Brit Awards watched by over six million

The Brit Awards has enjoyed its biggest TV audience for seven years, overnight figures showed.

The event - presented by James Corden - drew an average of 6.2 million viewers, including those who tuned in on +1.

It made the ITV1 show the biggest since 2005 when Chris Evans hosted and performers included Green Day and Scissor Sisters, drawing 6.3 million.

If catch-up viewers are excluded, last night's show audience was 5.9 million, making it the biggest since 2008.

But there was controversy as double winner Adele, whose haul included the big prize of the night for best album, had her acceptance speech cut short to make way for a closing performance by Blur.

The show's organisers have since apologised to the star, who also picked up the gong for best British female, saying: "We regret this happened and we send our deepest apologies to Adele that her big moment was cut short due to the live show over-running."