'We're buzzing!' Brit Awards to welcome back music fans

LONDON (AP) — British music's leading prize night next month will feature an audience of 4,000 people, in what will be the first major indoor music event in the country to welcome back a live audience since the coronavirus pandemic erupted more than a year ago.

The Brit Awards said Thursday that the May 11 event at London's 02 Arena has been picked to be part of the government’s easing of coronavirus restrictions following a sharp drop in new cases in the U.K.

As part of the government's live events pilot program, audience members attending the ceremony won't have to socially distance or even wear face coverings once seated. Instead, they will need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test result to enter the venue and be required to provide details to test and trace authorities as well as follow the guidance while traveling to and from the venue.

Organizers said they are giving away 2,500 tickets to essential workers from the Greater London area to mark their work through “the difficult times” of the pandemic.

“This has been a long tough year for everyone and I’m delighted the night will honor the key worker heroes who have cared for us so well during that time and continue to do so,” said singer/songwriter Dua Lipa, who is set to perform at the event. “They are quite simply an inspiration.”

Though the U.K. has Europe's highest coronavirus death toll of more than 127,000, restrictions are slowly being eased following a sharp fall in new infections in the wake of a stringent lockdown and the rapid rollout of vaccines.

As part of that easing of restrictions, which has already seen schools reopen and pubs allowed to serve food and drink in outdoor settings, the government is trialing ways to allow audiences back at indoor cultural events.

The...