
The BRIT Awards with Mastercard 2021
Tuesday May 11 2021 - at The O2 arena on ITV and ITV Hub
The BRIT Awards celebrate the return to live music as the first major indoor music event - with a special audience of invited key workers
The BRIT Awards 2021 will be first major indoor music event to welcome back a live audience - a pivotal moment in the return of live music at scale
2,500 tickets to be gifted by the recorded music industry to frontline heroes - ballot for free tickets opens on brits.co.uk on Thursday 22nd April at 09.00 hours
***
This has been a long tough year for everyone and Im delighted the night will honour the key worker heroes who have cared for us so well during that time and continue to do so. They are quite simply an inspiration. The BRIT Awards are always special and this will truly make it a night to remember. - DUA LIPA
***
The BRIT Awards 2021 with Mastercard today confirm that they plan to welcome a live audience of 4,000 people at this year's event taking place on 11th May at The O2 arena in London, and to be broadcast live on ITV and ITV Hub.
The indoor ceremony and live show will form part of the Government's scientific Events Research Programme, using enhanced testing approaches to examine how events can take place without the need for social distancing1.
Working closely with the Government to adhere to safety guidelines, this means The BRITs, as the first live music show at The O2 in over a year, will play an important role in paving the way for the return of live music at scale as the UK emerges from the past year's restrictions.
2,500 tickets to be gifted by the recorded music industry to frontline workers
We are further delighted to announce that, in recognition of their extraordinary efforts during the pandemic, the BRITs is inviting key workers from the Greater London Area2 to make up most of the audience for the UK's biggest night in music. The majority of the tickets (2,500) will be gifted by record labels and the recorded music industry via ballot to frontline workers2 (and a guest of their choice) from a range of sectors to thank them for their remarkable hard work and selfless commitment.
All applicants and attendees must consent to participating in the Government's scientific Events Research Programme on the basis of its terms and conditions1.
The BRIT Awards 2021 is set to be an incredible night of reflection and celebration. A ballot for free tickets for key workers will open on www.brits.co.uk on Thursday 22nd April 2021 from 09.00 hours.
Speaking about this news, global superstar and multi BRIT nominated artist who will be performing on the night, Dua Lipa said:
This has been a long tough year for everyone and Im delighted the night will honour the key worker heroes who have cared for us so well during that time and continue to do so. They are quite simply an inspiration. The BRIT Awards are always special and this will truly make it a night to remember.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said:
This year's BRIT Awards with Mastercard is one of the most significant in the show's history. 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. 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.
Danielle Kennedy Clarke, Deputy General Manager of The O2, said:
We're proud that The O2 has been selected to host the largest indoor capacity pilot event with The BRITs. This scientific trial is an important step on the path to recovery for the live entertainment industry, and our operational teams are making the final preparations to be able to welcome people into The O2 arena again for the first time in more than a year.
Mastercard return as headline partner for the 23rd year, having supported The BRITs for over two decades, bringing cardholders closer to music through a range of priceless experiences - from tickets to The BRITs, or Priceless Surprises with some of the UK's best loved artists. This year, Mastercard will continue to sponsor the much sought after Mastercard Album of the Year award, as well as British Single with Mastercard for the first time and is proud to carry on connecting people to priceless possibilities. Amazon Music is the Official Digital Music Partner for a second year and will host the Official BRIT Awards 2021 playlist as well as sponsor the Male and Female Solo Artist categories.
ITV Studios is handling international distribution for the Brit Awards.
[end]
www.brits.co.uk
Notes to Editors
1 Through the Events Research Programme, the annual UK music industry showcase will test the safety of live audiences returning to indoor seated settings on a large scale. The research gathered from this year's BRIT Awards will build on the evidence collected at other pilots in the programme, including the World Snooker Championships at the Sheffield Crucible and an outdoor gig at Sefton Park hosted by Festival Republic. The evidence from these pilots will be used to inform government policy to bring about the phased return of fuller audiences to venues and events across England.
Audience members will not be socially distanced or required to wear face coverings in the arena, but they will be required to follow existing Government guidance when travelling to the venue and adhere to rules set out by the event organisers.
Attendees must have proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
05/02/2026
Since bringing audiobooks to Spotify in 2022, we've helped listeners discove...
05/02/2026
Today, Spotify announced two new updates to give book lovers a more personalized...
05/02/2026
AI should balance automation (replacing tasks) and augmentation (empowering humans). Automate the mundane and augment the creative by applying the right AI type...
05/02/2026
BBC Studios and UKTV have appointed Karin Marelle to lead their Global Acquisitions team, overseeing the sourcing of content across BBC Studios' global chan...
05/02/2026
Thursday 5 February 2026
The Miniature Wife, A Sky Exclusive comedy drama starr...
05/02/2026
Thursday 5 February 2026
Trailer Revealed for Sky Original Film FUZE starring A...
05/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz at MWC Barcelona 2026: Enabling connections, empowering innovati...
04/02/2026
Lyrics are one of Spotify's most popular features, giving fans a richer way to experience the music and artists they love. They're viewed hundreds of mi...
04/02/2026
Wednesday 4 February 2026
Full cast announced for Saturday Night Live UK, comin...
04/02/2026
Wednesday 4 February 2026
Fear of running out of mobile data (FORO) is a real i...
04/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz powers next generation television in Brazil with DTV technology...
04/02/2026
Fox Corporation Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, February 4, 2026 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Compan...
04/02/2026
Lucas P. Arag n Joins FOX Advertising as Senior Vice President, Creative New York, NY - February 4, 2026 - Accomplished Creative Executive Lucas P. Arag n has...
04/02/2026
Following the passing of our friend and colleague Hugh Wallace, and with the full support of his family, RT will proceed with the broadcast of the new series o...
03/02/2026
Spotify's annual Best New Artist celebration returned to Los Angeles last ni...
03/02/2026
FoMa Antares: Redefining Camera Stabilization for Modern ProductionsIn high-end broadcast and cinematic environments, precision, reliability, and flexibility ar...
03/02/2026
03 Feb 2026
VEON Welcomes Expanded Kyivstar Free Float After the Successful Kyi...
03/02/2026
Mel Giedroyc fronts brand new comedy entertainment format
3rd February 2026, London: U and U&Dave is set to launch brand-new escape room comedy entertainment s...
03/02/2026
Tuesday 3 February 2026
Iconic TV channel Sky One is coming back as the new hom...
03/02/2026
Wuppertal February 3, 2026
Riedel Connects Live Surgery and Medical Professionals at VISAR 2025Turnkey Managed Technology Solution Featuring Riedel MediorNet,...
02/02/2026
February 2 2026, 20:30 (PST) Mahindra launches XUV 7XO as Indias first vehicle ...
02/02/2026
Ahead of the hotly anticipated return of Bergerac to U and U&DRAMA in the Spring, a teaser has been released to give viewers a glimpse at what's in store in...
02/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz reshapes mid-range market with new 44 GHz FPL spectrum analyzer ...
02/02/2026
In addition to DPA Microphones, the company will also be acquiring Wisycom and Austrian Audio. The acquisition is now being filed for regulatory approval and sh...
02/02/2026
Arvato Systems launches a flexible and standardized billing solution
New SAP S/4HANA Utilities master system combines standardization, economies of scale, and...
01/02/2026
Movistar Argentina is a 15,000-seat capacity indoor arena. Opened in 2019, it is situated in the cultural hub of Villa Crespo, an area renowned for its dance ha...
31/01/2026
Spotify's annual Best New Artist celebration returned to Los Angeles last ni...
30/01/2026
Spotify, Haziran ay sonunda kadar stanbul'da yeni bir ofis a aca n ve T rkiye pazar n y netmek zere yeni bir atama ger ekle tirdi ini duyurdu. Bu kaps...
30/01/2026
30 Jan 2026
VEON Partners with MindBridge to Enhance Financial Analytics, Audit...
30/01/2026
Friday 30 January 2026
Easels at the ready! All new judging line up for series ...
30/01/2026
Friday 30 January 2026
Britain can switch off terrestrial TV in the 2030s, with...
30/01/2026
Two key themes came through strongly:
Inconsistent measurement remains a major barrier to comparing performance across Retail Media Networks
Independent cer...
29/01/2026
Michele Fracchiolla Succeeds Andrew Barr as President of EMEA region from April 1, 2026
London, January 29, 2026
Hitachi Europe Ltd. today announces the appoi...
29/01/2026
29 Jan 2026
Kyivstar Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of Common Shares Held by VEON NEW YORK, New York, January 29, 2026 -- VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a ...
29/01/2026
X-Rite Pantone Appoints Cindy Cooperman as Vice President and General Manager of...
29/01/2026
New two-part true crime documentary, OUTBACK TERROR: THE FALCONIO MURDER, aims to shed new light on a case that continues to intrigue on both sides of the world...
29/01/2026
FOX Sports Unveils Historic FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcast Schedule Monumental Slate Features 340 Hours of Live First-Run Programming Across FOX Sports Platfo...
29/01/2026
AI Assistants Head into 2026 on a High Note: Comscore Reports Triple-Digit Growt...
29/01/2026
Broadcom Confirms Arvato Systems' Status as a VCSP Partner
Broadcom Partner Program Update
Arvato Systems confirmed as authorized VMware Cloud Service Pr...
29/01/2026
RT has today announced that Annette Malone has been appointed to the role of Chief People Officer, RT following a public competition.
As Chief People Officer...
28/01/2026
Music discovery should feel intuitive and personal. That's why we're continuing to give you more control, so you can ask for what you want, shape what y...
28/01/2026
Today, Charlie Hellman, Spotify's Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion t...
28/01/2026
As demand for more complex live sports coverage grows, Balkan broadcast specialist MVP has upgraded its flagship HD1 progressive OB truck with the installation ...
28/01/2026
Luxembourg, January 26, 2026 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Fitch to...
28/01/2026
28 Jan 2026
VEON Notes Kyivstar Group Publication of Selected Full Year 2025 Fi...