Nine epic fails from awards ceremonies and TV contests
- Published
It was a moment that will go down in entertainment history - when La La Land was wrongly given the award for best picture at the 2017 Oscars.
The team behind the film were in the middle of their speeches before it was revealed the accolade should have gone to Moonlight.
However, it is not the first time the wrong winner - or loser - has been announced at an awards ceremony or live on TV.
Wrong envelope
WSTRN held onto their prize for nearly an hour before the mistake was revealed
A little piece of paper was the cause of confusion at the 2016 Mobo awards when the prize for best song was given to the wrong winner.
R&B trio WSTRN kept their award for almost an hour before it was revealed it should have gone to MC Abra Cadabra.
Hosts Rickie Williams and Melvin Odoom announced the error, explaining "someone picked up the wrong envelope".
What a way to steal someone's thunder.
Wrong queen
Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez had her crown removed after she was mistakenly named winner
It was possibly the shortest reign in history.
One minute Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, was being hailed as the winner of Miss Universe, the next she was watching "her" crown being placed on the head of Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
In a mistake of truly universal proportions, 2015 contest host Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner and the winner's sash and crown were put on the wrong woman. Harvey then had to tell the world a terrible mistake had been made. Awkward.
But the crown was then correctly installed on the head of the rightful winner
Taylor and Kanye
Kanye West was not happy with Taylor Swift's victory
The organisers may have got this one right, but one high-profile member of the audience certainly disagreed.
Singer Taylor Swift had just won best female video for her song You Belong With Me at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. However, Kanye West didn't agree with it.
Before Swift managed to utter a single thank you, the rapper snatched the microphone from her and proceeded to tell the audience - and everyone watching on TV - that Beyonce should have won. Cue opened-mouthed shock from Miss Swift.
Model muddle
Kelsey Martinovich (left) thought she had won Australia's Next Top Model
"I'm feeling sick about this," Australia's Next Top Model presenter Sarah Murdoch uttered to the astonishment of viewers.
Kelsey Martinovich had already been crowned as 2010 champion by public vote and was halfway through her acceptance speech.
Murdoch - wife of Lachlan Murdoch, the eldest son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch - then announced the actual winner of the TV contest was 18-year-old Amanda Ware.
"This is what happens when you have live TV, folks," Murdoch added.
Murs' mishap
Olly Murs pre-empted Monica Michael's departure from the X Factor
Not so much announcing the wrong winner, as announcing the correct loser at the wrong time.
X Factor host Olly Murs had to apologise to 2015 contestant Monica Michael after he announced to the nation that she was leaving the talent show.
In fact, he had miscounted the votes from the four judges, thinking that three judges were sending Monica home. It was actually tied two-two and it went down to the public vote.
She lost the vote anyway - but everyone then thought it was a fix.
Eurovision confusion
Scooch did finally represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest
The UK public had been voting to decide who would represent the UK at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest, with bubblegum pop group Scooch and solo singer Cyndi both among the hopeful finalists.
So there was understandable confusion when hosts Sir Terry Wogan and Fearne Cotton simultaneously announced different winners live on air.
Moments later Cotton announced that Scooch had indeed won the public vote. A BBC statement later apologised for the gaffe but confirmed Scooch had won and would be making the trip to Helsinki. Meanwhile, Cyndi's hopes of Euro glory were well and truly Finnish-ed.
Scooch later finished joint 22nd out of the 24 Eurovision finalists.
Cake, then mistake
Michael Jackson was mistakenly crowned "artist of the millennium"
Somewhat bizarrely Michael Jackson actually accepted a non-existent award at the 2002 MTV video music awards.
The show happened to be held on the "King of Pop's" birthday, and after calling him on stage to receive a birthday cake, singer Britney Spears told the audience she considered him to be the "artist of the millennium".
Jackson then began a full acceptance speech.
"When I was a little boy growing up in Indiana if someone told me that one day as a musician I'd be getting the artist of the millennium award, I wouldn't have believed it," he said.
He thanked God, his mother, Diana Ross and magician David Blaine, among others.
Lost in translation
Singer Katy Perry accepted the award for best international song during France's 2009 NRJ Music Awards, held in Cannes.
However, the gong wasn't actually meant for her. It should have been awarded to Rihanna.
Perry's embarrassment was eased slightly by the fact she did legitimately win best international album for her One of the Boys album at the same awards ceremony.
Sacré bleu.
Brandon's boozy Brit
DJ Brandon Block stumbled on stage at the 2000 Brit Awards believing he had won something.
In fact, Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood and American Beauty actress Thora Birch were in the middle of presenting the best soundtrack award to the film Notting Hill.
Block later recalled that - having been enjoying the corporate hospitality to the full - he had been duped into thinking he had won an award by his mates, and had obligingly trooped up to collect it.
It ended with Block being manhandled by security and Wood throwing his drink over him.
- Published27 February 2017
