'BRITs are still important', says Happy Mondays singer as music awards move to Manchester

Record ID: 2359454

  • Title: 'BRITs are still important', says Happy Mondays singer as music awards move to Manchester
  • Date: 28th February 2026
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 28, 2026) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS PROFANITY*** VARIOUS OF THE CHARLATANS, LEAD SINGER TIM BURGESS TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE CHARLATANS LEAD SINGER, TIM BURGESS, ON NOT GOING TO THE BRIT AWARDS BEFORE, SAYING: “Because we were nominated for the first, well, the one in 1990, for ‘Some Friendly’. And for s
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: 2026 BRIT Awards BRITS interviews manchester music awards
  • Location: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: UK
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Music
  • Reuters ID: LVA001918527022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE PROFANITY IN SOUNDBITE IN SHOT 9.
    Members of Happy Mondays, Charlatans lead singer Tim Burgess and Simon Cowell’s new boy band December 10 were among the musical guests arriving at the 2026 BRIT music awards on Saturday (February 28).
    The awards are being held in the northern English city of Manchester, the first time for the BRITs to take place outside of London. 
    Manchester rock group Stone Roses late bassist Mani, who died in November, is set to be honoured at the ceremony with a speech by Burgess. 
    “Hopefully it'll be a nice big picture of him behind me. And his legacy is in the songs that he played on and he was loved by so many," Burgess told Reuters. "So, I'm just gonna be saying words along those lines.”
    Happy Mondays lead singer Shaun Ryder and bassist Bez are set to announce the BRIT award for British group, a category which includes Britpop band Pulp among the nominees.
    Of the BRIT Awards in general, Ryder said: “Of course, it’s an important event for them (music artists)... Everyone who is a musician wants a bit of recognition.”
    December 10, the new boy band which was assembled in the Netflix series “Simon Cowell’s Next Big Act” teased an upcoming single called “Angels” and expressed their gratitude for their upcoming tour to be sold-out.
    Band member Nicolas Alves told Reuters: “To have those tickets sell out was a complete shock. It just showed... how grateful we are to have our fans. And yeah, the support we have from them is amazing.”
    The BRIT awards are hosted by Jack Whitehall this year. The leading nominees are Olivia Dean and Lola Young with five nominations each.
    (Production: Gerhard Mey, Sarah Mills, Lisa Giles-Keddie, Shaurya Thapa)
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