Mo Gilligan visits The BRIT School ahead of hosting The BRIT Awards 2023 with Mastercard
Award winning British comedian Mo Gilligan visited The BRIT School for Performing Arts in South London ahead of hosting The BRIT Awards with Mastercard this Saturday night, 11th February, of which the school takes its name.
Mo took part in a panel hosted by The BRIT School Principal, Stuart Worden, alongside members of his creative team - Rhean Archibald (Executive Producer of The Lateish Show and That’s My Jam), David Ajao (writer on The BRIT Awards, That’s My Jam, Big Breakfast) and Javan Miller (Tour Manager and Series Producer of Mo’s new audio series). Mo talked through his career journey from start to now, his memories of his first year hosting The BRIT Awards in 2022, along with making introductions to the team that work alongside him. The students were then invited to ask questions to Mo and his team. They also popped into one of the rehearsals taking place, where the students were preparing for the opening of their musical ‘Spring Awakening’.
Mo last visited The BRIT School in 2022 ahead of his BRITs hosting debut, but his connection with the school goes back to his collaboration with Wall of Comedy, founded by Percelle Ascott and Joivan Wade who both studied at BRIT School, and have since gone on to find success as actors, producers and entrepreneurs, alongside nearly 100% of graduates who gain employment and further training upon leaving the school every year.
The BRIT School opened in 1991 and is a one-of-a-kind state-funded school, offering free education to 14-19 year olds pursuing a career in the creative arts. In that time, over 10,000 students have been educated there. A beneficiary of The BRIT Awards - with over £14m donated via The BRIT Trust to date - The BRIT School has for many years placed students and graduates front and centre of the BRITs; onstage, from dancers featuring in performances from Dua Lipa, Little Mix, Stormzy, to backstage technicians, production and crew. Over the years alumni from the School have picked up 12 BRIT Awards, and for 2023, graduate Cat Burns was shortlisted for the Rising Star award as well as being nominated for Song of the Year with Mastercard and Pop/R&B Act.
Speaking on the importance of The BRIT Awards in raising money for The BRIT School via The BRIT Trust - Tony Wadsworth CBE, Chair of The BRIT Trust says: “Money raised from the annual BRIT Awards enables the BRIT Trust to continue supporting the many charities and causes that we work with. On behalf of the Trust and Trustees, we send our best wishes to this year’s BRIT Awards Committee Chair, Damian Christian, for a hugely successful event.”
Mo will host The BRIT Awards on Saturday 11th February, live at The O2 arena and broadcast exclusively on ITV1 and ITVX. Confirmed to perform on the night are Cat Burns, David Guetta & Becky Hill & Ella Henderson, Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Lizzo, Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Stormzy and Wet Leg.