Edinburgh set to host music awards show
The MTV Europe Music Awards is to be held at Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal in November and will be broadcast to around a billion people worldwide. The main show will be held in a purpose-built 6,000-capacity arena in the Leith area of the city, but organisers are promising that gigs and parties will be held across the Scottish capital on the night of the awards.
MTV Europe has not yet revealed which acts will be coming to Scotland for the event, but says it is already in negotiations with some of the industry’s top names. It is hoped the ceremony will attract thousands to the country and thrust Scotland into the international limelight.
Speaking at a launch event at the Ocean Terminal, First Minister Jack McConnell said he was “delighted” that Edinburgh had fought off competition from Copenhagen and Belfast.
“This is a fantastic opportunity, not just for the city, but for Scotland, to show the world why we are a major force in hosting top-class events,” he said.
Last year the awards were held in Barcelona, where the show was hosted by US rapper and producer P Diddy and featured performances from Coldplay, Enrique Iglesias and Robbie Williams.
MTV Europe will be hosting a series of local gigs and club nights in the days leading up to the event, featuring new and established Scottish talent.
The awards event will be held on November 6 at Western Harbour and a limited number of tickets will go on sale six weeks in advance. This will be only the second time MTV Europe has brought the ceremony, which was first held in 1994, to Britain. London hosted it in 1996. Dublin hosted the awards in 1999.
Mr McConnell took to a stage at the Ocean Terminal to the pumping beats of Phat Planet by Leftfield and took questions from the media seated on one of MTV’s trademark leather sofas. He said £750,000 of public money was given to MTV Europe to contribute to the event.
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