Brit Awards 2021 to go ahead in person with key worker crowd
The Brit Awards 2021 will go ahead in person next month as planned with a limited audience made up mainly of key workers, organisers have announced.
The annual music jamboree will take place at the O2 Arena on 11 May in front of a live audience. It will also be broadcast on ITV and ITV Hub.
The awards ceremony will be the first live music show at the O2 in over a year, as well as the first major indoor music event to take place after the easing of lockdown restrictions.
It will form part of the government’s programme for trialling live events, using enhanced testing to examine how gigs, concerts and sports fixtures could take place without social distancing.
The government has said it will provide an insurance scheme for these trial events in case of cancellation — something that is not yet available to the wider industry.
The Brit Award audience will be limited to 4,000 people, with 2,500 tickets to be distributed via ballot to frontline workers and a guest of their choice.
Audience members will not be required to follow social distancing or wear masks at the event, but will need proof of a negative test result to enter the venue.
Attendees will also be required to take a test after the event and provide details to NHS Test and Trace.
The move means the Brit Awards will avoid cancellation due the pandemic, as last year’s event went ahead as normal in February before the outbreak of Covid-19.
“Not only will we be celebrating the brilliant music and artists that have helped us through the pandemic, but we hope it will provide a path for the return of live music that fans and artists have so sorely missed,” said Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI and Brit Awards.
“And as a thank you to the key workers who have kept our country going through the difficult times, we are inviting them to be our audience for the first live performances at The O2 in over a year.
“We’re buzzing about the show and working closely with Government, The O2 and all our partners to ensure all safety measures and guidelines are adhered to.”