Backstage at the Brit nominations

by Sinead Garvan
Newsbeat entertainment reporter

Cheryl Cole and Kimberley Walsh turned up to accept Girls Aloud's nominations

We'll have to wait until February for the actual awards, but Tuesday night saw a touch of the Brits glamour come to London's Roundhouse, as the 2009 shortlist was announced.

Coldplay and Duffy lead the pack with four nominations each, followed by Adele and Scouting For Girls who have both got three.

Newsbeat grabbed Scouting For Girls' frontman Roy Stride moments after he performed.

"Sorry, we only just got off stage," he says, apologising for his breathlessness. "We only did one song - you should see us after a show."

"It's kind of nuts," Stride says about the band's three nominations. "I've watched the Brit Awards since I was a kid.

"I remember on a school trip listening to Radio 1 to hear who'd won what. It's just weirdly surreal to be involved with it on whatever level."

Radio 1 to vote

The band are up for Best British Single for Heartbeat, Best British Live Act and Best British Breakthrough Act, which is voted for by Radio 1 listeners.

Also up for the Breakthrough prize are Adele, Duffy, The Last Shadow Puppets and The Ting Tings.

Scouting For Girls were quick to thank one DJ in particular.

Gabriella Cilmi performed at the event, hosted by Fearne Cotton

"Huw Stephens was playing our demos before any of these people [pointing to the masses of management and PR teams behind him] knew us," explains Stride. "Radio 1 have supported us from the beginning."

Glamorous Girls Aloud

Seeing as everyone loves Cheryl Cole these days, it's no wonder Girls Aloud get a couple of nods.

They're up for Best British Group and Best Single for The Promise.

Only Cheryl and Kimberly Walsh turned up, but they weren't doing any interviews.

However, we bumped into the girls in the corridor, both looking very glamorous.

Cheryl had her small Paris Hilton-type dog with her, but cleverly got someone else to hold it.

The Geordie lass proved she's a lovely lady, though, as she quite literally saved our lives.

As we were about to get in a lift, she shouted: "No, don't do it, someone just got stuck in there!" Thanks Cheryl.

Florence And The Machine will pick up the Critics' Choice Award

Florence Welch from Florence And The Machine will be picking up the Critics' Choice Award at the Brits, beating BBC Sound Of 2009 award winner Little Boots to the title.

"I fell on the floor actually when I found out and screamed," Welch says. "Hopefully, there'll be less falling on the floor. I'm really excited and it's a real honour, it's still something I have to prove."

Obviously, the nominations don't draw in as many of the big artists as the awards - there was Liz McClarnon, formerly of Atomic Kitten, and the new cast of Skins - but we did stumble on a few interesting stories.

Friends of Leon

Who would have thought Newton Faulkner and Kings Of Leon were friends?

According to Faulkner, they are. We were asking him who he wanted to pick up an award this year and he said the Nashville four-piece would be high on his list.

"I slightly poke fun at the guy's [Caleb Followill] voice at gigs and I did it with him there," he says, "which is kind of the reason I think we know each other because I did it to his face. He came up and was like, 'That was brilliant, you nailed me'.

"I've been out with them a few times, once in Nashville, that was really fun. I bump into them every now and again.

"I did a whole tour with Jessie Baylin, who is about to marry Nathan [Followill] and she was supporting me for a while on tour. They're really fun guys."

Fearne's tips

Radio 1's Fearne Cotton presented the show, but she'll be handing over the reigns to Kylie, Matt Horne and James Corden for the real thing on February 18th.

The cast of the new series of Skins also turned up

She reckons the hosts make an interesting mix.

"I am in love emotionally and physically with James and Matt," she says. "I love Gavin And Stacey more than life and putting them with Kylie is such a great, bizarre idea.

She has a bit of advice for Kylie, though, when it comes to keeping the two boys in check.

"Don't bother trying, you can't control them, don't waste your energy trying, let them be just loose cannons and do what they do and it'll be a lovely night."

Gabriella Cilmi sang her hit 'Sweet About Me' and covered 'Sex On Fire' by Kings Of Leon.

The 17-year-old's up for Best International Female, but finds it hard to believe.

"Really, really crazy," she says. "I can't even believe it that I'm nominated for any award here, it feels good to be in a new place that's kind of become my home. To be recognised is, like, real awesome."

She's not preparing a speech after seeing the competition, though.

"I know it's, like, people like Beyonce, so I don't know how much of a chance I have, but it feels really good to be nominated with those people, it's crazy."

Newsbeat also found out that Take That and Coldplay have been added to the list of performers at the awards, which also includes Kings Of Leon, Duffy and Girls Aloud.

Of course, the show will end with some kind of Pet Shop Boys medley, as the synth duo will be picking up the Outstanding Contribution To Music award. Roll on February 18th.