Believe it or not, the BRITs Awards 2022 are almost here, with the starstudded event set to go ahead tomorrow evening (February 8) after being postponed until May last year.
Tomorrow's night, which will be attended by a galaxy of stars, is set to be a trailblazing one, with 2022 being the year that gendered categories are abolished.
'Artist of the Year' and 'International Artist of the Year' are the accolades that will be taking the place of separate male and female prizes, with a strong list of contenders in the running for both awards.
Read more: BRIT Awards 2022: Maya Jama lands top job weeks after engagement bombshell
But this will not be the only change to the ceremony, as one familiar face will be missing from the celebrations.
Jack Whitehall hosted the biggest night for British music from 2018 to 2021, stepping back this to pass the baton onto Mo Gilligan, who will be making history tomorrow as the first Black Briton to host the night.
Over his four consecutive years of hosting the prestigious awards, Jack entertained the millions of viewers that tuned in by making whimsical remarks about the celebrities in attendance, including comments about Little Mix and Olly Murs, at their expense.
In an interview with The Independent late last year, the 33-year-old revealed why he was stepping back from hosting the BRITs, explaining that he was 'conscious of outstaying his welcome'.
He said: "After that first time, I was conscious of not outstaying my welcome - I wanted to make sure people still enjoyed seeing me do it.”
The comedian thinks that Mo Gilligan is 'the perfect choice' for the host of the occasion, and referred to him as 'the hottest comedian around right now' and 'a really funny guy'.
Jack said: "It'll be strange seeing someone else doing it because it has become a bit of a fixture for me and something that I look forward to each year but I'm sure Mo will do a great job."
But the BRITs are not the only thing Jack is stepping away from, as the Fresh Meat star revealed to The Independent that he plans on taking a break from comedy, too.
"The problem with stand-up is that you get through a lot of your life experience very quickly," he said.
"At the end of my last tour, I thought it was definitely time to take a little break, to not have that moment the minute after you’ve said something and someone’s laughed to think, ‘Oh I need to make sure I remember that because I could say it again in a professional capacity’.”
This year's award show will take place at the O2 Arena in London, with some of the biggest names in music taking to the stage to perform, including Adele, Ed Sheeran and Liam Gallagher.
Regarding the privilege of hosting the biggest night in British music, Mo told the RadioTimes: “It’s an absolute privilege to host the 2022 BRIT Awards.
"I’m truly honoured to be asked. We’re already in the extensive planning stages and all I can say is, I promise we’re going to give it all we’ve got to create an incredible night for music fans everywhere. Let’s go!”
Bristolian TV presenter Maya Jama and radio presenter Clara Amfo will be presenting the red carpet event on the night.
Last year, the BRITs went ahead as part of a 'Government research programme' - the awards ceremony took place at a time when social distancing and face masks were enforced, and large events were banned due to Covid restrictions.
The BRITs will be broadcast on ITV from 8pm on Tuesday, February 8.
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