Adele, Sheeran win big at Brit Awards

LONDON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Adele and Ed Sheeran were crowned Best British Female and Male Artist at the Brit Awards ceremony in London Tuesday.

"It's been an amazing year. Thank you," the BBC quoted Adele as saying.

She also took home the Best Album trophy for her "21" set. She recently won six Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

The singer's second Brit Awards acceptance speech was cut short so Blur could give the final performance of the evening, prompting Adele to briefly flip her middle finger in protest. She apologized quickly after the ceremony.

"I flung the middle finger. That was for the suits at the Brit Awards, not my fans. I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but the suits offended me," the BBC reported she said. The show's producers issued their own mea culpa to Adele as well, apologizing for cutting her off.

British rapper M.I.A. drew criticism this month when she made the same obscene gesture during the Super Bowl Halftime Show she was performing with Madonna in Indianapolis.

Sheeran also earned the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Artist, while boy band One Direction picked up the prize for Best British Single for its song "What Makes You Beautiful" and Coldplay was named Best British Group for a third time.

Bruno Mars and Rihanna won the awards for Best International Male and Female Artist, and Foo Fighters won for Best International Group.

Actor James Corden served as host of the ceremony, which aired on ITV1.