Next year’s Brit Awards are to be held in Manchester – the first time the ceremony has taken place outside London since the awards began in 1977.
The ceremony will be held at the Co-op Live arena on Saturday 28 February.
A two-year deal means that the 2027 ceremony, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Brit Awards, will also be held at the same venue.
It is the second major music ceremony to announce plans to leave London. Last month the BPI, which represents the British music industry and runs the Brit Awards, also revealed that this year’s Mercury Prize will be held in Newcastle in September after 32 years in the capital.
Dr Jo Twist, CEO of the BPI, told the BBC: “We’ve had a fantastic history in London for nearly 50 years, and we just feel that now is the time to make a bold leap into other parts of the UK to the fans.
Past winners of the prestigious award include Adele.
“Manchester has such a rich musical heritage and it has a fantastic ecosystem of support there on the ground, including lots of amazing grassroots venues.”
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the move as “a massive coup” for the area.
Hailing the city’s “unparalleled music heritage,” Burnham said Manchester would “pull out all the stops” to prove the BPI had made the right decision.
