Adele triumphs at the Brit Awards

Singer Adele was the big winner at the 2016 Brit Awards on Wednesday night (24Feb16), picking up four awards.

The 27-year-old won the first award of the night, British Female Solo Artist, and also claimed British Single for her record-breaking comeback track Hello.

"I nearly fell over!" she squealed as she hit the stage at London's O2 Arena to pick up the latter trophy. "I was not expecting this one at all, thank you very much. It's getting out of hand already. Absolutely blown my mind, thank you darlings."

Less than an hour later she was back onstage to collect the Global Success gong, and following a video montage of her career to date, and an introduction from British astronaut Tim Peake from the International Space Station, Adele couldn't hold back the tears.

"'I don't know whether I'm crying over that video or the fact Tim Peake presented it. My son loves you," she said before turning the air blue between sobs. "You'll all be f**king bored of me... I was lost for a while and for you all to be so kind to me..."

Her final award of the night was the coveted British Album of the Year trophy - for her third studio release, 25 - and this time she managed to hold it together, as she apologised for letting slip a expletive that wasn't bleeped by the censors.

"I'm really sorry for the ugly cry face too," she said before thanking her partner, Simon Konecki, who is also the father of her three-year-old son, Angelo. "My boyfriend, I'm so lucky to have you and love me the way you do. (The album) was really hard to make and I know I'm a nightmare sometimes. Thank you for giving me our son. I love you so much. This is all for you, peanut (Angelo)."

Adele then ended the evening with a rousing performance of her single When We Were Young.

Another big Brits winner was Justin Bieber, who picked up the International Male Solo Artist award, and told the audience, "This just shows life is a journey, everybody has their own journey, everybody has their ups and their downs," he said.

"Man, I'm shaking a little bit right now... I'm really appreciative, that's all and you guys (fans) are awesome."

Earlier in the evening, Justin gave a rousing performance of two of his biggest hits, teaming up with British singer James Bay to perform Love Yourself and then ripping into a second chart-topper, Sorry, surrounded by flames.

Other performances came from Coldplay, who were honoured with British Group for the fourth time, and Bay, who claimed British Male Solo Artist.

The full list of 2016 Brit Awards winners is:

British Male Solo Artist
James Bay

British Female Solo Artist
Adele

International Group
Tame Impala

British Single
Hello by Adele

British Group
Coldplay

International Male Solo Artist
Justin Bieber

British Breakthrough Act
Catfish & the Bottlemen

Global Success
Adele

International Female Solo Artist
Bjork

British Artist Video of the Year
Drag Me Down by One Direction

British Album of the Year
25 by Adele

Critics Choice
Jack Garratt

Best Producer
Charlie Andrew