Madonna was mocked on stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards as she failed to take a single prize despite being nominated for three.

The 48-year-old, whose adoption of a one-year-old Malawian boy has sparked controversy, had been up for best pop act, best female and best album, for Confessions On A Dance Floor.

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But Justin Timberlake beat her to the best pop prize and Christina Aguilera to best female. Best album was taken by Red Hot Chili Peppers for Stadium Arcadium.

Piling on the humiliation, TV comic Avid Merrion dressed up as Madonna in a leotard and said: "I've been getting a lot of hooshi from the press because I bought a baby. If I want to buy a baby I'll buy a baby."

His act was accompanied by a troupe of four "little people" gyrating in outsized babygrows.

Depeche Mode were the surprise winners of the best group prize and fellow Britons Muse were named best alternative act.

Las Vegas band The Killers won the Rock category, beating the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Strokes. Arctic Monkeys lost out in the Best UK and Ireland category, which was won by The Kooks.

Caribbean-born talent Rihanna took the R&B prize and Gnarls Barkley won best Song for Crazy as well as a second award for the Best New Band of the year.

Kanye West won best Hip-Hop, beating the likes of Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.

But he was livid when he did not win the Best Video gong for Touch The Sky and went on stage to tell fans that the decision was wrong.

The event at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen featured performances from Keane, Timberlake, P Diddy, Nelly Furtado, Snoop Dogg, The Killers and Muse.

Sacha Baron Cohen's alter-ego Borat, who hosted the awards last year, introduced the event by handing over to Timberlake and making a joke at Madonna's decision to adopt.

Electropop veterans Depeche Mode said after receiving their award: "It's been a great year. It's quite nice after 25 years to win the Best Group award."

New Bond star Daniel Craig announced the award for Best Female, but Aguilera was not here to accept and instead sent over a video message of thanks.

The show also featured an X-rated conversation piece between Snoop Dogg and Timberlake rapped entirely in swearwords.

West said on receiving his award: "It's amazing to be recognised so far away from America." But he said of the decision not to give him best Video: "Best video should have been mine. I should have won."

The winners

Best Male: Justin Timberlake
Best Group: Depeche Mode
Best Hip Hop Act: Kanye West
Best Song: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
Best Pop Act: Justin Timberlake
Best Female: Christina Aguilera
Best Rock Act: The Killers
Best Alternative Act: Muse
Best R&B Act: Rihanna
Best Album: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Best Video: Justice Vs Simian - We Are Your Friends
Best UK & Ireland Act: The Kooks