Brit Awards: Six things to look out for in tonight's brit awards ceremony
The biggest stars in pop and rock have gathered in Manchester for the 46th edition of the brit awards. Tonight’s ceremony, the first time the event has been held outside London since its inception in 1977, brings a packed shortlist and a programme of wide live coverage.
Manchester hosts Brit Awards ceremony
Manchester plays host to a ceremony that could see Raye pick up her eighth and ninth Brit Awards. The event is being staged outside London for the first time since 1977, and the city will also stage closed door rehearsals at Manchester's Co-Op Arena that bar everyone but essential staff.
Raye's potential eighth and ninth
Raye is poised to add to past success, with the possibility of leaving Manchester with an eighth and ninth Brit Award. Two Londoners lead the nominations this year: Olivia Dean and Lola Young each have five nominations, and both had some of 2025's best-selling singles with Man I Need and Messy — singles that could earn them a Brit.
Harry Styles' planned performance
Harry Styles will give the first live performance of music from his fourth album. It is three years since he last played at the Brits; in 2023 he performed As It Was, sprinting around the O2 Arena in a spangly red suit jacket, and walked off with four trophies including album of the year. This year he will perform Aperture, described as the clubby, hypnotic single from his forthcoming record Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally.
Details of the performance are being kept secret. Rehearsals are described as "closed door rehearsals" at Manchester's Co-Op Arena. There is hope he will recreate elements of the music video, in which he gets into a massive brawl with a stalker that slowly turns into a dance routine and during which he is hoisted into the sky like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. Styles will also appear in a sketch with host Jack Whitehall; Whitehall said: "I had to send over a couple of ideas, because I don't think the first few were appropriate. " He added that one early idea involved trekking for days to find Styles living in a hut, looking like Hagrid, and shaving him.
Nominations and standouts to watch
The shortlist is eclectic. Olivia Dean and Lola Young lead with five nominations each. Lily Allen receives recognition for her bitter break-up album West End Girl. Songs from the movie musicals Wicked and KPop Demon Hunters have been shortlisted, and the resurgent Britpop band Pulp have a best group nomination. The best British artist category is described as hotly contested and difficult to call, with Olivia Dean, Lola Young, Lily Allen, Dave, Sam Fender and PinkPantheress all named as deserving winners.
Observers note a change from recent years when the Brits were criticised as predictable: multiple trophies for Harry Styles in 2023, Raye in 2024 and Charli XCX in 2025 reflected a period where one artist could dominate and new talent struggled to break through. Organisers and fans are watching to see how the 46th edition shifts that pattern.
Global's wide coverage plans
A coordinated push across Global’s stations and digital brands will put presenters at the centre of BRIT Awards coverage. Capital, Heart, Capital XTRA and Capital Buzz will broadcast live from the red carpet, speaking to nominees and winners as they arrive and capturing reaction throughout the night across radio, social and digital platforms. Presenters will report from backstage and the winners' room, with content shared across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Capital continues a long-standing partnership, sponsoring the Song of the Year with Mastercard supported by Capital category for nearly two decades. Jimmy Hill will host his Saturday show from 9am to 12pm live from Manchester, while Global's showbiz team reports from Co-op Live. The broadcast follows a week of build-up branded as Capital’s BRITs Winning Weekend.
Heart’s showbiz correspondent Ashley Roberts will report live from the red carpet on Saturday afternoon, before sharing backstage stories and coverage of the after parties on Heart Breakfast on Monday morning. Capital XTRA will focus on red carpet and backstage interviews. Capital Anthems airs Best of the BRITs on Friday from 6pm, revisiting previous performances and winners. James Rea, Global’s Chief Broadcasting and Content Officer, said: "The BRIT Awards is one of the biggest nights in music in the world and we’ll make sure Global’s audiences don’t just hear about, but get to experience every minute of this very special event!" The coverage invites audiences to get real time updates directly on their device by subscribing.
The 46th brit awards in Manchester blends high-stakes nominations, a headline performance preview, and a major live broadcasting effort that together make tonight's show a closely watched moment in the music calendar.
