Damien Hirst to design 2013 Brit Awards statue as James Corden returns as host
The Brit Art icon will put his unique stamp on the Britannia award, while James Corden takes on presenting duties for the third year running
Damien Hirst is to follow in the footsteps of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and pop artist Sir Peter Blake by putting his own stamp on the Brit Awards' trademark Britannia statuette.
The Brit Art hero's design will adorn the trophy handed out to winners at the 2013 music industry awards in February, making him the third person to redesign it since the Brits instigated its now annual "blank canvas" policy in 2011.
Brits Chairman David Joseph said: "We are delighted that Damien will become the third extraordinary creative Briton to reimagine the Brit statue. He is truly one of the most important British artists ever and his unique vision will make winning a 2013 Brit an even more special proposition."
The question is, what will Hirst's version look like? Suspending a trophy in a tank of formaldehyde seems impractical, while encrusting it with diamonds would appear to be prohibitively expensive. There are always those classic multi-coloured dots, of course – or perhaps Britannia could be pictured with her flayed skin draped over her arm, à la Hirst's 2007 bronze Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain. We shall just have to wait and see.
While designers come and go, hosts, apparently, do not. James Corden will present the awards ceremony for the third year running. The event takes place at London's O2 Arena on 20 February, with coverage to be broadcast on ITV1.
A launch party for awards nominees will be fronted by Radio 1 breakfast DJ Nick Grimshaw at The Savoy hotel on 10 January.
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