No-show Adele, Coldplay win big at BBC Music Awards

Adele and Coldplay were major winners at the third BBC Music Awards – but neither of them attended, as Adele was in Los Angeles and Coldplay were in Australia.

Adele got Robbie Williams to pick up her trophy for Best Album for 25. Williams read out a statement from the star, who said she “felt bad” because 25 had “been out for so long” (it was released in November 2015), and passed a message on to the singer, “You know I love you. Always have and always will.”

He added, “It’s a beautiful album and you’re an incredibly deserving winner and also an amazing mom.” She twittered back immediately, “I love you too, you legend!”

Nominees for the album category included Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams, Jeff Lynne’s ELO’s Alone In The Universe, Michael Kiwanuka’s Love And Hate and Rick Astley’s 50.

Adele also took Song of the Year for Hello, picked up by former Spice Girl Geri Horner who took the opportunity to invite her around to her place for a cup of tea.

The lengthy nominees list for the category included Alessia Cara’s Here, Coldplay ft. Beyonce’s Hymn For The Weekend, DNCE’s Cake By The Ocean, Drake’s One Dance, Justin Bieber’s Sorry, Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop The Feeling, Lukas Graham’s 7 Years, Naughty Boy ft. Beyonce’s Runnin’ (Lose It All) and Rihanna ft. Drake’s Work.

Coldplay, who won British Artist of the Year, sent their thanks from Melbourne, just before their show at Etihad Stadium.

Frontman Chris Martin said, “We just got told about winning this beautiful award and we are sorry we’re not there, we are about to go on stage in Australia.

“Look at all those people – we love you and we are so grateful and we’ll see you so soon. Thank you so much and goodbye.”

Coldplay took the award from David Bowie, Adele, Calvin Harris and Jess Glynne, while 1975 took the prize for BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge Performance of the Year for their strings-drenched cover of One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful.

Singer Matt Healy quipped it was “a bizarre award. It’s for a performance of a song we didn’t write, by an artist who also didn’t write it! I don’t know how far it goes back… it’s probably the guy who did the lights who deserves the credit – but I’ll take it!”

British singer-songwriter Izzy Bizu, who created waves with her debut album A Moment Of Madness in September, was dubbed Young Artist of the Year. Jack Garratt recived the honour in 2015 and Catfish and the Bottlemen in 2014.

The show kicked off with 1975 and The Sound. Other performers were John Legend who went down a storm with a mash of new hit All Of Me and Love Me Now, Craig David reached back to 1999 for Rewind, Bizu, Emeli Sande, Swedish singer Zara Larsson, Lukas Graham with Robbie Williams closing with Sensational.