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The BRIT Awards is moving to Manchester for the first time in its 48-year history

This is HUGE for our city.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th June 2025

The BRIT Awards is coming to Manchester.

Yes, that’s right – for the first time in its illustrious 48-year history, British music’s most prestigious awards show will be leaving the capital London and heading up to the capital of the North, as ITV has confirmed that the BRITs will be staged in Manchester for the next two years.

The iconic celebration of UK music is set to electrify Manchester’s newest – and Europe’s biggest – live entertainment arena, Co-op Live, as part of a two-year deal that’s being described as a ‘bold new chapter’ for the legendary event.

After nearly five decades in London, The BRIT Awards 2026 will take place on Saturday 28 February, broadcast exclusively on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player.

The 2027 BRIT Awards will also take place at Co-op Live.

ITV says Manchester has been chosen as the new home for the BRITs thanks to its ‘deep and rich roots in music‘, having produced scores of iconic and contemporary artists over several decades, as well as also creating dozens of cultural music moments.

Nowadays, Manchester also has a thriving independent music scene to support emerging and new talent, and this makes The BRIT Awards ‘a welcome addition to Manchester’s music legacy’, according to ITV.

The 2026 BRITs will also be the first of three years under the stewardship of Sony Music UK – who have supposedly ‘spearheaded’ the move to Manchester.

The BRIT Awards is moving to Manchester for the first time in its 48-year history / Credit: BRITs (via Press Centre)

Speaking one the announcement of The BRITs move to Manchester, Jason Iley MBE – who is the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK & Ireland – commented: “This is a very exciting time for The BRIT Awards. Moving to Manchester, the home of some of the most iconic and defining artists of our lifetime, will invigorate the show and build on the BRITs legacy of celebrating and reinvesting in world-class music.

“Hosting the show in Manchester, with its vibrant cultural history, perfectly captures the spirit and energy of the BRIT Awards, and I can’t wait to see the show at the amazing state-of-the art Co-op Live venue.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham added: “For The BRIT Awards to move out of London is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious global event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture.”

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“We thank our friends at the BPI for choosing Manchester, and we will pull out all the stops to show they made the right decision,” Andy Burnham concluded.

The BRIT Awards 2026 will take place at Co-op Live on Saturday 28 February.

Featured Image – ITV / BRITs / Co-op Live

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Country star Tyler Childers is coming to town for his biggest Manchester show to date

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tyler Childers Manchester tickets

US country music star Tyler Childers is returning to Manchester for his biggest ever show in this city, and tickets go on sale very soon.

Fresh off the back of his new album, Snipe Hunter – which was only just dropped back in July – the 34-year-old singer-songwriter is riding a fresh wave of excitement after years of hard work within the genre, mixing in plenty of classic bluegrass and folk into his modern take on the classic American sound.

As one of the most-streamed and well-respected contemporary country musicians on the scene right now, the Kentucky-born solo star and understated acoustic guitarist often falls into that category of your favourite artist’s favourite artist.

Now Tyler Childers is coming to our most legendary arena as part of his UK and European tour early next year, and we’ll certainly be queuing online for tickets.

As far as AO Arena shows booked in for the new year go, we’re very excited about this one.

His seventh studio album has been well-received by his die-hard followers and newcomers alike, delivering that same traditional Appalachian storytelling and hard-bitten humour, as well as plenty of attitude and anecdotal idiosyncrasies, not to mention plenty of vocal range as always.

Having not long come back from a pilgrimage to India, Lawrence County king teamed up with legendary producer Rick Rubin (along with some help from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn) to create one of his most eye-opening, broad and best records yet.

Post-release, the Associated Press went on to label him “one of country music’s most compelling and unpredictable artists”, and we tend to agree.

The LP immediately spawned plenty of fan favourites, and we certainly have ours – and the video has definitely had a hand in it:

It may just be his best work yet.

Experimenting with his current unique take on country rock sound more than ever, you couldn’t ask for a better time to go and see him live.

To quote the words of Rolling Stone magazine, he’s “one of his generation’s most important voices”, and you really should see him live if you can.

Once again, Tyler Childers comes to the AO Arena in Manchester on Sunday, 8 March 2026, with an official pre-sale available via Three+ from 9am on Wednesday, 10 September.

As for general admission, tickets go live at the same time on the following Friday (12 Sep); you can get ready to grab yours HERE.

We don’t know about you, but we’re very much enjoying our country moment at the minute…

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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Lil Baby cancels entire European tour including Manchester Co-op Live date

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Lil Baby cancels entire European tour including Manchester Co-op Live date

A major act at Co-op Live has cancelled their gig today, just weeks ahead of their scheduled appearance.

Rapper Lil Baby has called off his entire European tour, which included a massive gig here in Manchester.

Fans have been notified via email that the shows will no longer be going ahead.

The Grammy award-winning artist was set to play the Co-op Live on Friday 26 September as part of his WHAM World Tour.

But Lil Baby will no longer be performing in Manchester – along with cancelled shows in London and across Europe – due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.

A statement from AXS sent to fans said: “The event organisers have been in touch to let us know that due to unforeseen circumstances, Lil Baby’s performance has now been cancelled.

“We will be automatically refunding your tickets to the method of payment you used to buy your tickets, so you don’t need to do anything further.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Lil Baby has released four chart-topping albums, with his seminal album My Turn going seven-time Platinum.

Fans have been voicing their dismay at the cancellation of the tour, with one writing on X: “All rappers do is cancel SMH. Lilbaby cancelled tour cba.”

Another wrote: “Why the hell has lil baby cancelled his show.”

Someone on TikTok said: “I woke up to this email now my day is ruined cos Wdymm.”

And someone else posted: “I PURPOSELY TOLD MY PEOPLE NOT GOING ON HOLIDAY FOR MY BDAY BECAUSE LIL BABY PERFORMING IN LONDON ON 27 THE NEXT DAY! FOR HIM TO CANNNNCEEELLLLL 2 WEEKS BEFORE.”

Lil Baby has not yet addressed the cancellation.

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