BRIT Awards 2025 garners Ofcom complaints due to Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX appearances
Viewers weren't happy with the raunchy appearances of two of the biggest winners of the night.
The BRIT Awards received over 800 complaints from viewers who took issue with Sabrina Carpenter’s performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.
The annual event, held at the O2 Arena on 1st March, saw American starlet Sabrina Carpenter open the show with a performance of her smash-hit Espresso, flanked by a group of dancers dressed like King’s Guards as she took to the stage to a mash-up of Rule Britannia.
She then segued into a performance of her raunchy song Bed Chem, quickly changing into a red negligee and suspenders as she performed on a giant pink heart-shaped bed.
It’s now been confirmed by Ofcom that 825 complaints were officially filed as a result of the performance, with some deeming it 'inappropriate' for its sexual connotations.
Carpenter turned heads with a lustful routine during Bed Chem, with the songs lyrics talking about a sexual fantasy with someone she runs into, thinking they would have good chemistry in the bedroom.
It ended with Carpenter running her hand down the chest of a male dancer before disappearing off screen to kneel in front of him, with the man winking at the audience as she did so.
The routine aired on ITV before the 9pm 'watershed', a time deemed appropriate to move into programming more suitable for adults, allowing swearing and sexual content.
Carpenter later wrote on Instagram, joking: "I now know what watershed is!!!!"
On top of Carpenter’s performance, Charli XCX, the biggest winner of the evening after walking home with five awards including Best Album for her record Brat, came under fire for an 'inappropriate' outfit made of sheer black material that exposed her body underneath.
Charli later spoke out about the criticism, and wrote online: "I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of 'free the nipple' though, right?"
An Ofcom spokesperson said: "We are assessing the complaints against our rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate."
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Authors
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
