Olivia Dean emerged as the standout winner at the 2026 Brit Awards, taking home four trophies in a ceremony marked by controversy and unpredictability. The singer won Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Pop Act, and shared Song of the Year for her duet with Sam Fender on “Rein Me In.” Her performance of “Man I Need” was among the night’s highlights.
The event, held in Manchester for the first time, saw a local train station temporarily renamed from Deansgate to Olivia Deansgate in her honour. Dean faced stiff competition from a wave of successful British acts, making her victories all the more significant. Her tearful acceptance speeches were charmingly overwhelmed, with her most notable remark being: “This album is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now.”
Harry Styles opened the show with a performance of “Aperture” from his upcoming album, while Raye delivered a James Bond-style medley. Wolf Alice won Group of the Year, with frontwoman Ellie Rowsell calling for better support for grassroots venues. International Artist of the Year Rosalía performed with Björk, and Noel Gallagher sparked boos by ending his Best Songwriter speech with “Up the fucking Blues,” a Manchester City football chant.
Host Jack Whitehall courted controversy with jokes about the Epstein files being censored from the broadcast, including a remark about Peter Mandelson. He also goaded Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder and Bez into making slanderous comments about Paddington Bear. Geese bassist Max Bassin used his acceptance speech to declare “Free Palestine, fuck ICE,” adding to the night’s unpredictable atmosphere.
Despite some lacklustre performances from international acts, the evening was hailed as a vintage Brits, reminiscent of the mid-1990s Britpop era. The ceremony underscored a resurgence in British music confidence, with many questioning whether international slots could have been better filled by UK stars like Lola Young or Lily Allen.
