What time is the Brits on TV? When you can watch Brit Awards 2021, what channel - and who is performing

The Brit Awards will take place tonight (11 May) in what will be the UK’s first music awards ceremony to be held as an in-person event since the Covid pandemic began.

The awards usually take place in February, but were postponed to allow for the event to feature performers, artists and an audience.

The show is part of the UK government’s live events pilot scheme, with a live audience of 4,000 people.

So, with the event rescheduled to allow for an extravagant spectacle - who will perform and how can you watch it live? Here is everything you need to know.

Who will be hosting this year’s Brit Awards?

The 44th annual Brit Awards will be hosted by award-winning comedian, Jack Whitehall

This will be his fourth consecutive year presenting the event. He will host live from London’s O2 arena.

Whitehall has been preparing to host while his girlfriend Roxy Horner received treatment in hospital while battling an autoimmune disease. She was discharged the morning before the awards.

Who will perform live at the Brit Awards?

The show will open with a performance from Coldplay, who will kick off the night by performing aboard a platoon in the River Thames.

The band is the most decorated in Brits history - with a whopping 28 nods in total and nine wins.

Fronted by Chris Martin, the group released their latest single ‘Higher Power’ last week, performing it in the International Space Station, with French astronaut Thomas Pesquet beaming the song back to Earth by satellite.

Other performers on the night include Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Arlo Parks, Griff, Olivia Rodgrigo and Headie One.

Grammy-award winner Dua Lipa is also up for a Best Artist award at this year’s Brits, which has been celebrated for its diversity as a female-dominated category.

The awards continue to diversify with Taylor Swift is to be named the first ever female winner of the Global Icon Award.

She has also been nominated for international female solo artist, which she previously won in 2015.

Announcing her Global Icon prize, the Brits said: "Taylor's career is unparalleled and her music and influence has resonated with millions of people all over the world.

"She's used her platform to highlight many issues globally and recently has been applauded for her work promoting acceptance of the LGBTQ community."

Swift is not expected to perform at the awards.

Canadian singer The Weeknd will perform remotely as he is currently not in the UK and cannot travel due to ongoing international Covid restrictions.

Arlo Parks confirmed she would be performing at the event, in a tweet last month.

The singer-songwriter has been nominated for three BritAwards - Female Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist and Mastercard Album Of The Year for her debut record ‘Collapsed In Sunbeams’.

She thanked fans for their support as she made the announcement, writing: “Thank you 2 everyone who’s allowed me [and] my tunes to grow roots in their lives!!”

In March, newbie popstar Griff was announced as the Brits 2021 rising star. She also presented the nominations for this year’s event, alongside comedian Nick Grimshaw.

When is the awards ceremony on TV?

The Brits will be televised live from 8pm on ITV.

You can also watch live or catch up later on the ITV hub.