This year's Brit awards attracted an average of 3.3 million viewers on Saturday night, the first increase in viewership since 2016, according to ITV. The two-and-a-half-hour show peaked at 3.9 million, reversing a six-year decline that saw last year's audience fall to 2.7 million.
Held on a weekend for the first time in its 45-year history, the ceremony at London's O2 Arena was hosted by comedian Mo Gilligan. Performers included Harry Styles, Sam Smith and Kim Petras, Stormzy, Wet Leg and Lizzo.
Harry Styles dominated the awards, winning British album of the year for 'Harry's House', British artist of the year, song of the year for 'As It Was', and best pop/R&B act. In his artist of the year speech, he shouted out female artists like Florence + the Machine, referencing the lack of women nominated in the gender-neutral category.
Wet Leg took home multiple awards, while Beyoncé won international artist of the year and best international song. The night was marred by technical issues, including ITV failing to censor a drug joke from Daisy May Cooper and replaying Adele's 2022 performance due to a fault with Smith and Petras's equipment.
Despite the uptick, Guardian critic Alexis Petridis noted the show was unlikely to solve its Gen Z viewership problem, stating that young audiences no longer watch live TV awards ceremonies.
