Brit Awards host Jack Whitehall paid tribute to Caroline Flack during his opening monologue, saying she was “a kind and vibrant person with an infectious sense of fun”.
Former Love Island presenter Flack was found dead at her home in east London on Saturday, having taken her own life.
Taking to the stage at the O2 Arena in London, Whitehall said: “Over the weekend we had the awful news that a member of the Brits family, our friend Caroline Flack, tragically passed away.
“She was a kind and vibrant person with an infectious sense of fun.
“She will be sorely missed.
“I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say our thoughts are with her friends and family.”
Lewis Capaldi then performed his hit Someone You Loved.
Such a special performance of 'Someone You Loved' from @LewisCapaldi #BRITs pic.twitter.com/sc6trlAi4t
— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) February 18, 2020
Earlier in his opening speech, Whitehall took aim at Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
He said: “It’s the one night of the year you get to see your pop stars in a different light, sat there nervously waiting for an envelope to appear like Boris Johnson on Father’s Day.
“We have nine awards in total and in between I’m going to pop up every now and again to annoy you all like Chris Martin at Glastonbury.”
Listing the night’s performers and nominees, he said: “When One Direction broke up we didn’t give this one a hope in hell, the runt of the litter, old plain Jane on the end, but somehow he has managed to drag himself out of Niall’s (Horan) shadow – Harry Styles is here!”
Whitehall also described American singer Billie Eilish as the “only teenager who makes Greta Thunberg look lazy”.
He said of Sir Rod Stewart: “Did someone order a legend? Thirty-one top 10 singles, 10 number one albums and eight children, meaning he is currently on tour for the rest of his life, Sir Rod Stewart!”
The presenter also jokingly referred to Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood as an “inspiration to caners everywhere”.