I should have known something was up yesterday morning when a friend emailed me to ask if I knew who the winners of tomorrow night’s BRIT Awards would be.

Strange question, I thought. If I did, I could make a killing down the bookies.

Well, as it turns out, it appears someone has been trying to do just that by placing numerous bets on Paul Weller to win Best Solo Male Artist, despite the Modfather being a 5-1 outsider.

News of this suspicious betting activity (multiple £50 stakes at various branches of William Hill) has not only resulted in Weller becoming the 1-5 favourite, it has led to William Hill, Paddy Power, and Ladbrokes closing their books on this year’s BRITs. 

Although I am one of the 1000 ‘music industry figures’ (not my words) who make up the voting panel, I have no more idea of who the winners will be than anyone else. It would be like voting in a general election and claiming inside knowledge as a result.

But clearly someone (ie. whoever collates the votes) does know in advance.

I’m not saying there is definitely something fishy going on but any media-created event like this or, say, a Big Brother eviction or Christmas number one, necessarily involves certain individuals having advance knowledge of the result.

Can you imagine gambling on horses being allowed under such circumstances? I’ve never understood it.

On a related note, the story in today’s Daily Mirror about Leona Lewis ‘making a stand by not attending’ the BRITs doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny.

The article quotes Simon Cowell as saying "I don’t like the BRITs. Leona at the BRITs tells you all you need to know about the record business. You should recognise and celebrate success, not sneer at it, wherever the artist comes from".

Right, so we’re supposed to believe that Leona is staying away because the horrible snobby ‘Brits bosses’ (again not my words) who decide the winners have some sort of agenda against her?

This might have some credibility were it not for the fact that the award she is nominated for, Best British Single, is one of three decided by the public. D’oh!

* By the way, the wonderful Tom Townshend will be taking over my blog tomorrow night to bring you his wit and wisdom as the ceremony unfolds – watch this space…