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Brit Awards 2014: The most controversial moments ever from the Brits

Will tonight's show prove more exciting than last year's boring ceremony?

Wednesday 19 February 2014 13:51 GMT

Noel Gallagher insults INXS at the Brit Awards 1996 (Reuters)

It was once known as a byword for the perils of live television, but in recent years the Brit Awards have become a bland affair.

Gone are the days when Robbie Williams would try to start a brawl with Liam Gallagher. Now instead the Stoke singer pens song about how “f**king boring” the awards ceremony is.

Brit bosses hope tonight’s show will prove more entertaining, drafting in the likes of Prince, Katy Perry and Beyonce to perform.

But they’ll still be relying on auto-cue muck ups and offensive acceptance speeches to inject the ceremony with a bit more rock’n’r oll.

Ahead of tonight’s show, we look back at some of the most memorable moments from the Brit Awards, from John Prescott having a jug of water chucked in his face to Jarvis Cocker flashing his bum at Michael Jackson in protest.

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Show all 10

1/10Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Geri Halliwell's Union Jack dress, 1997

Geri Halliwell's era-defining dress became an iconic symbol of the nineties, not least for the fact it revealed her knickers and a large amount of her very own 'brits'. The singer wore it for the band's performance of 'Who Do You Think You Are', voted Most Memorable Performance of 30 Years at the Brit Awards in 2010

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Noel Gallagher insults INXS, 1996

Oasis star Noel Gallagher began his downward spiral of Brit controversy by telling INXS singer Mick Hutchence, who presented the band with an award: "has beens shouldn't present f***ing awards to gonna-bes"

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Robbie Williams challenges Liam Gallagher to televised fight, 2000

After winning Best British Song and Best British Video for 'She's the One' at the 2000 Brit Awards, Williams challenged public enemy Liam Gallagher to a televised fight, saying: 'Liam, a hundred grand of your money and a hundred grand of my money. We'll get in a ring and we'll have a fight.' Alas for Williams, Gallagher was out of the country at the time

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Liam Gallagher lobs mic into audience, 2010

But then Liam Gallagher decided to go Brits up himself (ten years on, mind). The Oasis singer collected a gong for Best Album, before chucking the award to a fan and hurling the microphone into the audience. Host Peter Kay called the singer a 'knobhead'

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Adele gives the middle finger, 2012

Adele gave the finger after James Corden cut short her acceptance speech for British Album of the Year. Corden was under pressure from television producers worried about the show overrunning, who later apologised to the singer. Adele said the middle finger was 'to the suits at the Brit Awards', not her fans

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Russell Brand sparks Ofcom Complaints, 2007

Never one to shy away from offending, Russell raised a few eyebrows with quips about Robbie Williams' spell in rehab, the Queen's 'naughty bits' and a British soldier killed in Iraq. ITV received over 300 complaint calls from viewers and Ofcom logged a further 135

Getty Images

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

John Prescott has jug of water poured in his face, 1998

Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of water over the deputy prime minister's head at the 1998 Brit Awards. The band attacked New Labour on stage at the award, singing: 'New Labour sold out the dockers, just like they sell out to us'

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Sharon Osbourne calls Vic Reeves a p**s head, 2008

An altercation between Sharon and Vic Reeves ensued when the comedian made a quip about Kylie Minogue, saying she was 'all right, a bit of work there and she will be ok', which was met with silence. Reeves then seemed to forget which award he was presenting, prompting Sharon to tell him: 'Shut up, you're a piss head, piss off you bastard.'

Reuters

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood's dodgy hosting, 1989

Inexperienced hosts Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood presented the 1989 awards , which led to missed autocues, pop stars coming up to the stage at the wrong time, and a generally poorly executed show

Most controversial Brit Awards moments

Jarvis Cocker storms stage in protest against Michael Jackson, 1996

Cocker stormed on stage during Michael Jackson's performance to protest against the singer by bending over and pointing his bum in his direction. Later he said his actions were a protest 'at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christlike figure with the power of healing'

James Corden will present his final Brit Awards tonight, and probably won’t be hoping for another repeat of the Adele middle finger incident in 2012 - however much it’s likely to spice up the show.

After it emerged today journalists who attend the show have been asked to tweet with sponsor MasterCard's slogan, it remains to be seen whether the show really will be full of #PricelessSurprises.

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