Snubbed Madonna ridiculed at MTV awards

Madonna was lampooned on stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards as she failed to take a single prize - despite being nominated for three titles.

The 48-year-old star, who has been the subject of controversy over her decision to adopt a one-year-old Malawian boy, was up for best Pop Act, best Female and Album, for Confessions on a Dancefloor at the awards last night.

But Best Pop was won by Justin Timberlake, Female by Christina Aguilera and Album by The Red Hot Chili Peppers for Stadium Arcadium.

The superstar, who has enjoyed phenomenal success this year with a multi-million selling album and a world tour, was even ridiculed at the awards in Copenhagen, Denmark.

TV comic Avid Merrion dressed up as the Material Girl in her leotard-wearing incarnation and gave a comic rendition of her performance at MTV's events last year.

He then told the audience: "I'm getting too old for this s***. I've been getting a lot of hoo-ha from the press recently just because I bought a baby.

"But I'm Madonna. If I want to buy a baby I buy a flipping baby."

His act was accompanied by a troupe of four "little people" gyrating in outsized babygrows.

Despite Madonna failing to take any awards, other American stars dominated the ceremony.

Big name British nominees like Keane and Robbie Williams went away empty-handed.

Those left flying the flag for the British music industry were veterans Depeche Mode for Best Group and Devon trio Muse for Best Alternative Act.

Timberlake, who hosted the awards and is in Copenhagen with his Hollywood star girlfriend Cameron Diaz, won Best Male as well as Best Pop Act. He beat Kanye West and Robbie Williams to the Male category.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers had been nominated for four awards but only took away one prize for Best Album.

Las Vegas band The Killers won the Rock category, beating the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Strokes. Arctic Monkeys lost out in the Best UK and Ireland category, which was won by The Kooks.

Caribbean-born talent Rihanna took the R&B prize and Gnarls Barkley won best Song for Crazy as well as a second award for the Best New Band of the year.

Kanye West won best Hip-Hop, beating the likes of Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.

But he was livid when he did not win the Best Video gong for Touch The Sky and went on stage to tell fans that the decision was wrong.

The event at the Bella Centre featured performances from Keane, Timberlake, P Diddy, Nelly Furtado, Snoop Dogg, The Killers and Muse.

Sacha Baron Cohen's alter-ego Borat, who hosted the awards last year, introduced the event by handing over to Timberlake and making a joke at Madonna's decision to adopt.

Electropop veterans Depeche Mode said after receiving their award: "It's been a great year. It's quite nice after 25 years to win the Best Group award."

New Bond star Daniel Craig announced the award for Best Female, but Aguilera was not here to accept and instead sent over a video message of thanks.

The show also featured an X-rated conversation piece between Snoop Dogg and Timberlake wrapped entirely in swearwords.

West said on receiving his award: "It's amazing to be recognised so far away from America." But he said of the decision not to give him best Video: "Best video should have been mine. I should have won."

Winners of all awards - except Video - were chosen by MTV viewers.

The winners were:

* Best Male: Justin Timberlake

* Best Group: Depeche Mode

* Best Hip Hop Act: Kanye West

* Best Song: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

* Best Pop Act: Justin Timberlake

* Best Female: Christina Aguilera

* Best Rock Act: The Killers

* Best Alternative Act: Muse

* Best R&B Act: Rihanna

* Best Album: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

* Best Video: Justice Vs Simian - We Are Your Friends

* Best UK & Ireland Act: The Kooks