 LONDON, UK (Brit Awards Website) - The public are being invited to mix with the stars at the UK music industry's annual Brit Awards ceremony for the first time. More than 1,000 tickets will be made available to the public for the ceremony at London's Earls Court next February.
For those unable to get a seat, viewers will be able to watch the show the same night when it is broadcast minutes afterwards "as live" on television.
This is a departure from the last 13 years when it has been recorded for edited transmission the next day. The pre-recording of the show followed the shambolic 1989 ceremony hosted by Mick Fleetwood and Samantha Fox. New award The organisers have yet to decide where and when the tickets will be available or who will present the awards. But arena-style seating will allow more than 3,000 people to attend with all proceeds from the night going to charity.
Next year's awards will also include a new category for Best British Urban Act to reflect the success of urban music in the UK. Best British Newcomer and Best International Newcomer will be rebranded as Breakthrough Act.
This will allow recognition of newcomers that may have been in the music industry for years but have only just achieved their big break.
This comes after the awards ceremony ran into controversy when singer Dido was initially nominated for best newcomer but later dropped after organisers admitted she had been wrongly included. She went on though to win Best British female solo artist and also won Best British album for No Angel. Changing face of awards The awards ceremony which has been running since 1977, was first created to created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of recorded sound, and the achievements of the growing UK record business.
But Tony Wadsworth, chairman of the Brits Committee, said: "For the Brits to continue to be the industry's leading awards show, it must continue to evolve and these changes are part of this constant evolution." In the past the Brits has faced controversy, such as when Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker invaded the stage in protest against singer Michael Jackson's performance in 1996. ITV1 has a two-year deal with Brits TV for transmission in the UK.
There will be live transmission from the nominations launch party at Abbey Road Studios on 13 January ahead of the ceremony on 20 February.
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