Classic BRIT Awards 2012 - live blog

2 October 2012, 10:44 | Updated: 15 December 2016, 11:50

Welcome to the Classic FM 2012 Classic BRIT Awards live blog! Join us throughout the day as we report directly from backstage, the red carpet, the ceremony and the winners' run as it happens. Expect winners, great performances and frocks aplenty. Full coverage will start at 5pm, but we'll be updating throughout the day - keep refreshing to stay up to date!

22:39 - Things are still happening in the press room and we've still got people to try and corral for interview, but the awards are all done for 2012. If you've been with us since this morning (which feels like quite a while ago), thank you so much and make sure you keep checking Classicfm.com for video interviews with the stars tomorrow morning, and more galleries!

22:30 - And that's it! Well, what a night. Here's our full list of winners, and we've got all sorts of galleries for you to look at. We've got behind the scenes action, the red carpet, and the winners, and the ceremony itself all in lovely pictorial form for you to look through. The awards will be televised on ITV1 on Sunday 7th October, so make sure you tune in to relive it for yourselves!

22:22 - We're welling up... Gareth looks so proud! The burning question in the press room, though, is will they be popping down to chat to us afterwards? Come on guys, we want to congratulate you in person!

22:19 - So, one more performance to go, and it's the one we've been waiting for. Gareth Malone, The Military Wives, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow. There they are! All the Milis have got a massive smile on their faces after their amazing victory earlier this evening, and quite right too.

22:12 - Alan Titchmarsh is presenting the Album of the Year award, but who will triumph? Andre Rieu? Andrea Bocelli? Russell Watson? Noah Stewart? Hang on... It's Andre! He's back on stage again to accept it in his finery. A special shout-out to Sir Anthony Hopkins, too - how showbiz is this?!

22:10 - Now this is something special. The London Chamber Orchestra's special audio-visual tribute to John Williams - great clips, amazing themes from Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more. Lifetime Achievement award thoroughly deserved, we reckon.

22:04 - Classic FM's John Suchet is here to pay tribute to the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement award, John Williams. "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music," says Williams via a video message.

21:58 - It's the inaugural Single of the Year Award, with a mammoth list of nominations... but who's it going to be? Victoria Pendleton is here to let us know. It's Gareth Malone and the Military Wives!

21:55 - Breakthrough artist winner Milos is here to turn the heat up. This tango is quite something, there are dancers, an accordion and massive mirrors - what's not to like?

21:48 - Awww... Ben paid tribute his label, but dedicated the award to his brother, Jonathan. Now, Cerys Matthews is here to announce the Male Artist category. Who's it going to be? Lang Lang, Vasily Petrenko or Andrea Bocelli? Ooh, it's Vasily Petrenko!

21:45 - What a lovely bit of Nimrod that was from the London Chamber Orchestra. Now's it's time for the Critics' Choice Award! Nominees are Benjamin Grosvenor, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Simon Rattle. The winner is... Benjamin Grosvenor!

21:31 - It's time for Andre Rieu and his sensational Johann Strauss Orchestra - those dresses are something to behold. Good cymbal work from the percussion there, and some cheesy grins from the bassoon section... what a show!

21:26 - "Tonight's performance will recommence in one minute." Places, people!

21:15 - Mutterings in the press room - Ms Benedetti could be on her way down to see us!

21:00 - Time for an interval! But in the meantime, why not head over to our winners gallery? We're adding to it as they're announced, so keep on checking back.

20:52 - And now it's the inspirational sound of the voice himself, Russell Watson! With a montage of Olympic images behind him and the stirring sounds of Vangelis' Chariots Of Fire, this is a proper crowd-pleaser.

20:46 - Awards are flying out like nobody's business - Andrea Bocelli is here to receive his International Artist of the Year award, presented by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. "It's a big honour for me," says Andrea.

20:43 - Speaking of which, John Williams has won Composer of the Year! There'll be a musical tribute to him later on this evening, but he's delivered a charming video message too.

20:40: Cor, as if we didn't love her enough already, Female Artist award winner Nicola Benedetti just wowed us with some music from Schindler's List - by fellow Classic BRIT nominee John Williams.

20:36 - "Onwards and upwards. Thank you." Thank you, Milos!

20:34 - And after a lovely bit of Dvorak (courtesy of tonight's orchestra, the London Chamber Orchestra), it's time for the Breakthrough Artist award. Noah Stewart, Milos Karadaglic and Benjamin Grosvenor are the nominees... and it's Milos! Well done sir!

20:24 - Wow, this Phantom Of The Opera medley is quite something. Cracking confetti work there. Lord Lloyd Webber is looking on proudly, too. Was that a tear in his eye?

20:19 - Some interesting (and warmly received) comments there from Nicola Benedetti - she attacked the cuts to arts funding in Britain, and praised the role of music teachers.

20:15 - Here's Gareth Malone to give out the award for Female Artist... and the winner is... Nicola Benedetti! Well done Nicola!

20:13 - Safe pair of hands there, Mr. Bocelli. What a beautiful Amazing Grace that was!

20:08 - Who better to kick the whole evening off than the incredible Andrea Bocelli? His International Artist award has already been announced, but how will he do in the Best Album category tonight?

19:55 - Five minutes to go - ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats!

19:48 - While we're waiting for the lights to dim, here's our very own Myleene Klass (and tonight's host) giving it some pout on the red carpet.

19:30 - Only half an hour to go before the Classic BRIT Awards kick off. It's safe to say we're pretty excited. Don't forget, we're still adding to our red carpet gallery, so you can see who makes up our beautiful audience.

19:16 - "Stewards, open all doors!" says the Tannoy in the backstage area. Can you feel the excitement?!

19:08 - Our very own Lucy Coward managed to get hold of all the stars on the red carpet - here she is with Russell Watson, who'll be performing later tonight.

18:56 - The press room is suddenly all abuzz... but if you want a flavour of the action, check out our red carpet gallery - live now.

18:40 - Well, the red carpet is wrapping up, and it's time to get ready for the ceremony proper!

18:32 - They do seem rather happy about it, too *covers ears to block out screaming*

18:28 - Meanwhile in the press room, Jonathan & Charlotte just got presented with a huge disc of their album by Myleene Klass! Pic to follow soon...

18:19 - And now we've collared Gareth Malone, dapper with an umbrella as you'd expect.

18:12 - Andre Rieu and Sir Anthony Hopkins have arrived - it's safe to say the Classic BRITs has well and truly kicked off. Here's Lucy chatting to them.

18:06 - Lock up your daughters, it's Milos! Dressed to the nines, as you might expect.

18:01 - Cerys Matthews and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen's blouse and suit respectively are shining more brightly than the flashbulbs... wow!

17:54 - Paul's chatting to our own Lucy Coward on the red carpet, have a look!

17:48 - Paul Mealor and Jonathan & Charlotte have arrived too (not together, we might add). Posing for snaps.

17:45 - Red carpet is go! We can see Benjamin Grosvenor ambling his way down... hurry up Ben, we want to talk to you!

17:27 - Meanwhile, back in the auditorium, we've just witnessed a magnificent rehearsal (get ready to scream): Gary Barlow is here! And he's singing with Gareth Malone, Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Military Wives. Magic stuff.

17:22 - We're getting word from the red carpet - no-one yet, but it's getting close. The atmosphere is, apparently, charged.

17:17 - Ooh, and now Jurassic Park! We're in for a treat tonight!

17:14 - Last minute rehearsals for the John Williams spectacular are going on next door. Jaws is sound rather menacing. Dun-dun-dun-dun...

16:38 - It's the calm before the storm... the guests will be arriving any minute, the orchestra are playing a smashing bit of Elgar, and we're ready for the 2012 Classic BRITs to begin!

16:12 - Andre Rieu is rehearsing now, and his orchestra are in full costume! Lovely scenes, massive dresses and cracking waltzes. Tonight is going to be amazing!

15:45 - And now the great Russell Watson, looking rather relaxed in a purple sweater. Pre-show casual wardrobe is everywhere today...

15:26 - Nicola Benedetti is rehearsing on stage and sounding rather good, we must say. Don't want to give away what she's playing, but you're going to love it.

15:13 - Speaking of which, the cast of Phantom Of The Opera are rehearsing now, and it sounds massive. "Sing to meeeee!"

14:30 - And we've just spotted Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Andre Rieu in the corridors! Oh, it's getting too much!

14:25 - The rather dapper-looking Miloš Karadaglić just popped into the press room trying to find his dressing room. Needless to say, there were several volunteers on hand to give him some help...

14:06 - Rehearsals have taken a bit of a lunch break for now, but the music will be booming through the corridors again soon... in the meantime, why not have a look at our behind-the-scenes gallery?

13:32 - Tune in now to hear an exclusive play from Andre Rieu's new album - he's performing tonight too (in case you'd forgotten).

13:06 - Jamie Crick is on-air now, make sure you join him as he roves about the Albert Hall and gets all the latest from the Classic BRITs.

12:48 - And pop opera quartet Amore have been spotted! Looking lovely as usual, we might add.

12:44 - Wow, the Milis sound incredible! The building is shaking! More importantly, we've just been informed that sandwiches are on the way. Great stuff.

12:21 - Ooh, and Gareth Malone is conducting them! This augurs well for tonight's performance.

12:17 - The sound of the Military Wives Choir is swirling around the corridors - sounds lovely. The question is, is Gary Barlow on stage with them? Swoon...

11:26 - We may or may not have just seen choirmaster extraordinaire Gareth Malone skulking around the corridors... it's getting exciting!

10:44 - Rumour has it that the King of the Waltz Andre Rieu is in the building, and he's ready to rehearse...

10:40 - We're coming live from the belly of the Albert Hall! John Suchet is in fine form, out and about and picking up the atmosphere.