{"id":798968,"date":"2026-03-02T12:09:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T12:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/798968\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T12:09:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T12:09:12","slug":"onstage-ambush-during-sombrs-performance-at-brits-2026-was-staged-rep-confirms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/798968\/","title":{"rendered":"Onstage ambush during Sombr&#8217;s performance at BRITS 2026 was staged, rep confirms"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Reps for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/sombr\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sombr<\/a> have confirmed that the on-stage ambush at his 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/tag\/brit-awards\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BRIT Awards<\/a> performance was planned.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-content-read-more\">\n<li><strong>READ MORE:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/album\/sombr-i-barely-know-her-review-3888251\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sombr \u2013 \u2018I Barely Know Her\u2019 review: smirking sad boy pop<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On Saturday (February 28), the awards show went down at Manchester\u2019s Co-op Live, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/sombr-confirmed-to-perform-at-the-brits-2026-3930372\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">with the \u201912 to 12\u2032 artist up for International Artist of the Year and International Song of the Year for his single \u2018Undressed\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While performing the latter,\u00a0a man suddenly rushed the stage and pushed him off the platform he was singing from, prompting security to apprehend the supposed intruder and escort him off the stage.<\/p>\n<p>Amid the chaos, a backdrop fell away, revealing a full band as Sombr continued on with his next track, \u2018Back to Friends\u2019. Despite the smooth transition, fans were divided over whether the incident was staged.<\/p>\n<p>While many took note that the offender sported a shirt that read \u201cSombr is a homewrecker\u201d \u2014 a nod to his latest single \u2013 but others weren\u2019t convinced it was a stunt because of how hard he was pushed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>BRITs host Jack Whitehall remarked on the incident after the performance ended, quipping: \u201cSuch a shame we didn\u2019t have the security ready.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The moment proved controversial online, where many expressed disappointment he chose to pull the stunt in Manchester, where where the awards show was held <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/the-brit-awards-are-moving-to-manchester-in-2026-and-2027-3868254\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">for the first time in its 50-year history<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDoing this in manchester of all places is disgusting,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/guiltyasrhys\/status\/2027946097226748027\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">wrote<\/a> one fan, with many in agreement given the city was left reeling after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/children-hurt-in-ariana-grande-manchester-arena-bomb-attack-to-get-20million-in-payouts-3919348\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the Manchester Arena bomb attack in 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>At an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/ariana-grande\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ariana Grande<\/a> concert that year, a suicide bomber detonated an improvised device in the foyer of the AO Arena as fans left the concert. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/isis-manchester-terror-attack-2076612\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack,\u00a0<\/a>which killed 22 people and injured hundreds more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSombr doing that publicity stunt was so disappointing and [tone deaf]. He is a great artist but my god his team have made a blunder in Manchester of all places,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/thomashaddock\/status\/2027927995344736634\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">added <\/a>one user, with another <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/aznohanashi\/status\/2027922756247957797\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">saying<\/a>: \u201cIf that Sombr stage assault was a PR stunt, I find it in really really poor form considering what is forever a part of Manchester\u2019s live music history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after the performance came to a close, Sombr\u2019s rep confirmed to <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/music\/news\/sombr-altercation-at-brit-awards-staged-rep-confirms-1236675443\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Variety <\/a>that the whole thing was indeed planned.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>NME caught up with Sombr at the BRITs to talk about the massive response to his debut album.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t expect anything like that,\u201d he said of its success, \u201cbut I\u2019m thankful and I\u2019m thankful for the British people for accepting the album with open arms, and I love it here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He went on to name iconic British acts he\u2019d been inspired by, saying that while he loved America, musicians from the UK \u201cbeats them in terms of iconic acts\u201d, listing the likes of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-beatles\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Beatles<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-rolling-stones\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> the Rolling Stones<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/david-bowie\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David Bowie<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/elton-john\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Elton John<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-stone-roses\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the Stone Roses<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/the-verve\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Verve<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/oasis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Oasis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As for what he has in store this year, he promised there were some \u201creally big things to look out for this year that I think people have been waiting a while for\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere at the awards show, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/watch-harry-styles-open-the-brits-with-aperture-in-his-first-public-performance-in-three-years-3932044\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Harry Styles\u2019 opened the evening with his first public performance in three years<\/a>, there was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/watch-rosalia-joined-by-surprise-guest-bjork-for-berghain-at-2026-brit-awards-3932055\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a surprise appearance from Bjork alongside Rosal\u00eda<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/olivia-dean\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Olivia Dean<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/stars-of-kpop-demon-hunters-to-perform-at-2026-brit-awards-3929484\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">HUNTR\/X\u2019s EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/brit-awards-2026-wolf-alice-join-line-up-of-performers-3926348\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wolf Alice,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/mark-ronson\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Ronson<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/brit-awards-2026-alex-warren-added-to-live-performers-line-up-3929796\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Alex Warren<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/raye-joins-stacked-line-up-of-performers-at-brit-awards-2026-3931637\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RAYE<\/a> all performed.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/noel-gallagher\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Noel Gallagher<\/a>\u00a0also attended after\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/live\/oasis-cardiff-principality-stadium-review-setlist-photos-3876128\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Oasis\u2019 huge \u2018Live \u201825\u2019 reunion tour<\/a>, and was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/noel-gallagher-to-attend-brit-awards-to-collect-songwriter-of-the-year-after-oasis-reunion-success-3927610\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">awarded the Songwriter Of The Year award<\/a>, while\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/brits-2026-pinkpantheress-named-as-producer-of-the-year-award-winner-3931040\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">PinkPantheress is the youngest recipient and first female winner of the Producer Of The Year award<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/ozzy-osbourne-to-be-honoured-with-brits-lifetime-achievement-award-3931762\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ozzy Osbourne was honoured with the BRITs Lifetime Achievement Award\u00a0<\/a>following\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/ozzy-osbourne-dies-at-the-age-of-76-3879970\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">his passing in July<\/a>, and he also received a tribute performance from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/artists\/robbie-williams\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Robbie Williams\u00a0<\/a>alongside members of Ozzy\u2019s band over the years including Adam Wakeman, Robert Trujillo, Tommy Clufetos and Zakk Wylde.<\/p>\n<p>See the full list of winners\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/here-are-all-the-winners-from-the-brit-awards-2026-3932027\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Reps for\u00a0Sombr have confirmed that the on-stage ambush at his 2026 BRIT Awards performance was planned. READ MORE:\u00a0Sombr&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":798969,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3936],"tags":[71018,77,269,3020,16,15],"class_list":["post-798968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-brits","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-pop","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116159510616869968","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/798968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=798968"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/798968\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/798969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=798968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=798968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=798968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}