Photo Credit: Ed Sheeran (Best British Male Solo Artist) and Pro Green at the Warner Music Brits After Party
Last night was the glittering Brits 2012 awards ceremony, which is always a highlight of the musical calendar. All the stars came out to play at the ceremony held at the O2, including Florence Welch, Rihanna and Adele. Now, the Brits are famous for being a night of debauchery and fun, for both the winners, who have achieved the most prestigious accolade in British music, but also for the losers, who like to drown their sorrows at one of the many, many after parties. We went down to the Warner Music Brits After Party to see who we could see...
Held at 2 Temple Place on London’s Embankment, the party setting was a gothic manor house overlooking the river – so far, so decadent. Half the music industry was in attendance, living it up on the biggest party night of the year. Shortly after we arrived, Hugo Taylor and Spencer Matthews rocked up with their model girlfriends: a very dapper Hugo was busy canoodling with Natalie Joel while all around them people sipped their Mahiki cocktails (drinking out of a coconut just seems wrong when the weather is as miserable as this!). It turns out Spencer is a big Bruno Mars fan, as he got best friend Hugo to snap him next to a giant Bruno Mars rocket decorating the entrance. Hugo’s ex, Millie Mackintosh, arrived with new boyfriend Professor Green - obviously she’s got diverse taste in men going from a Harrovian to a Hackney boy.
Nick Grimshaw was DJ-ing his favourite RnB tracks, closely supervised by Annie Mac and Sara Cox. Gemma Cairney was giggling with Caroline Flack while the final member of the Radio 1 gang, newly-single Greg James, strolled round the room looking, well, a little bit brooding. We also spied one of our favourite comedians, Mr Jack ‘nice hair’ Whitehall, deep in conversation with Holly Willoughby. Who knows what they were talking about? Finally, the man of the moment Ed Sheeran arrived with his entourage in tow: having won Best British Male Solo Artist, he obviously had a lot to celebrate.
Meanwhile, there has been much talk today of both Blur’s brilliant closing performance at the ceremony – Damon has lost none of his cheeky charm – and Adele, for her double award win and unfortunately brief acceptance speech. In her exasperation at not being able to thank the people who helped her win Best Album last night, she casually made a rude hand gesture, which she has since explained was ‘meant for the suits, not the fans.’ She was annoyed at having her big moment snatched away, and ITV and The Brit Awards have since apologised for cutting her off. We almost feel worse for poor host James Corden, who had the awkward job of interrupting her...but what would the Brits be if there wasn’t any scandal? We are already counting the minutes until next year’s show!
