Mark Beaumont: Ninja approach to award ceremonies - the shake-up they need

Inspired by the stealth approach of the Mercury Prize ceremony last week, NME's Mark Beaumont writes today that all the awards ceremonies should be conducted that way - "Most of music’s award ceremonies have become so formulaic, dreary and smugly ‘establishment’ that the ninja approach necessitated by corona might well be the shake-up they desperately need". There's several benefits, one of which is - stars caught off guard: "At a stealth award ceremony, you’d really get an insight into the true natures of the stars... The cult rock band, with no time to rehearse their snarled acceptance shrug, might break down and weep like Paltrow in an Oscar factory at the unexpected honour".