Tim Burgess: ‘The world misses him’ — tim burgess remembers Mani ahead of Brits
tim burgess remembered his friend Gary “Mani” Mounfield as stars arrived on the red carpet ahead of the Brit Awards 2026. The 58-year-old frontman of The Charlatans confirmed he will pay tribute to Mounfield in the In Memoriam section of the ceremony.
Tim Burgess on Mani’s legacy
Tim Burgess said it was "obviously an honour" to be asked to pay tribute to Gary “Mani” Mounfield, who was an original member of Manchester rock band The Stone Roses and died at the age of 63 in November 2025. Burgess said: "The world misses him, and the shockwaves seem to continue, " and added that the moment brought home "just how much The Stone Roses meant to everybody. " He told the red carpet crowd he "won't be saying anything more than people already know, but I'll just be reaffirming it on this stage. "
Red carpet arrivals at Co-Op Live
Stars gathered at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena as the awards moved to the city for the first time after nearly 50 years in London. Artists including Tallia Storm and US singers Alex Warren and Ashley Roberts were among the early arrivals on the red carpet.
Reaction from Shaun Ryder
Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder, from Greater Manchester, was among those paying tribute and described Mani as "a beautiful human being, an absolutely beautiful human being. " Ryder added: "Never mind being a genius bass player, he was just a really beautiful person. I've never seen him be unkind to anybody. " He also said he thinks it is "brilliant" that the award ceremony is being held in the North West for the first time.
Performance plans and nominations
The highly anticipated Brit Awards ceremony will include a performance from former One Direction star Harry Styles. Styles will perform music from his upcoming fourth studio album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, which is due for release on March 6. The appearance comes three years after his last performance on the Brits stage at the awards in 2023, which saw him take home four gongs following the release of his album Harry’s House.
Leading nominees and key contenders
Singers Lola Young and Olivia Dean lead the award nominations with five each. Olivia Dean, 26, is nominated for artist and album of the year and for pop act, and she has two chances at winning song of the year for "Man I Need" and "Rein Me In, " the latter credited in part to a guest spot with Sam Fender.
On the red carpet, tim burgess reflected on the move of the Brit Awards to Manchester, saying: "I think it's cool to not be in London, because music is kind of everywhere. There's been amazing bands from Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, amazing bands from Liverpool, Manchester. It's great. " He will deliver his tribute during the In Memoriam section of the ceremony.
