Five years ago the Queen on Pop suffered a shocking fall live on stage. Like a trooper, Madonna picked herself back up and got on with the show. rather like she is doing (with a sizeable number of cancellations) during her current residency in London at the Palladium. The show must always go on, even if sometimes those on stage might wish for a sudden nationwide power cut to spare their embarrassment. Others, of course, revel in creating a little mayhem. here are our favourite crazy and cringey BRITS moments.
1. Liam Gallagher (2010)
The Gallaghers deserve an entire countdown to themselves but this moment perfectly sums up Liam.
The bolshy star collected a special award for Best Album of the Last 30 Years for Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? In the process, he thanked all of his bandmates apart from his brother Noel, swaggered away to give the award to a fan and hurled his microphone into the audience.
Host Peter Kay’s summed up what everyone was thinking when he declared: “What a k–bhead.”
2. Jarvis Cocker and Michael Jackson
Another BRITS controversy hit the headlines when Pulp lead singer stormed the stage during Michael Jackson’s performance of Earth Song.
Cocker ran across a packed stage full of dancing children and wiggled his behind at the King of Pop.
“My actions were a form of protest at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christlike figure with the power of healing,” Cocker said afterwards.
Following complaints from some of the kids, Cocker was detained and interviewed by police on suspicion of assault, but was released without charge.
3. Madonna (2015)
The perfectionist pop star took a huge tumble backwards down the stairs when a wardrobe malfunction didn’t release her cloak and she was yanked off-balance.
Conspiracy theories insist she did it for the attention but a close look at her face shows her upset and discomfort. Ultimately, the shaken superstar received enormous praise for the way she picked herself up and carried on with the show.
4. Adele Part 1 (2012) Part 2 (2013)
Adele is the absolute opposite of a diva but even her legendary good spirits were sorely tested by foolish TV producers.
2012 was the year of her grand triumph after her second album 21 had conquered the world. Surely, she was entitled to bask in her rewards? Unfortunately, the show was running long and James Corden was told to cut her off during her acceptance speech for Best British Album.
The crowd booed, a furious Adele gave the middle finger to the corporate suits in the audience and we loved her even more than before.
A year later she accepted Best British Song for Skyfall via video. Host James Corden attempted a drawn-out joke about the events of the previous year which fell even flatter than the original debacle.
Adele: 2, BRITS: nil.
5. Oasis mock Blur (1996)
Noel Gallagher kicked off the controversy when he embarrassed INXS singer Mick Hutchence, who had just presented the Manchester Britpop quintet with an award.
”Has beens shouldn’t present f***ing awards to gonnabes.” Charming.
Then the band merrily mocked arch-rivals Blur by singing a rowdy version of their big hit Parklife, replacing ‘park’ with ‘sh**’.
6. Ronnie Wood and DJ Brandon Block fight (2000)
Don’t mess with a living legend.
A rather drunk DJ Brandon Block mistakenly staggered on stage to collect the Best Soundtrack Album award from the Rolling Stones guitarist. Ronnie Wood rapidly lost patience and tried to get rid of him as the pair squared up to each other and traded insults.
It culminated with Wood throwing a drink in Block’s face before the DJ was ejected by bouncers.
7. Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood (1989)
No-one who sat through the excruciating evening will ever forget this car-crash moment.
Live on TV, the ludicrously inexperienced and underprepared duo staggered from cock-up to disaster with growing looks of panic.
The ceremony was a complete shambles with cues being missed, pop stars bowling up to the stage at all the wrong times, and awards announced before the nominees were.
The diminutive Page 3 model and giant Fleetwood Mac legend have never been asked to host anything again but somehow the notoriety of the night helped reinvigorate the BRITS as essential viewing.