Ofcom received over 800 complaints over the Brit Awards after pop star Sabrina Carpenter’s raunchy performance and Charlie XCX’s outfit.
Sparkly pop sensation Sabrina, 25, is famous for using various stages of undress as part of her sets and demonstrating provocative dance moves.
But when she didn’t alter her trademark ways for her performance at the awards show, some Brits were shocked and appalled.
She began her show dressed in a red glittery military-style blazer and surrounded by members of the ‘King’s Guard’ for a Rule Britannia mash-up.
The pop star then ended in a bra with stockings and suspenders for ‘Bed Chem’ while dancing saucily on a heart-shaped bed.
She was honored with the global success award during the ceremony, along with receiving nominations in the international artist and international song of the year categories.
Following the online criticism and as she kicked off her tour in Dublin later, she light-heartedly responded to the controversy by playfully striking a milder pose while donning a mischievous grin, a departure from her usual dynamic dance routine for her song Juno.
Her performance at the Brits occurred earlier, before 9 pm, drawing disapproval from many viewers who took to social media to air their grievances. Ofcom reported a total of 825 complaints received regarding the awards show.
Some of the complaints over the Brit Awards were also aimed at Brat singer Charlie XCX, who won five awards including album of the year.
Brit Awards viewers were left outraged by Sabrina Carpenter’s raunchy pre-watershed performance that saw the US pop star get down on her knees in front of a ‘King’s Guard’
Carpenter changed into a skimpy red lingerie outfit to perform song Bed Chem on a large bed where she spread her legs apart
The Espresso singer, 25, opened the awards at The O2 in London
Charli XCX poses in the winners room with the awards for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Dance Act during The Brit Awards 2025 at The O2 Arena
But her outfit – a black see-through dress – prompted some outrage.
Ofcom is deliberating whether to investigate the complaints.Â
British singer Charli, 32, claimed as she took to the stage to accept the artist of the year award that ITV had ‘complained about my nipples’.
The singer-songwriter sparked cheers and applause from the crowd as she quipped: ‘I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple though, right?
‘They put the clap track on, cool. Thanks for being on my side.’
Viewers vowed to contact the television regulator and the broadcaster about this year’s controversial ceremony at The O2 in London that was filled with jawdropping moments.
Earlier, Carpenter, 25, opened the awards with a steamy set that saw the US pop star get down on her knees in front of a ‘King’s Guard’.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the stunner shared a slew of behind the scenes snaps from the ceremony and seemingly poked fun at the controversy.
She posed up a storm in her sexy onstage outfits and wrote: ‘Brits I now know what watershed is!!!!’
Parents of young children watched on in disbelief as the Espresso singer – dressed in a skimpy red lingerie outfit – suggestively crouched down in front of a dancer dressed in a King’s Guard uniform.
The camera then panned to the ‘guard’ who looked towards the lens and winked.
Carpenter performed part of her song Bed Chem on a large bed where she spread her legs apart.
The set’s finale was so saucy it had to be edited for the ITV broadcast, with the camera focusing on the soldier winking, instead of Sabrina’s suggestive position, which shocked the crowd inside the arena.Â
The jawdropping performance appeared to come close to breaking the Broadcasting Code’s 9pm watershed rules and left some viewers in shock with one father saying he was ‘fuming’.
Viewers were loving the sensual performance and innuendos as they rushed to X to praise the American popstar
The jawdropping performance left some viewers in shock with one father saying he was ‘fuming’
Sabrina Carpenter performs live during The BRIT Awards 2025
The jaw dropping performance appeared to come close to breaking the Broadcasting Code’s 9pm watershed rules and left some viewers in shock with one father saying he was ‘fuming’.
‘Unsuitable material’ should not be shown before 9pm and ‘can include everything from sexual content to violence, graphic or distressing imagery and swearing’, according to Ofcom.
Shocked viewers had earlier flocked to social media platform X to reveal their disbelief about Carpenter’s racy set.
One mother said her 11-year-old daughter is ‘obsessed’ with Carpenter ‘and I explained to her whilst watching this performance that this is why I’m not taking her to the concert’.
‘Sorry not a good idea to open up with before 9pm! It’s still family time, very inappropriate,’ one viewer wrote on X.
Another said: ‘As a dad of 11 and 13 year old girls I am fuming that this was the opening scenes of #BRITs2025.’
A third labelled it ‘f***ing ridiculous’ to be shown at 8.23pm, adding: ‘Lots of little girls watching this. Learning that female artists have to dress & perform like a prostitute to become famous…
‘@Ofcom @ITV there’s a watershed for a reason. Who decided this was appropriate for family viewing at 8.20 on sat prime time?’
Carpenter’s performance left pulses racing with some fans praising the star who said they were cheering her on ‘to be even more filthy and promiscuous’
She opened the awards ceremony wearing a red sparkly military-style blazer dress
One said: ‘This performance before the 9pm watershed? oh Sabrina, I love you x some parents will end up complaining though let’s face it #BRITs.’
‘Ofcom after Sabrina’s Brits performance #BRITs #sabrinacapenter’;
‘Me cheering on Sabrina to be even more filthy and promiscuous to make all the Facebook mums complain more #BRITs’.
Carpenter has previously defended her sexy stage persona telling The Sun: ‘My message has always been clear — if you can’t handle a girl who is confident in her own sexuality, then don’t come to my shows.’
