Tim Burgess Delivers Tribute to Mani as Brit Awards Move to Manchester
Tim Burgess remembered Gary “Mani” Mounfield on the red carpet ahead of the Brit Awards 2026, saying “the world misses him” as the ceremony marked its first staging in Manchester after nearly five decades in London. The tribute comes as artists, nominees and fans gathered at Co-Op Live ahead of a ceremony that features major performances and multiple high-profile nominations.
Tim Burgess on Gary "Mani" Mounfield
Speaking to the Press Association on the red carpet, the 58-year-old Charlatans frontman said being asked to pay tribute was “obviously an honour. ” Burgess—best known as the lead singer of The Charlatans—said he would use the In Memoriam slot to reaffirm points people already know about Mounfield’s impact rather than to add new revelations: he would not be “saying anything more than people already know, but I’ll just be reaffirming it on this stage. ”
Gary “Mani” Mounfield and the Stone Roses
Mounfield, an original member of Manchester rock band The Stone Roses, died in November 2025 at the age of 63. Burgess said the death continues to send “shockwaves, ” and that the moment has sharpened an appreciation for how much The Stone Roses meant to many people.
In Memoriam segment at the Brit Awards
Burgess will pay his tribute during the In Memoriam section of the awards ceremony. The decision to include a live reaffirmation from a contemporary peer follows the shock of Mounfield’s passing and the sense among attendees that a public remembrance was necessary.
Manchester’s Co-Op Live red carpet arrivals
Stars gathered at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena ahead of the show. Artists among the early arrivals included Tallia Storm and US singers Alex Warren and Ashley Roberts. Shaun Ryder, the Happy Mondays frontman, was also on the red carpet and described Mounfield as “a beautiful human being” and “a genius bass player, ” adding that he had never seen him be unkind to anyone. Ryder, from Greater Manchester, said he thought it was “brilliant” the ceremony had moved to the North West for the first time.
Harry Styles, nominations and release timelines
The night will include a performance from former One Direction star Harry Styles, who will showcase music from his upcoming fourth studio album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, which is due for release on March 6. The performance follows Styles’ last Brits appearance in 2023, when he won four awards after the release of Harry’s House.
Leading the nomination pack are Lola Young and Olivia Dean, each with five nominations. Olivia Dean, 26, is nominated for artist of the year and album of the year, is shortlisted in the pop act category, and has two chances at song of the year for Man I Need and Rein Me In—the latter credited in part to a guest spot with Sam Fender.
What makes this notable is the convergence of local and national music narratives: a Manchester-focused ceremony coinciding with a public farewell to a key figure from the city’s musical history while contemporary artists compete for top honours.
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