Brit Awards 2017 live: Will we hear a brand new Ed Sheeran song? Plus, why Craig David thinks awards are 'weird'

• Little Mix, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and other stars hit the red carpet - although some artists are still on the tube

• The 2017 Brit Awards begin at 6pm tonight at the O2 Arena, London, while TV coverage begins at 7.30pm on ITV.

• You can also catch red carpet highlights on ITV2 between 6.30pm and 7.30pm.

• Robbie Williams, Little Mix, The 1975, Emeli Sandé, Bruno Mars. Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and Skepta are all lined up to perform

• David Bowie is nominated posthumously for Best British Male, alongside Craig David, Skepta, Kano and Michael Kiwanuka

Brit Awards 2017: in pictures

7:42PM

Just who are Little Mix shouting out to? 

Forget about coded messages to ex boyfriends: not everyone is entirely sure what Little Mix's lyrics are about:

The space age leotards, hoeever, seem to have gone down well:

7:40PM

An exciting hint about things to come?

Emma Willis has just teased "a special collaboration between two of the biggest artists in the world". Rumours circulating at the venue suggest Ed Sheeran may be involved.

7:38PM

Little Mix enter in style...

Being carried on in sedan chairs, like some kind of shiny silver gods. Did those bald, chrome-painted underlings remind anyone else of the War Boys in Mad Max: Fury Road? 

Still, that rendition of Shout Out to My Ex was full-throttle pop.

7:32PM

And for viewers at home, the tension is palpable

Just two minutes to go! Corrie is over, and - barring a couple of adverts for cars, sofas and Maltesers - it's Brits time. 

"It's almost as good as being there!" says The Telegraph's Tristram Fane Saunders, who wasn't offered a ticket. Not that he's bitter or anything.

7:30PM

Update from inside the O2: it's about to kick off

"They're persuading us all to go to our seats now. The man is enthusiastically but firmly asking if we are 'ready to party'," says the Telegraph's Alice Vincent, who is attending the awards tonight.

They're playing uptown funk to make the Brit school kids in the front of the crowd dance, and a stream of women in silver morph suits have just walked through the crowd. 

Television coverage begins at 7.30pm on  ITV.

7:14PM

Robbie Williams: 'I'm devaluing the brand after David Bowie'

Robbie Williams, who is set to be honoured with the Brits Global Icon Award tonight, has joked that he's feeling a little intimidated by the gong – and the fact that last year's winner was the late David Bowie.

“It depends who they give it to next. Maybe I’m just devaluing the brand. Maybe it’s like the heavy descent. Maybe it’s S Club 7 next. I don’t know," the 43-year-old told NME when asked about his win.

“Look, it was a cracking bit of promo, I’m glad they gave it to me. But there’s so much in my career where I look into the abyss and the abyss looks back and goes: ‘I don’t know, I don’t have a f------ clue’. How have I got 18 Brits and Paul McCartney hasn’t?" he added.

Read the full story

7:11PM

A brand new Ed Sheeran song?

Writing on Instagram earlier today, ginger pop wizard Ed Sheeran revealed he would be "debut-ing something special" at tonight's show. His fans are almost speechless with excitement. Comments on the social media site include "OMFG YASSSSS YASSSS" (from a user called 'karli_kathy') and "Ohhh yuueeaahhh" (from 'eccentrically___').

7:06PM

Frockwatch: A haute couture guide to the red carpet

Our colleagues on the fashion desk have provided some expert analysis of this year's Brits fashion. Check out their red carpet roundup here

All the red carpet looks from the 2017 Brit Awards

6:59PM

Meet Mr & Mrs La Havas

Lianne La Havas is clearly very excited to be up for a Brit Award, and she's brought her proud parents along. Just take a look at this adorable family photo. Aww...

6:54PM

Flashback: the most controversial Brits moments

As we wait for the ceremony to kick off, why not check out our list of the most controversial Brits performances of all time? These crazy stunts should be an inspiration to tonight's guests. WWJD? (What Would Jarvis Do?)

Brit Awards: most controversial moments in pictures

6:50PM

So, who's performing tonight?

In case you need a reminder, the formidable line-up for the ceremony includes Robbie Williams, Little Mix, Ed Sheeran, The 1975, Emeli Sandé, Bruno Mars and Skepta.

Katy Perry will also be showcasing her new, political single Chained to the Rhythm, which also had an impressive airing at the Grammys.

6:35PM

Katy Perry dazzles on red carpet - but reveals how she was sick at her first-ever Brit Awards

“The first time I went to the Brits I had a flu of maybe 102, and I was so sick and I walked the carpet and they were like ‘You can’t go home’ as they knew I was gonna win, and I was like, ‘Why am I here, I’m literally dying’,” the singer revealed to BBC Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw earlier today.

“I went to the girls’ bathroom and went under a credenza and Natalie Imbruglia pulled up the curtain and was like, ‘Are you alright babe?’ and I was shivering with cold sweats and was like, ‘I’m supposed to be here at the Brits, I think I’m getting an award.’

“I had to stay and get the award and I just went straight to bed. It was tragic, it was my only connection with the Brits.”

6:17PM

Bastille and other artists catch tube to Brits

Thought the Brits were all high glamour? Think again:  these artists have all opted for a refreshingly everyday way of getting to the ceremony..although it looks as if some of them are running a little late.

6:09PM

Craig David thinks awards are 'weird'

"I grew up as a kid dreaming of attending the Brit awards - I never even thought I'd be here," mused Craig David. "Award ceremonies and events are weird for me." We couldn't agree more. 

"If I was on the mic, and it's a singing thing, I'm chilled," he clarified. "But here, it's... tense."

6:02PM

Little Mix hit the red carpet 

 Little Mix have arrived on the red carpet, with Leigh-Anne Pinnock opting for a striking Nineties-inspired distressed denim number, which is proving predictably divisive on social media.

The girl band are nominated in three categories tonight: Best British Group, Best British Video, and Best Single (for Shout Out To My Ex).

5:48PM

'It's like riding a bike':  Why Ed Sheeran isn't too worried about performing tonight

Ed Sheeran was "scared" about performing here five years ago, but as an old hand at the Brits he's now he's more laid-back about it. "It's kind of like riding a bike," he said on the red carpet. 

The singer-songwriter added that tonight would be his attempt to match Katy Perry's high-tech onstage theatrics. "I've got flamethrowers!" he joked.

But it won't be a long set. How many songs is he allowed to do? "Two and a half." 

Which Ed Sheeran hit counts as "half a song"? It's a question musicologists will be pondering for years to come.

5:43PM

Ed Sheeran and James Arthur hug on the red carpet

There's nothing like a nice red carpet hug to kick off the night...and this embrace between Ed Sheeran and James Arthur has already set Twitter aglow.

5:29PM

A sombre hat-trick for David Bowie?

As last year's Brit ICON winner, Bowie is only the second musician to have won a posthumous Brit Award. The first was Freddie Mercury, who won Best British Single and Outstanding Contribution to Music awards in 1992. If Bowie wins in both his categories tonight, he'll break a melancholy record, with three posthumous awards to Mercury's two. Meanwhile, Leonard Cohen has also picked up a posthumous nomination in the International Solo Artist category.

5:28PM

FROCKWATCH: A brace of Gouldings

This year's red carpet is off to a cracking start: Ellie's younger sister Jordan (left) has arrived to support the British Female Solo Artist nominee.

5:24PM

Hello and welcome

Hi there! I'm Tristram Fane Saunders, and with Rebecca Hawkes I'll be your guide to this evening's Brit Awards. It looks set to be a vintage year, with a sister-to-sister faceoff between Beyonce and Solange, two posthumous nods for Bowie and a lifetime achievement gong for the ever-quotable Robbie Williams.

Robbie Williamss funniest quotes