“Outrage Erupts: Government Faces Backlash Over Controversial Sabrina Carpenter Show and Charli XCX’s Daring Fashion Choice!”
The Brit Awards this year weren’t just an evening of recognizing musical talent—they were downright scandalous! Held at London’s O2 Arena, the ceremony on March 1 sparked a fiery debate over Sabrina Carpenter’s daring performance and Charli XCX’s striking attire, leading to an overwhelming wave of complaints. An impressive 825 viewers took it upon themselves to flood Ofcom— the UK’s media regulator— voicing their discontent with what they deemed a sharp departure from the “family-friendly” vibe of past events. Let’s dive into the juicy details of this year’s awards show, where the lines between artistry and decorum were pushed to the brink! To find out more about the drama and the reactions, LEARN MORE.
The Brit Awards turned out to be too hot to handle for viewers, who filed numerous complaints, with the majority of them related to Sabrina Carpenter’s provocative performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.
The annual star-studded ceremony was held at London’s O2 Arena on March 1, and the controversy continues over all the skin and cheeky acts that viewers laid their eyes on.
- Around 825 complaints were made to Ofcom (UK’s media regulator) over the Brit Awards.
- Majority of the complaints were related to Sabrina Carpenter’s provocative performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.
- Sabrina’s opening of the show was deemed “inappropriate” at what “used to be a family event.”
- Meanwhile, Charli XCX spoke about people “complaining about [her] nipples” as she accepted the award.
About 825 complaints relating to the Brit Awards were made to Ofcom (the Office of Communications)—the UK’s media regulator.
About 825 complaints were filed over the Brit Awards, with most of them related to Sabrina Carpenter’s provocative performance and Charli XCX’s outfit
Image credits: BRITs
The majority of the complaints received by the media watchdog were reportedly related to Sabrina’s debut BRIT Awards performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.
Sabrina, who opened the show around 8:15 p.m., served her hit song Espresso in the tea-loving country.
She was seen parading across the stage with her dancers dressed as the King’s Guard.
Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter
For the second half of her performance, the pop diva went on to give a sultry rendition of Bed Chem, dressed in red lingerie on a heart-shaped bed.
The performance ended with a dancer, dressed like a royal guard, winking at the audience.
Sabrina picked up the 2025 Brit global success award, presented by actress Millie Bobby Brown, during the glitzy spectacle.
She said during her acceptance speech that she first visited the UK at the age of 10 with her mother, back when “nobody knew” her.
Sabrina picked up the 2025 Brit global success award
Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter
“All I kept thinking about was one day how exciting it would feel if anyone in the UK knew my music,” she said.
Calling the award an “insane honor,” she added, “You really understand my dry sense of humor because your sense of humor is so, so dry.”
However, viewers didn’t see her performance with admiration or a sense of humor.
The awards show “used to be a family event,” one commenter groaned on social media.
Many parents also tsk-tsked at the performance. “It was more like watching a strip club,” one said, while another wrote, “I had to explain to my 9-year-old why this is inappropriate.”
“As a dad of 11 and 13 year old girls I am fuming that this was the opening scenes of #BRITs2025,” one social media user said
Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter
“Awful, was an uncomfortable watch with my young children,” another said.
On the other hand, fans suggested “just change channels if you don’t like it.”
“Get a grip,” another said, “was just a performance.”
“Sabrina Carpenter doing Bed Chem pre-watershed? The ofcom complaints about that performance are gonna be through the roof but I enjoyed it. That’s my girl!” a fan wrote.
Watershed refers to the time in the UK when content unsuitable for children is aired. This begins at 9 p.m. in the country, according to Ofcom.
Sabrina appeared to address the controversy in an Instagram post by sharing pictures from the awards show with the caption, “Brits 🇬🇧💋 i now know what watershed is!!!!”
Charli XCX’s dark, sheer outfit at the Brit Awards sparked massive outrage
Image credits: BRITs
Among the many disapproving viewers who filed complaints with Ofcom, some made a fuss about Charli XCX’s outfit as well.
The singer emerged as the big winner during the award show, taking home five awards in total, including Best Artist, Best Album, and Song of the Year.
But some viewers were more focused on her long, dark sheer outfit designed by Dilara Findikoglu.
Image credits: charlixcx
During her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year, the Apple singer said, “I’ve heard that ITV [British broadcaster] were complaining about my nipples.”
“I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple, though, right?” she added.
Charli XCX certainly was not the only star to embrace the ultra-revealing style of dressing during this award season.
