Entertainment

Ed Sheeran faces Ariana Grande for best artist at genderless MTV awards

Kendrick Lamar leads the way with eight nominations at the Video Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Kendrick Lamar leads the way with eight nominations at the Video Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. Kendrick Lamar leads the way with eight nominations at the Video Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar and Ariana Grande will vie for best artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in the first year where judges have scrapped gendered categories.

Lamar leads the way with eight nominations at the VMAs in Los Angeles on Sunday, which will not feature its typical best female and best male video groups.

They have been replaced with the best artist accolade, which will see the trio face Bruno Mars, Lorde and The Weeknd.

Viewers will find out whether any transgender troops attend the ceremony after they were invited by MTV bosses in a rebuke to Donald Trump’s ban.

The Pentagon was reviewing the invites as the US President ordered there to be no new transgender recruits, and left it to military officials to decide whether existing troops can remain in service.

Katy Perry and The Weeknd follow close behind Lamar with five nominations each.

Sheeran, Lorde, Perry and Miley Cyrus are among the acts performing at The Forum arena on the night.

The disposal of gendered categories follows the broadcaster’s Movie & TV Awards in May which saw Emma Watson and Millie Bobby Brown scoop best actor awards.

Stars will tread the red carpet from around 10.30pm UK-time before the ceremony itself kicks off at 1am on Monday.

:: The show will be broadcast in the UK on the MTV channel at 8pm on Monday.