March 6, London: The Brit Awards ceremony last weekend sparked 825 complaints to media watchdog Ofcom, with the majority focusing on Sabrina Carpenter’s pre-watershed opening performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.
The event, held at The O2 in London and broadcast live on ITV, saw US star Carpenter kick off the show with a mash-up of her hits Espresso and Bed Chem alongside Rule Britannia! Dressed in a red sparkly military-style mini-dress with matching stockings and suspenders, Sabrina Carpenter’s performance included a close encounter with a dancer dressed as a soldier wearing a bearskin hat, which some viewers found inappropriate for the pre-watershed time slot.
Charli XCX, who won five awards on the night, also drew attention for her see-through black dress. During one of her acceptance speeches, she addressed the controversy, saying, “I heard that ITV was complaining about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of ‘free the nipple’ though, right?” Her comments added fuel to the debate about her outfit, which some viewers deemed unsuitable for the broadcast.
An Ofcom spokesperson confirmed that the complaints are being assessed against their rules but noted that a decision on whether to investigate has not yet been made. While the number of complaints is significant, it is relatively modest by Ofcom’s standards.
For context, the watchdog received 58,000 complaints in 2021 about Piers Morgan’s criticism of the Duchess of Sussex on Good Morning Britain, though ITV was ultimately found not to have breached broadcasting rules. Similarly, Celebrity Big Brother generated 45,159 complaints in 2007 and 25,327 in 2018.
The Brit Awards, which began at 20:15 GMT and ended at 22:40, aired partly before the 21:00 watershed, the time after which content deemed unsuitable for children can be broadcast. Sabrina Carpenter’s performance, which included suggestive choreography and attire, was among the elements that viewers felt crossed the line for pre-watershed programming.
Charli XCX took home several awards, including Album of the Year for her summer hit Brat, Best Dance Act, Song of the Year for Guess (featuring Billie Eilish, who became the first non-Brit to appear on a best song-winner), and Songwriter of the Year.
Sabrina Carpenter was honored with the recently resurrected Global Success Award, which recognizes British artists who have achieved significant international sales. The award was previously given to acts like One Direction, Sam Smith, Adele, and Ed Sheeran before being discontinued six years ago. Its revival this year may have been intended to attract Sabrina Carpenter to perform at the ceremony.
This is not the first time the Brit Awards have prompted complaints. In 2020, Ofcom received 309 complaints about rapper Dave’s performance, which some viewers claimed was racist against white people. However, the watchdog dismissed these claims, stating that the performance was “likely to be within most viewers’ expectations of this well-established awards ceremony.”
Similarly, in 2018, Kendrick Lamar’s performance generated 74 complaints after his set included a man smashing a baseball bat into the windscreen of a sports car, with some viewers arguing it could incite criminal behavior. Parts of Lamar’s performance were also muted due to implied bad language.
In 2015, Ofcom dismissed 151 complaints about Kanye West’s performance, which included offensive language and allegations of racial discrimination. ITV had attempted to mitigate the issue by muting parts of West’s song All Day and airing the ceremony with a short delay to cut out offensive content.
The Brit Awards have long been a platform for bold performances and statements, often pushing the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable for broadcast. While this year’s complaints are notable, they are unlikely to result in significant repercussions for ITV or the organizers, given Ofcom’s history of dismissing similar grievances.
However, the controversy highlights the ongoing tension between artistic expression and broadcast regulations, particularly in a live, high-profile event like the Brits. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether future ceremonies will adopt a more cautious approach or continue to embrace the edgy, boundary-pushing performances that have become a hallmark of the awards show. Keep Reading Questiqa.com for more news.
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