it becomes serious. That’s a part of life, you know?”
Johnson adds: “I’m from the United States and they talk about free speech all the time, but then you find out free speech ain’t really free because the moment you say something that is contrary to what the majority feels or wants to be heard, then you can be penalised…
“But isn’t that the beauty of this festival? So many people just telling their story, whatever their story is.”
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Comedian Andy Parsons has had a long-standing career in satire, appearing regularly on shows like BBC2’s Mock the Week.
While he has the likes of Elon Musk and Nigel Farage in his sights for his stand-up show, Please #@!$ Off to Mars, they’re not his only focus.
Andy Parsons says comedians ‘should be able to talk about anything’
He says stand-ups “should be able to talk about anything and find a way to get that to work, including Israel and Gaza”.
He explains jokingly: “I’ve got some stuff about Israel in the show and obviously it can work both ways. It can give you some publicity and obviously it can get you cancelled.”
Irish-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh – a clown comic – is the only Palestinian doing a full run of a comedy show at this year’s Fringe.
“My show is clowning, it’s storytelling, it’s even got a bit of stand-up and it’s heavily inspired by the comedian Dave Allen, who is one of my comedy heroes,” says Wardeh.
“It felt really important that I come and just exist in this space, as a Palestinian, and speak my words and have my voice heard.
“I’ve used all of these skills to make a show that is about really what’s going on in this country and in the world at the moment.
Irish-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh is the only Palestinian doing a full run at this year’s Fringe
“I think most people in this country are going to recognise that Britain is in a very dark place… and I’m hoping to reach those people and to give a voice to the dissatisfaction.”
‘Plans in place’ for disruption
He’s had to consider the possibility of protests and take steps to “make sure that the audience and myself are safe and secure”.
“We have plans in place to know how to deal with people who are disruptive,” he says. “And particularly anybody who wants to bring any kind of bigoted views into the room.”
As one of the very few Palestinians at the festival, Wardeh says it is “not only my duty” but “an honour to be here and to represent my people”.
He also feels it’s wrong that Rachel Creeger has had her venue cancelled.
“I sincerely support free speech and I think everyone should be able to get on the stage and say what they want, within reason obviously,” says Wardeh.
Rachel says she hopes to confirm a new venue for her show on social media in the coming days.
“We’ve thankfully had a number of venues approach us to say that they have space available, so I’m hopeful that I’ll get – if not a full – then at least part of the run for the show.”
Since arriving in Edinburgh she’s been overwhelmed by how many hugs of support she’s received.
“To have super high-profile comedians put their heads above the parapet to say ‘this is wrong’, it means so much…In a way the story is that someone’s done something very hurtful… But look at all the love, that’s amazing.”
Sami Abu Wardeh’s Palestine: Peace de Resistance is at the Pleasance Dome in Edinburgh until 24 August
Andy Parsons’ Please #@!$ Off to Mars is at Pleasance Courtyard’s Cabaret Bar until 10 August
Zainab Johnson: Toxically Optimistic is at Pleasance Courtyard until 24 August
Entertainment
Flintoff praises NHS staff who treated him after crash, as doctor says his injuries were ‘among most complex’ he’s ever seen
Andrew Flintoff has praised the “love and compassion” of “superhero” staff in a visit to the hospital that treated him after his crash.
The cricket legend was seriously injured during the incident on the Top Gear track in Surrey in December 2022.
He was airlifted to St George’s in Tooting, with a surgeon calling Flintoff’s injuries some of the most complex he’s seen.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George’s,” Flintoff said, as he returned to the London hospital.
“I came here probably the lowest I’ve ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible.
“I’ll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.”
Maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq said Flintoff’s case was very complex. Pic: PA
Jahrad Haq, a maxillofacial surgeon, said he knew immediately the case was something out of the ordinary.
“I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant,” said Mr Haq.
“A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious.
“Of all the trauma cases I’ve seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.”
The ex-cricketer with nurses Linda Holden (left) and Sonia Steer. Pic: PA
Flintoff was also pictured on his visit meeting lead dental nurse Linda Holden and principal orthodontic nurse Sonia Steer.
Shamim Umarji, who also treated the 47-year-old, said it was “wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost”.
“He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot,” added the trauma and orthopaedic surgeon.
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Flintoff previously described how he thought he had died in the accident – which saw him “pulled face-down on the runway” for about 50m under a three-wheel car.
The incident led to the BBC pulling the plug on Top Gear and it remains unclear if it will ever return.
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