The Brit Awards are one of the best events of the year, purely for the absolute chaos that usually unfolds thanks to the live show.
2026’s show was no different as I headed to Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena for a night of music and apparently a lot of bleeps.
We saw big wins for Olivia Dean, who swept up four awards, as well as performances from Raye, Sombr and a Mark Ronson mash-up.
The night also featured Robbie Williams’ Ozzy Osbourne tribute and Harry Styles’ debut live performance of new album Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally.
But as fast-paced as the show is, there are some behind-the-scenes quirks viewers at home miss completely.
From bleeped-out bits to unaired moments, this is everything you missed at the Brit Awards 2026.
Noel Gallagher’s bleeped blues
‘Why are they booing Noel?’ my dad frantically texted me mid-show, alerting me to the fact that Noel Gallagher’s acceptance speech had been cut a little short.
All the Oasis legend had said as he stepped on stage to receive the songwriter of the year accolade was a slightly colourful version of ‘up the blues’.
Noel was just showing support for his football team, Manchester City, but it was deemed a bleepable offence thanks to his F-bomb, and all that was left to air were the echoes of disgruntled footie fans booing.
Despite host Jack Whitehall’s joke that ‘the guy who did the Baftas’ was on bleeping duties, ITV actually weren’t taking any chances.
Throughout the night, a huge number of statements that were deemed politically contentious or with slightly too colourful language got the chop.
Angry Ginge declared ‘London is a sh*thole’, only to be silenced by broadcasters, just like Geese’s declaration to ‘free Palestine’.
Even Jack’s pre-scripted gags got cut out with his reference to Peter Mandelson being on a ‘list’ being bleeped.
While chatting to Lisa Nandy he said: ‘This must be the politician’s table. I wonder who else is here? I think I saw Peter Mandelson on the list. Oh no, sorry, that was another list my bad.’
The joke resulted in chuckles and groans from the crowd, as any good political joke should.
Huntr/x’s not quite live performance
From home, you may have realise that something wasn’t quite right with Huntr/x’s performance.
In the only non-live performance of the night, a pre-recorded clip of EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami was shown on the screens.
They had performed outside the venue to a selected group of superfans ahead of the show, but that meant the energy severely dipped in the room.
Unfortunately, for those inside the venue, the stage actually became a little eerie with the lights turned down.
All movement was halted during the clip, with nobody setting up or moving set pieces. It all added up to a strange ghost-town atmosphere during the song.
Harry Styles warming up to a classic track
Harry Styles took on the task of opening the entire ceremony, a weighty responsibility but it didn’t seem to faze him as he warmed up.
His dancers all filed onto the stage, several minutes before the show started and took their places on the steps.
Then came Harry, who appeared almost out of nowhere, looking entirely at home on the stage before the curtain lifted.
An unbothered king, he joked with his dancers and seemed to be enjoying the pre-show DJ playing Faithless’ Insomnia.
He also did a little gazelle-like jump after he exited the stage, showing he still had bundles of energy despite his well choeographed moves.
Dua Lipa’s unexpected cameo
The Mark Ronson mash-up was a clear highlight of the evening, with multiple unexpected cameos from artists who showed their love for the producer.
Dua Lipa’s entrance had the crowd going insane as she descended from the ceiling atop a giant disco ball, rocking a giant fur coat.
What you didn’t see was the crew building the platform around the disco ball during the R&B act announcement, hinting that something big was about to happen.
In the break before the performance, Dua cut through the crowd and walked onto the stage surrounded by security as she stepped up onto the platform.
The disco ball then rose to the ceiling, taking the already poised singer with it, hiding her in a curtain where she remained until her epic appearance.
An added bonus was seeing the man whose sole job was to collect her coat mid-performance scuttling off stage as quickly and subtly as possible – not the easiest job when you’re carrying a bright white fur jacket as big as you.
The entire crowd belting along to Amy Winehouse
One particularly beautiful moment during that same Mark Ronson performance was his tribute to Amy Winehouse, or rather the crowd’s reaction.
The entire arena belted a word-perfect Back to Black as a clip of the late legend played on the big screen.
At home, microphones and clever sound balancing meant you may not have heard the chorus of voices erupting.
While the Ozzy tribute was fantastic, this moment of unity among the crowd honouring one of the biggest stars to come out of Britain was magical.
Mark’s gentle reminder that Winehouse’s impact is still felt today despite her painfully fleeting career is exactly what the Brits should be about.
If you watch again, listen carefully for the outpouring of love for both the iconic producer and the late great Amy Winehouse.
The afterparty
After parties are a must for the artists, heading to a selection of glam events hosted by their labels.
There was a massive one at the Co-op Live directly after the ceremony, which had wrapped around 11pm.
The official Brits after-party was heaving with guests from the suites and even featured some tarot readers for when the dance floor got too much.
Which Brits 2026 performance was your favourite?
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Harry Styles
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Olivia Dean
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Alex Warren
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Mark Ronson
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Wolf Alice
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Huntr/x
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Robbie Williams
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Rosalia
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Raye
After an hour or so there, I left and snuck into one hosted by independent label Empire in collaboration with Move Good, with Bebe Rexha as the guest of honour.
A far cry from being told my future, this party in central Manchester featured free buzz balls all night (well, until they ran out) and Bebe dancing away, she even took to the decks at one point.
The less said about the blur that is a Brits afters the better, but definitely check your favourite artists’ socials for insight into their wild nights – we hear Sony had some insane gift bags.
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