8 Most Memorable Moments from the Brit Awards
The star-studded affair isn’t as always as glitzy and glamarous as we’re led to believe, but it always makes for great viewing.
The BRIT Awards have long been a cornerstone of the British music industry, celebrating the best in both home-grown and international talents anddelivering unforgettable performances, shocking speeches, and headline-making moments. Over the years, the annual ceremony has become known for its mix of glitz, unpredictability, and cultural significance, with artists using the stage to showcase their artistry, make bold statements, and even stir up a little controversy.
As the BRIT Awards 2025 looms into view, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in the ceremony’s 44 year history.
The rise (but most importantly, the fall) of Madonna
The 2015 BRIT Awards was a night filled with big wins, stunning performances, and one particularly shocking moment that had everyone talking. While Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith each walked away with two awards, it was pop icon Madonna who stole the headlines.
During her highly anticipated performance of Living for Love, a dancer reportedly attempted to remove the star’s cape, causing her to fall down a flight of steps and land awkwardly on the stage. The moment, which instantly went viral, sparked concern among fans, but in true Madonna fashion, she quickly recovered, got back on her feet, and powered through the rest of her performance.
Despite the unexpected mishap, the ceremony proved to be a major television hit that year. According to the BBC, an average of 5.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the show live on ITV, and when factoring in ITV+1, the total viewership rose to 5.8 million.
Adele finds herself cut off by James Corden
Award show presenters frequently cut winning acts speeches short as they ramble on about how much they appreciate everyone in their lives. James Cordon interrupted Adele in 2012 as he was introducing Blur for the last performance, but the Someone Like You singer didn’t take it lightly.
It’s no surprise that Adele was furious when her big moment was cut short—especially since her idol, George Michael, was in attendance for the first time in 17 years. As host James Corden escorted her offstage, she made her feelings crystal clear by flipping off the camera, letting the world know exactly how she felt about the interruption.
Corden later explained that while he personally would have let her continue speaking, the producers were urgently signaling him to wrap it up due to strict limits on ad breaks. Despite the abrupt ending, Adele’s reaction became one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
Little Mix Make History
At the 2021 BRIT Awards, Little Mix made history by becoming the first-ever girl group to win Best British Group. In addition to looking stunning on the red carpet, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall accepted the ceremony’s second award and took the stage to express gratitude to their fans, team and former bandmate Jesy Nelson.
They also talked about the challenges they had encountered in the industry. “It’s not easy being a female in the pop industry.” They continued by saying, “We’ve seen the sexism and lack of diversity. We’re proud of how we’ve stuck together, stood our ground, surrounded ourselves with strong women and are now using our voices more than ever.”
Harry Styles gets lost in the bathroom
When One Direction took the stage to accept their award for the Biggest British Act in the World, one member was noticeably missing—Harry Styles had accidentally timed his bathroom break all wrong.
Just before the band was announced as the winner, Harry had slipped away to the toilet, leaving Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan to accept the award without him. As the group reached the podium, a quick-thinking Liam scanned the crowd, trying to locate their missing bandmate. “Has anyone seen the curly lad? Right, there’s four of us now,” he joked, before seamlessly continuing with the speech.
Moments later, Harry was spotted sprinting onto the stage, making a last-minute entrance just in time to grab the microphone and join in on the celebration, turning an awkward moment into one of the night’s most memorable highlights.
Anne-Marie sprains her ankle
Is anyone getting a strange sense of deja vu? During her BRIT Awards performance, Anne-Marie also took an unexpected tumble while performing her hit song Kiss My (Uh Oh). She made a grand entrance from inside a giant heart, however, as she descended a set of stairs onto the stage at London’s O2 Arena, she appeared to trip after letting go of a dancer’s hand, momentarily losing her balance.
Despite the mishap, she powered through the rest of her performance, ending with a lighthearted chuckle. Later, she took to Twitter to poke fun at the moment, joking, “Didn’t need my left ankle anyway.”
Adele publically supports Kesha
When Adele accepted the BRIT Award for British Female Solo Artist, she took a moment to publicly show her support for Kesha, who was in the midst of a highly publicized legal battle against producer Dr. Luke.
During her speech, Adele said, “I’d like to take a quick second to thank my management and my record label for embracing the fact that I’m a woman and being encouraged by it. I’d also like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha.”
At the time, Kesha had accused Dr. Luke of emotionally and sexually assaulting her, allegations that dated back to 2005 when she was 18. The legal battle had drawn widespread attention, with many artists rallying behind Kesha. Taylor Swift also showed her support by donating $250,000 (£176,000) to help with Kesha’s legal expenses.
Dr. Luke denied all allegations, calling them “horrendous and untrue” while maintaining that they have damaged his reputation. He has never been prosecuted for any crimes related to Kesha’s claims.
Robbie Williams challenges Liam Gallagher
Shortly after Robbie and Liam’s encounter at Glastonbury, where Robbie was photographed in an embrace with the Oasis singer in 1995, Robbie challenged Liam to a fight. After the event, Liam called Robbie “the fat dancer from Take That,” as reported by Virgin Radio UK, implying that their friendship was only a passing one.
At the 2000 Brit Awards, it was evident that their relationship had fallen apart entirely. Robbie exploits the occasion to dedicate his acceptance speech to Liam and challenge him to a fight. “Who wants to watch me fight Liam?,” he said during his speech, “A hundred grand of your money and a hundred grand of my money. We’ll get in a ring, and we’ll have a fight, and you can all watch it on TV.”
It’s unclear if Robbie was making a joke about the fight, but it’s clear the threat had some honesty.
Stormzy calls out Theresa May
Stormzy’s 2018 BRIT Awards performance was as powerful as it was unforgettable, as he used the stage to deliver a scathing critique of then-Prime Minister Theresa May’s handling of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Following an emotionally charged rendition of Blinded By Your Grace, the rapper launched into a politically charged freestyle, directly calling out the government’s response to the tragic fire that claimed 72 lives the previous year.
Stormzy didn’t hold back, demanding accountability with lines like, “Where’s the money for Grenfell, Theresa May?” and “Do you think we just forget about Grenfell?” His frustration was evident as he went on to condemn those in power, rapping, “You criminals have the audacity to call us savages. Let’s see if you can handle this—burn down your house, you should pay some damages and serve some jail time.”
The performance sent shockwaves through the audience and beyond, making headlines for its bold political stance. Stormzy also took aim at the Daily Mail, a publication he had frequently clashed with, dismissing its attempts to discredit him and his music with an explicit takedown, declaring, “Suck my d***.”
With the BRIT Awards 2025 just a few days away, what new memorable moments should we be preparing ourselves for?
