Legendary band set to receive major gong at Brits next year as bosses ‘kick off Manchester residency with a bang’
THERE’S only one band the whole country is talking about right now, with their sell-out international reunion tour just weeks away.
So when the Brit Awards head up to Manchester next year, I’ve been told we can expect an Oasis extravaganza.
“The Brits want to kick off their two-year residency in Manchester with a bang,” my Brits mole said.
“Oasis will have not long finished up their sold-out shows and the hope is that Liam and Noel Gallagher will accept a special award to recognise the phenomenal sales which have come out of their reunion gigs.
“Along with it being heavy on Oasis, the Brits want to celebrate Manchester’s rich music history.
“As well as Oasis, huge bands like The 1975, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Take That all have their roots in Manchester. London might be the music capital of the country, but Manchester is just as important and has given the UK some of our best homegrown talents.
“It’s a new adventure and the Brits team think they could be onto something very special.”
We’re expecting a very different vibe from the ceremony this year — and that’s no bad thing.
The annual event — taking place on at the Co-op Live arena on February 28 next year — has been slammed for now being a little stale, with more influencers and reality stars packed into London’s O2 Arena than ever at this year’s bash.
It’s little wonder then that Love Island’s Maura Higgins ended up having a kiss with married McFLY star Danny Jones, which, thanks to my video, got the Brits more headlines than it’s had in years.
All the gossip
By taking the ceremony back to focusing on the music, with the stars taking to the stage in the state-of-the-art Co-Op Live Arena, this move could breathe some much-needed life back into the show I love so much.
Naturally there will be some whingers who think that Manchester is a bit of a schlep, especially as all of our major music labels have their bases in the capital.
But I’m told plenty of cash and creativity is being pumped into the bash by Sony Music, which spearheaded the move to Manchester and have taken on the stewardship of the awards for the next three years.
A Brits spokesperson said: “We are all very excited about the move to Manchester, and we look forward to planning a spectacular event.
“No decisions have been made about the 2026 show, and no meetings have taken place yet to start the planning.”
With a deep breath, we’ve booked our hotel rooms and are scouting out the best celebrity hotspots to get you all the gossip from the event.
That Avanti West Coast service back to London Euston is going to be heaving . . .
SAM’S LOVIN’ IT WITH ROSA
NOTHING says “I love you” more than sharing your Big Mac and fries.
And it seems Sam Fender is more than happy to hand his over to girlfriend Rosa Collier.
I revealed in March that Sam had secretly been seeing Rosa for almost two years and the pair were snapped together in public for the first time when they stopped for food at County Durham services.
An onlooker said: “Sam is a superstar but he keeps his personal life low key.
“He was really affectionate towards Rosa and, after he’d ordered their haul, he headed back to the tour bus with Rosa bringing him the food to stop him being mobbed by fans.”
Friends told me earlier this year that Sam met Rosa while she was studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
They became more serious in 2023 and she’s been on the road with him for his mega People Watching world tour – which saw him playing to 80,000 people at the London’s Olympic Stadium on Friday night.
They added: “Sam’s career has gone stratospheric but he likes to keep his feet on the ground and Rosa helps him do that.
“They make a lovely couple.”
They sure do.
ROD’S EXTRA GIG GUESTS
SIR ROD STEWART had already let slip that his Rolling Stones pal Ronnie Wood will be joining him on stage at Glastonbury – and now he’s teased two other famous faces will be getting involved.
He has promised three special guests for his Sunday afternoon legends slot at the festival at the end of the month.
Admitting he won’t nail down the setlist for the 90-minute performance until the night before, Rod said: “We’ve been running [through it] because I have two guests coming on.
“Three guests actually, so we’re doing their songs. But no, it won’t be until the night before.”
But does that mean he will be on his best behaviour at Worthy Farm? Doesn’t sound like it.
The Faces legend – who has been forced to cancel a string of gigs in the US this month while recovering from flu – said he will be treating himself to some Bacardi and Coke before going on stage.
He added: “This time, we’re all in a hotel in Bath the night before, me and the band, all the road crews, so we’re going to have a right old p***-up.
“It’s obviously the last time I do it, so I want it to be memorable.
“But I’m just going to go in, have a few drinks before I go on and enjoy myself like I’ve always done all my life.”
It will be his second time at the festival after headlining in 2002, but it sounds as though he had a fair few drinks then, too.
Asked what he recalls about last time, he confessed: “Nothing.
“I think it’s the alcohol intake over the years.
“I just cannot remember what happened at Glastonbury.”
But while it will be a special moment, it has not come cheap. Speaking on the Sidetracked podcast on BBC Sounds – recorded before his recent illness – he explained: “It’s actually cost me £300,000 to do the show because I’ve got to bring all the band back from America and I’ve got to take them all the way back to America.
“Believe it or not, my kids, three of them, all bought their own tickets, because Glastonbury give nothing away. Nothing.
“Everybody asks me for tickets. All the time. Everywhere. People just come out of the woodwork. ‘Oh, you haven’t spoken to me for 25 years. Any chance I could have a ticket?’”
Rod is a busy man, as alongside the Glasto show, he is working on the first Faces album for over 50 years, a solo country album, another solo record, plus documentaries about his life and his time as frontman of the Faces.
But the singer said: “I’m enjoying performing now more than I’ve ever done in my entire life and I’m in my 80s.
“You’ll see it at Glastonbury.
“My energy, enthusiasm is overwhelming, almost. I’ve got a band that I absolutely adore being with.”
And he’s so excited to be there on the Pyramid Stage on the Sunday legends slot that he is even looking forward to people chucking their pants at him on stage – despite the fact they may be days-old, unwashed underwear.
He added: “Oh, it doesn’t matter.
“They’re my people.”
Rather him than me . . .
JADE’S CRAZY ABOUT HER KESHA COLLAB
JADE is lining up her first major collaboration since going solo, by teaming up with Kesha.
We’ve been told she is set to feature on a remix of the US star’s new single Boy Crazy, after they both performed at Mighty Hoopla festival in London earlier this month.
They have been leaving clues on each other’s Instagram posts in recent days, with former Little Mix star posting a photo of herself in a Boy Crazy T-shirt.
Kesha commented: “U boy crazy too? We should go out…” to which Jade replied: “Let’s party!”
It could be the perfect move to introduce her to more fans in the States, where Little Mix never hit the big time.
She is being managed by a team in the US who want to make her a star there following the success of her debut solo single Angel Of My Dreams and her Brit Award for Pop Act.
Jade’s album That’s Showbiz Baby! will be out on September 12, followed by a UK tour in October which is almost entirely sold out.
She’s already moved on to big things, but I have high hopes for what’s next.
WINNER CARDI IS TWO GOOD
CARDI B did the double at the 2025 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards.
The I Like It singer was handed the Voice Of Culture gong for her influence on the music industry and picked up an award for her track Enough (Miami).
Cardi looked pleased as punch with her haul and later celebrated in at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles.
It was a flying visit for Cardi, who is seriously loved up with her new man, American Footballer Stefon Diggs.
Before flying into LA to pick up her gongs, Cardi spent her weekend at an NFL kids football camp hosted by Stefon in Maryland – with the superstar posing on the side of the pitch with the New England Patriots player.
BILLIE HAS HOL LOT OF LOVE
BILLIE EILISH has flown to Venice on a romantic getaway with actor Nat Wolff, despite claiming they are just friends.
They were pictured in a clinch on holiday in Italy at the weekend, almost a year after he played the singer’s love interest in the video for song Chihiro.
LIOINEL: TOUR IS A PAIN
LIONEL RICHIE’s Hello To The Hits tour is hitting Manchester for two nights on Thursday, following a mammoth show in Birmingham last night.
After the shows at the Co-Op Live arena, the American soul legend will then return to the capital for one final show at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday.
So it’s little surprise Lionel is feeling the burn, joking on stage: “When you see me jumping and running, sliding, running up stairs, running down stairs, I want you all to know one thing – I’m in pain.”
His high-intensity shows are fuelled by early nights and electrolytes, with Lionel performing 22 of his biggest tracks including Dancing On The Ceiling, Endless Love and All Night Long.
But while he has the moves of a man half his age, Lionel said his vocals are given a rest – by the audience.
He adding: “When you come to my show, the last person you’ll hear singing is me.”
We caught Lionel live in London on Friday night and can confirm this is true.
And his performance was a masterclass for younger artists.
Lionel, never stop.
IDRIS ELBA, Blossoms, Jade and Mabel have been added to the line-up of artists playing the British Grand Prix weekend.
They will join headliners Sam Fender, Raye, Fatboy Slim and Becky Hill at the event at Silverstone, Northamptonshire, from July 3 to 6.
THE festival set up in memory of TV’s Caroline Flack hopes to top £1million in fundraising for mental health support after this year’s one-day event.
Flackstock has raised over £700,000 in its first three years, with the money split between Choose Love, Mind, Samaritans and the Charlie Waller Trust.
This year, another charity, the Flackstock Fund, will also benefit.
Stars at this year’s event, on August 8 at London’s Crystal Palace Bowl, will include Mel C, Pixie Lott, Alfie Boe, Boyzlife, S Club’s Jon Lee and Jo O’Meara, and Wes Nelson.
Hope to see you there.