The upcoming 2026 BRIT Awards ceremony will be held outside London for the first time in its nearly 50-year history. The event is scheduled for this Saturday, 28 February, at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester.

Jack Whitehall will be hosting the BRIT Awards for the sixth time, with Charley Marlowe and Tyler West leading the Red Carpet coverage. Olivia Dean and Lola Young have each received five nominations, followed closely by Sam Fender with four nominations. There is a strong belief among fans that Olivia Dean is likely to dominate the event.

Olivia Dean, a 26-year-old from London, has had a remarkable year, transitioning from a hidden talent to an international star with hit songs on both sides of the Atlantic. She recently won the Best New Artist award at the 68th Grammy Awards, making her the first British artist since Dua Lipa in 2019 to achieve this feat.

In addition to her Grammy win, Olivia Dean was named the Record Store Day UK 2026 Ambassador and honored as Rookie of the Year by Billboard. She has also achieved the rare feat of holding the UK No. 1 album and single simultaneously, a feat last accomplished by Adele.

Olivia Dean’s chart-topping track “Man I Need” has been a huge success in the UK and reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her other popular songs include “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” and “Nice To Each Other.”

Fans speculating on Reddit have predicted a potential sweep by Olivia Dean at this year’s awards. However, there is also discussion about artists like Lily Allen and Sam Fender possibly winning big.

Apart from the main awards, Ozzy Osbourne will posthumously receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Noel Gallagher will be honored as Songwriter of the Year, and Mark Ronson will be recognized for Outstanding Contribution to Music. PinkPantheress will be the first female recipient of the Producer of the Year award, and Jacob Alon will receive the Critics’ Choice award.

The ceremony will feature performances from top artists such as Olivia Dean, Harry Styles, RAYE, Wolf Alice, Sombr, and Alex Warren. UK viewers can catch the live broadcast of the BRIT Awards 2026 on ITV1 and ITVX at 8:15 PM, with the added option of live streaming on YouTube.