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Viewers' fury as Sharon Osbourne unleashes four-letter tirade at 'drunk' Vic Reeves
Last updated at 12:29pm on 25.02.08The Brit Awards were embroiled in controversy this morning following complaints from viewers about foul language and rowdy behaviour on the part of the show's winners.
A spokesman for Ofcom confirmed that dozens of ITV viewers had complained about some of the footage aired last night.
This included host Sharon Osbourne using obscenities at the start of the show, and Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys' tirade of drunken abuse which saw them cut off mid-speech.
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Foul-mouthed: Sharon Osbourne shouted obscenities at comedian Vic Reeves at last night's Brits, calling him a p***head and accusing him of being drunk
It was less than a minute into the glittering ceremony when Osbourne - no stranger to crude television outbursts - first slipped up.
Opening the show with a dazzling light display as a backdrop, she said: "Now that's what I call a big a*** opening number."
Later, viewers watched as Osbourne unleashed a torrent of abuse on comedian Vic Reeves, calling him a p***head, and barging him out of the way as he attempted to present an award.
The X Factor judge accused the comedian of being drunk when he apparently struggled to announce the award for Best British Album.
His ill-judged quip about singer Kylie - that the pint-sized Australian singer was "all right, a bit of work there and she will be OK" - appeared to enrage her further.
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Shambolic: The notoriously sweary Osbournes, Ozzy (left), Kelly, Sharon, and Jack, were in charge of hosting duties last night - but it was Sharon not Ozzy who let the side down
The 55-year-old mother of three barged Reeves aside, grabbed the statuette from him and said: "Shut up, you're p***ed, p*** off you b******," as she decided to reveal who the winner of the Best British Album award was herself.
But in an embarrassing onstage scrap, Reeves managed to shout it out first.
Mail Online readers voiced their disapproval at the lewd series of events.
One reader wrote: "This nonsense should be banned from our screens in future - it sends out a bad message, encouraging drunken behaviour and foul mouthed language."
A report today claimed that Reeves was fuming at Sharon's onstage abuse, and denied he was drunk, blaming a broken autocue for his line-fluffing.
The complaints follow an increasingly shambolic evening, which saw Arctic Monkeys, winners of the Best British Group award and Best British album awards, take to the stage clearly worse for wear, with one band member still swigging from a mini-champagne bottle.
After winning Best British Album, frontman Alex Turner sarcastically dedicated his win to the Brits school - the performing school which benefits financially from the awards ceremony.
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Shambolic: Arctic Monkeys, from left, Matt Helders, (centre) Nick O' Malley, and (right) Alex Turner. The Sheffield group's worse-for-wear appearance saw them embarrassingly cut off mid-speech
He snarled: "I'd like to thank the Brit school, of course, which I graduated from."
They then unleashed an abusive tirade, forcing angry TV bosses to cut them off mid-speech.
ITV bosses blasted out fake cheering from the speakers, and turned off their mikes, and cut to the backstage interview with Fearne Cotton.
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Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner leaves an afterparty with presenter girlfriend Alexa Chung after his outburst at the Brits last night
An onlooker told The Mirror: "It was chaos and the Monkeys didn't look happy about being cut off.
"They were clearly drunk as they were slurring their words, but they wanted their moment in the spotlight."
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Hey, hey we're the Arctic Monkeys: The Sheffield boys lined up on the red carpet before the night descended into a drunken shambles
He was there for the big kick-off at 8pm and introduced several bands at the top of the show.
But as the night wore on, Ozzy wasn't seen at all - leaving all the hosting to wife Sharon and daughter Kelly.
He reappeared 10 minutes from the end of the show - only to make a mess of introducing his hero Sir Paul McCartney for the outstanding contribution to music award.
Blundering Ozzy managed to take the shine off his big moment - by introducing the former Beatle a few minutes too early and referring to him as "Mr Sir Paul McCartney".
Sharon screamed: "Not yet, not yet."
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Reader views (13)
"Naughty Language" what did you expect letting the Ozzy family host a live event? Yeah Vic was clearly drunk... and so were the monkeys but that's expected of them. There hardly known for being well behaved are they?
- L.J.N, Blackpool , UK
Don't any of these stars, celebrities and tv companies feel embarrassed and ashamed by these award shows. Why should we the viewers have to put up with these annual back slapping fests with all the sycophants who present them. They don't make for entertaining viewing all they really do is make people sick watching them all congratulate each other and themselves.
- Steven Patrick M, London, UK
Bring back Mick and Samantha, at least they were entertaining.
- Micheal Dundee, New Malden
"Foul Language" - you hear fouler tirades in a playground of four-year-olds. And they're not even drunk. I hope.
- Richard, London, London, UK
The reason these people are presenting "The Brits" is because for some reason us Brits like to celebrate pathetic people like "The Osbornes" and "Jade Goody". This family have no class, no talent and I don't particularly want to watch them...in fact it was all a bit embarrassing and uncomfortable.
- David Jason, Manchester
No one celebrates mediocrity like the British.
- Pat Stanton, Bradford
Why are the Osbourne family not excommunicated from this country. They left it long enough to earn high wages and now are never out of our faces. They must pay an awful lot of money to management companies to find them work. At 8pm last night I tuned into BBC 4 to a programme called Monarchy: The Royal Family at work and what a beautiful programme that was with an octogenarian and her ageing husband showing the world what hard work is and doing it it with dignity with media coverage from all over the world and then at 9.30 I switched over to ITV1 there was a loud, foul mouthed woman swearing and lurching around the stage at The Brit Awards 2008. Who on earth does this woman think she is? At that moment I was ashamed to call myself British. No-one should employ any of these individuals again.
- Monica, Portsmouth
Sounds like someone's jealous Marianne.
- Jamie-Lee, London
Do people watch this show because they can then complain? Surely everyone knows what the Brits will be like by now?
Anyway, I would have kicked Vic Reeves off stage myself! He was a rambling old fool, and Sharon Osbourne was obviously told to hurry things up. She tried the polite way with no success, so went down another road - I say good for her!
Whilst we're on the subject of the Brits, I really don't see what people get about Amy Winehouse and Kylie - to me they don't appear to have the ability to sing live! I think Leona Lewis should give both girls a lesson on how it should be done. To me, she was by far the best performer on the night. And as for the Osbournes, well, overall, they were miles better than I thought they were going to be - a pleasant surprise it must be said!
- Scott, London
I turned over to hear Sharon Osbourne say "...she's a survivor, just like me", and had to quickly switch over again before I was sick in my mouth.
- John Entwistle, London
Osbournes = Class...Never
- Sal, London
I thought the Osbournes were presenting? Why did Fearne Cotton keep cropping up with a microphone? Can't we have one show without the token blonde bimbette?
- Marianne, SW France
It was embarrassing watching these people. I really don't see why they are considered to be wonderful. No class at all.
- Charlie, London
