The upcoming MTV Europe Music Awards in France have been cancelled due to the “volatility of world events.”
The awards show had been due to take place in Paris in November and feature nominees including Taylor Swift – who was up for six prizes – but organisers have now decided not to go ahead with the ceremony following the outbreak of violence between Israel and militant group Hamas.
A statement from production company Paramount explained: “Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life.
“The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning. We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024.”
Swift had been expected to dominate this year’s ceremony with her six nominations – including nods in the Best Artist, Best Song and Best Video categories – after previously picking up four trophies at the 2022 ceremony in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The 2023 ceremony had been due to feature performances from stars including BTS’s Jung Kook and former Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
The conflict in the Middle East erupted into violence on October 7 when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel killing 1,400 people and taking more than 200 hostages. While Palestinian officials say more than 3,700 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel retaliated with air strikes
France has been on high alert since a school teacher was stabbed to death in an attack in the city of Arras on October 13 with officials suggesting the attack was linked to the Israel/ Hamas conflict. There have also been increased security checks at airports and the Palace of Versailles was closed several times due to a number of security scares.
