Charli XCX says ITV ‘complained about her nipples’ at Brit Awards

The British pop star says the broadcaster objected to her near-see-through dress during yesterday’s ceremony, at which she picked up five gongs.

Charli XCX criticised ITV for “complaining about my nipples” during her acceptance speech at this year’s Brit Awards.

The British pop star, credited with popularising the term “brat summer”, claimed the broadcaster had objected to her near-see-through black dress during Saturday’s ceremony.

Charli XCX, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, sparked a round of applause and cheers from the crowd as she said: “I heard that ITV complained about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple though, right?”

The British TV network exclusively broadcast this year’s Brit Awards 2025 on ITV1 and ITVX.

The 32-year-old singer-songwriter added: “They put the clap track on, cool. Thanks for being on my side.”

The broadcaster appeared to change the camera angle from when she first went to the podium to collect the award for song of the year and later for artist of the year so that her nipples were not visible.

Accepting an award, Charli XCX said: "I heard that ITV complained about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple though, right?" Photo / Getty Images

Free the nipple, a movement which advocates for women to be allowed to go topless in public, first gained public attention in 2014 after Bruce Willis’ daughter, Scout, walked half-naked through New York.

The movement has since been championed by British actors including Oscar-nominated Florence Pugh, and Emma Corrin who won a Golden Globe for portraying Diana, Princess of Wales in The Crown.

On Saturday, Charli XCX won five Brits, including for song, album and artist of the year.

The star attended the ceremony but did not perform after turning down a request from event organisers. Damian Christian, chairman of the Brit committee, confirmed that she had told organisers: “Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to go and enjoy the night with my friends and family.”

In 2023, she criticised the Brits for not nominating any females in the Artist of the Year category, saying at the time: “We’re doing everything right. I don’t think it’s our fault, I think it might be theirs.”

Charli XCX’s sixth studio album Brat popularised the term as a person who has a “confident, independent and hedonistic attitude to life” and was named word of the year by Collins Dictionary.

Charli XCX poses in the Brit Awards winners' room with her Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Dance Act and Song of the Year awards. Photo / Getty Images

Last year, Charli XCX said an archetypal brat was “that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes, who feels herself, but then also maybe has a breakdown, but kind of parties through it”.

Lexicographers at Collins Dictionary ranked brat top of its list on account that it had been “embraced so widely” and had become “one of the most talked about words of 2024”.

In July last year, Charli XCX tweeted “Kamala IS brat”, prompting Ms Harris to then use her song 365 in a TikTok video.

Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, was mocked when he claimed in a social media post that London’s ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) scheme was “brat”.

Charli XCX won album, artist, song, best-song writer and dance act of the year. They are the first Brits she has won and represent the second-most won by any artist in a single year in the awards’ history, behind the British singer RAYE, who won six in 2024.

She is expected to take a break from her music career and spend more time acting.

ITV has been approached for comment.