Brits 2023 live updates: Song of the Year nominee Lewis Capaldi bets on Harry Styles win

The biggest night in British music is finally here – the 2023 Brit awards.

For the first time ever, this year’s event will take place on a Saturday night (11 February).

The Brits will be presented by returning host Mo Gilligan at the O2 Arena. The comedian took over hosting duties from Jack Whitehall last year.

For those not in attendance at tonight’s ceremony, viewers can tune in from home.

Red carpet coverage will begin on ITV2 from 7.30pm. Music fans will then have to switch over to ITV1 where the ceremony – including a number of confirmed live performances – will be broadcast from 8.30pm until 10.45pm.

The full list of nominations were announced in January. Wet Leg, Harry Styles, Stormzy, Arctic Monkey, and The 1975 are among the acts up for some of the evening’s top prizes.

The frontman of the latter band was recently embroiled in controversy over a podcast interview during which he and the hosts mocked Japanese, Hawaiian and Scottish people.

This is the second year that the Brits have introduced gender-neutral categories. There has been backlash, however, to the all-male contender list for this year’s Artist of the Year prize.

Follow along with live updates from the night here…

Key Points

• Full list of 2023 nominees, from Taylor Swift to Harry Styles and Stormzy

• How to watch the 2023 Brits on TV

Reminder...

19:51 , Annabel Nugent

PSA: in case you’ve forgotten, here is the full list of tonight’s nominees...

Cat Burns wants to party with Jessie J

19:46 , Annabel Nugent

Cat Burns – a nominee tonight for Song of the Year and Pop/R&B – will be performing.

Dream scenario, who do you end up partying with tonight? “Maybe someone random like Jessie J. I think she’d be good vibes.”

Maya Jama chats to Sam Ryder

19:44 , Annabel Nugent

Eurovison star Sam Ryder looks brihgt and sunny in a pastel green suit.

Lewis Capaldi reveals ‘why he is here'

19:40 , Annabel Nugent

“I don’t know. They keep asking me to come!” Such a Lewis Capaldi answer, bless him.

A look back at last year...

19:37 , Annabel Nugent

Cast your minds back to last year’s ceremony – when Anne-Marie took a tumble during her performance and Adele triumphed.

The six biggest talking points from the 2022 Brit Awards

Charli XCX steps out onto the red carpet

19:35 , Annabel Nugent

Charli XCX was snubbed earlier this month at the Grammys, but may take home the Pop / R&B award tonight.

She looks incredible stepping out onto the red carpet tonight.

Live coverage begins on ITV2

19:33 , Annabel Nugent

Red carpet coverage has begun over on ITV2 so you can tune in yourself – or stay glued to this live blog for all the important bits!

Salma Hayek wears a similar ensemble

19:28 , Annabel Nugent

Ellie Goulding and Salma Hayek cut a similar figure on tonight’s red carpet with the Puss in Boots star also wearing a striking all-black outfit and wavy hairdo.

Ellie Goulding looks striking in black

19:27 , Annabel Nugent

Ellie Goulding strikes a pose on the red carpet in an all-black ensemble, including a top that appears moulded to her chest.

Emily in London?

19:19 , Annabel Nugent

Emily in Paris star Lucien Laviscount has made an appearance on the red carpet.

Three-time Brits winner Stormzy

19:17 , Annabel Nugent

Here’s a snap of Stormzy striking a pose on the red carpet...

Here comes Meghan Trainor

19:15 , Annabel Nugent

The “All About That Bass” Singer has arrived looking sleek in an all-black outfit...

Stormzy has arrived!

19:04 , Annabel Nugent

Following his three previous Brits wins, Stormzy is a contedner for this year’s Artist of the Year, and best hip-hop/grime/rap act.

The rapper has arrived on the red carpet looking dapper in a grey suit. Or is it lilac?

How to watch the 2023 Brit Awards

19:00 , Maanya Sachdeva

Tonight’s ceremony marks the first time the Brit Awards will take place on a Saturday, and viewers in the UK can watch the live show on ITV1 and ITVX.

More details here:

Brits 2023: How to watch the ceremony this Saturday

18:53 , Maanya Sachdeva

Harry Styles has entered the building! The “As It Was” singer finally walked the red carpet, wearing all-black, as he was greeted by loud cheers ahead of the ceremony tonight.

Styles, who recently won the Grammy award for Album of the Year, is nominated in four categories – tied with Wet Leg.

18:47 , Maanya Sachdeva

The stars have descended for the 2023 Brit Awards, being held on a Saturday for the first time ever.

Shania Twain and pop trio Sugababes are at the O2 Arena in London tonight, as well as nominees including Sam Smith, Lizzo, and Wet Leg.

Jessie J, Kojey Radical, and “B.O.T.A. (Baddest of them All)” collaborators Interplanetary Criminal and Eliza Rose are among those attending the Brits tonight.

Viewers at home can watch the live ceremony, which begins at 8:30pm GMT, on ITV1 and ITVx.

18:27 , Maanya Sachdeva

After Sam Smith and Lizzo, Lewis Capaldi has now reached the O2 in London for what promises to be a star-studded affair.

Capaldi’s track “Forget Me” is among the Song of the Year nominations this year. You can find the full list of nominees here.

Brit Awards 2023: Read the full list of nominations

18:21 , Maanya Sachdeva

Lizzo is coming through – the “About Damn Time” singer has opted for a golden gown, complete with ruffled sleeves and a short train, for this year’s show.

18:15 , Maanya Sachdeva

Sam Smith has arrived at the Brits! The “Unholy” singer, who is nominated for Song of the Year along with Kim Petras, is wearing a dramatic, all-black ensemble.

Smith and Petras are also scheduled to perform at this year’s awards ceremony, being held at the O2 in London.

17:52 , Maanya Sachdeva

R&B trio and the winners of this year’s Rising Star award FLO have arrived at the Brit Awards, as the red carpet gets underway on the biggest night in British music.

Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer donned matching burgundy leather looks for their Brits appearance.

17:34 , Maanya Sachdeva

Social media star and Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg will be catching up with celebrities on the Brits red carpet later this evening.

Stars begin arriving for 2023 Brit Awards

17:14 , Maanya Sachdeva

Stars have begun arriving at the 2023 Brit Awards, taking place this evening. You can follow all the action unfolding at the O2 Arena in London here:

Watch live as stars arrive on red carpet for 2023 Brit Awards

Sam Smith says all-male Artist of the Year category ‘is a shame'

17:00 , Annabel Nugent

Sam Smith was among those to share their “frustration” after no female artists were nominated for Best Artist.

“It is a shame,” they said “Things are moving forward, but it’s obvious it’s not there yet. From seeing that [Best Artist] list, there is still a long way to go.”

The accolade will, instead, go to Stormzy, Harry Styles, George Ezra, Fred Again or Central Cee.

Sam Smith responds to backlash over Brits Best Artist category

‘One step forward, three steps back’

16:30 , Annabel Nugent

This year’s awards cermeony is not without controversy.

After the nominees were announced last month, many people spoke out against the fact there are zero women nominated in the gender-neutral Artist of the Year category.

Brit Awards backlash after women snubbed in Artist of the Year nominations

Brits introduces gender-neutral categories in 2022

16:00 , Annabel Nugent

This is the second year that the Brits will have gender-neutral categories.

In 2022, the annual music ceremony scrapped its male and female categories in a bid to make the Brits as “inclusive and relevant as possible”.

The move had previously been called for by artists including Sam Smith and Will Young, who said gendered categories excluded non-binary musicians.

Why did the Brits ditch gender-based awards categories?

What happened at the Brits 2022?

15:30 , Annabel Nugent

The Brits took place on 8 February last year, with Adele scooping up the prize for Artist of the Year.

From Anne-Marie’s fall to Ed Sheeran’s unlikely collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon, here’s everything that went down at the Brits last year...

The six biggest talking points from the 2022 Brit Awards

Who is Mo Gilligan?

15:00 , Annabel Nugent

The Masked Singer judge recently spoke to The Independent’s Isobel Lewis about hosting the Brits during an in-depth interview.

You can read the full piece – in which he also speaks about gentrification and staying grounded – here...

Mo Gilligan on the cost of living crisis, gentrification and The Brits

Who is hosting this year’s Brit awards?

14:30 , Annabel Nugent

Comedian Mo Gilligan will be hosting the Brit awards for a second time, after having taken over presenting duties from Jack Whitehall.

Who will be performing tonight?

14:00 , Annabel Nugent

Big names performing tonight include Lizzo, Harry Styles, and Stormzy. See the full list here...

Who is performing at the Brits 2023 Awards?

The 1975 frontman sparks backlash over podcast interview ahead of Brits appearance

13:30 , Annabel Nugent

Among this year’s nominees are The 1975, who are up for Album of the Year, British Group, and Alt/Rock (voted for by the public).

Their nomination, however, has been overshadowed by inflammatory remarks made by frontman Matty Healy.

Appearing on an episode of The Adam Friedland Show, Healy – the son of Denise Welch – and the hosts mocked Japanese, Hawaiian and Scottish people.

Matty Healy sparks backlash over podcast interview that mocks Japanese people

And...

13:10 , Annabel Nugent

Here’sThe Independent’s four-star review of Wet Leg’s self-titled debut album here...

Wet Leg are one of this year’s most-nominated acts

13:10 , Annabel Nugent

Recent Grammy winners Wet Leg emerged as one of this year’s most-nominated acts, earning four nods.

The Isle of Wight duo picked up two awards at the LA ceremony last week, and will be hoping to replicate their Grammys success tonight. You can read The Independent’s interview with Wet Leg here...

Wet Leg: ‘Chaise Longue was supposed to be just for us’

How to watch

13:08 , Annabel Nugent

For those not in attendance at the O2 tonight, you can tune into the awards show on ITV1 and ITV2.

Find out about timings and channels here...

Brits 2023: How to watch the ceremony this Saturday

Full list of nominees

13:06 , Annabel Nugent

This year’s nominees were announced in full last month.

Recent Grammy winners Wet Leg emerged as one of the most-nominated acts with four nods, alongside regular Brits attendee and Grammy Album of the Year winner, Harry Styles.

In the international categories, Irish rock group Fontaines DC can be found muscling up against K-pop stars Blackpink and hip-hop artists Drake and 21 Savage.

Read the full list of nominees here:

Brit Awards 2023: Read the full list of nominations

Stay tuned...

12:57 , Annabel Nugent

Tonight is the 2023 Brit awards... Stay up to date on all the live updates from the event right here.