Sam Fender wins two Brit Awards and kisses girlfriend as viewers slam ITV editing

sam fender picked up two Brit Awards on Saturday as the ceremony relocated to Manchester, a night that also saw viewers complain that one of his wins was largely edited out of the main broadcast. The singer-songwriter’s onstage moment with his rarely-seen girlfriend and the swift editing of the ceremony provoked a strong reaction from fans watching at home.

Sam Fender shares Song of the Year with Olivia Dean and kisses Rosa Collier

The night opened for Sam Fender with a Song of the Year victory alongside Olivia Dean for their collaboration Rein Me In, a track that reached number one on the singles chart the previous weekend after spending 35 weeks in the top 40. As Robbie Williams presented the award, Sam, 31, leaned in for a congratulatory kiss with his rarely-seen girlfriend Rosa Collier before walking onto the stage.

The acceptance speech for Song of the Year was notably brief, with neither artist offering much to say, and viewers saw Sam and his band on stage during the award presentation. A friend said Fender and Collier have been quietly linked since 2022, their relationship growing more serious in 2023; Collier, an actress who studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, is reported to travel with him, knows his family and band, and was visible in the crowd supporting him.

Hat-trick in Alternative/Rock and a contested broadcast edit

Sam secured his third Alternative/Rock Act Brit on the same night, completing a hat-trick in that category after previously winning it twice. He first won a Brit seven years ago with the Critics' Choice award in 2019, the year his debut album Hypersonic Missiles reached number one. The ceremony’s producers condensed Fender’s subsequent win into a highlights reel alongside the Pop, R& B, Dance and Rap/Hip Hop and Grime category winners, a move that left many viewers "fuming".

Fans took to X to voice their anger, with one viewer writing, "why the f*** didn't they show my Sam Fender winning alternative rock act, " and another posting, "Dance act, rock act and hiphop not even live?, ITV what the f*** is going on tonight?" Winners typically receive advance warning through camera crews gathering around their table; that did not happen on Saturday.

Manchester's Co-op Live hosted the 46th BRITs as Olivia Dean swept multiple prizes

The 46th edition of the BRIT Awards took place at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena for the first time on Saturday. Olivia Dean, 26, left with four awards—Best Artist, Best Album, Best Song and Best Pop Act—winning every category in which she was nominated. She also became the first woman since Adele in 2021 to claim the UK’s No. 1 single and album in the same week, with Man I Need and The Art Of Loving, both released in 2025.

While Dean dominated the night, other prominent artists did not fare as well; Lily Allen, despite strong chart presence with her album West End Girl, did not win in the Artist of the Year, Album of the Year or Best Pop Act categories.

Fender’s recent run of milestones and glimpses from the stage

Sam Fender used his brief time on the winners’ podium to reflect on an extraordinary recent period that included securing a third number one album with People Watching and winning the Mercury Prize. He also performed his biggest gig to date at London's Finsbury Park and sold out three consecutive nights at St James' Park in Newcastle. Audiences at the ceremony heard that Fender did not expect to win, a reaction tied to the absence of the usual camera crew alert at his table.

The track Rein Me In gave Fender his maiden number one single the weekend before the BRITs, capping a long chart presence of 35 weeks in the top 40 for the song.

Fan reaction, broadcast choices and what’s next

Viewers’ frustration focused on the decision to reduce live coverage of several genre categories to a highlights package, prompting strong messages on social media and a sense that the ceremony had glossed over awards historically broadcast in full. ITV audiences nevertheless saw Fender on stage and witnessed his kiss with Rosa Collier as he accepted Song of the Year.

It is unclear in the provided context what Fender’s next scheduled live date or the award show's next broadcast plans are.