Stars arrive in Liverpool for MTV Europe Music Awards

The MTV Europe Music Awards return to the UK tonight with R&B superstar Beyonce and Welsh soul singer Duffy among the star performers.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney will be named the “Ultimate Legend” at the star-studded ceremony taking place in his home city, Liverpool.

Duffy, 24, leads the award nominations with Britney Spears and Coldplay. Each have been shortlisted in three categories, including the Album of the Year.

Their rivals in the album category are Leona Lewis and Alicia Keys.

X Factor winner Lewis, 23, has also been nominated for the Act of 2008 award where she is up against Amy Winehouse and Rihanna.

Beyonce, 27, is nominated in the Ultimate Urban category against Chris Brown, Kanye West, who is also performing tonight, and Lil Wayne.

The ceremony is being held at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, and hosted by American singer-songwriter Katy Perry.

As well as presenting the show, the 24-year-old will perform her new single and is nominated in Most Addictive Track category for her hit 'I Kissed A Girl'.

Take That will return to the MTV awards for the first time since the original MTV Europe awards ceremony in 1994, when they won Best Group.

Las Vegas rock band The Killers, rapper Estelle and eclectic rocker Kid Rock will also perform.

Around 10,000 people attend the awards ceremony with most tickets being allocated from a ballot of MTV viewers.

An estimated 30 million viewers are expected to watch the awards on MTV’s channels across the world including, for the first time, in the Middle East, with newly launched MTV Arabia.

Nominations

Here are the nominations in seven of the 11 categories of the MTV Europe Music Awards taking place in Liverpool tonight.

Album Of The Year

Alicia Keys – 'As I Am'

Britney Spears – 'Blackout'

Coldplay – 'Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends'

Duffy – 'Rockferry'

Leona Lewis – 'Spirit'

Headliner (Most impressive live band of the year at a festival or on tour)

Foo Fighters

Linkin’ Park

Metallica

The Cure

Tokio Hotel

Most Addictive Track (Favourite track of the year)

Coldplay – 'Viva La Vida'

Duffy – 'Mercy'

Katy Perry – 'I Kissed A Girl'

Kid Rock – 'All Summer Long'

Pink – 'So What'

New Act (Best debut by a new artist in 2008)

Duffy

Jonas Brothers

Katy Perry

Miley Cyrus

One Republic

Act of 2008 (Best act of 2008)

Amy Winehouse

Britney Spears

Coldplay

Leona Lewis

Rihanna

Ultimate Urban (Favourite R&B or Hip Hop act)

Alicia Keys

Beyonce

Chris Brown

Kanye West

Lil Wayne

Rock Out (Favourite Rock or Alternative Act)

30 Seconds to Mars

Linkin’ Park

Metallica

Paramore

Slipknot

The other categories are the Regional Award, the local artist as voted by MTV viewers in each territory; Europe’s Favourite, where the finalists from Best Regional Award go head to head; and the Video Star to be decided by MTV.

There are 40 nominations for the Best Act Ever, the act – new, established or legendary – that fans love the most, including the Beatles, Madonna and Rick Astley.