It was the night of the year for British music videos, and the fifth annual UK Music Video Awards last Thursday night (November 8th) was indeed the biggest MVA show yet - from a pre-show performance by dance troupe Peridot, to host Adam Buxton's sidesplitting celebrity messages, to joyous and emotional scenes as winners accepted their awards, to entertaining (and often quite violent) taped messages from absent winners...

So here's the story of the ceremony in pics - the photos are by Ben Meadows. And the full list of winners are here.

Zac Ella and a Rent Boy accept Best Pop Video Budget award

Drew Cox wins Best Urban Video Budget

Aletta Collins wins Best Choreography in a Video

Benjamin Darras (centre) and Romain Pichon accept Best VFX in a video

ALB collects the Innovation Award with Johnatan Broda (left)

Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen storms the stage...

...to accept the Best IndieRock Video Budget award

Guillaume Panariello wins Best Alternative Budget video

John Paveley accepts Best Music Ad award

Hickey Underworld's Jonas accepts Best Alternative International Video

Hannah Edwards starts to celebrate winning Best Styling in a video even before she collects it

Sean Pecknold accepts the Best Animation award with Nico Chavez (left)

Second Live Music Coverage winner Thomas Benski, producer of Shut Up And Play The Hits

Adam Smith, co-winner of Best Live Coverage for Don't Think

Vanderquest's Oliver Maingay announces the Best Editing winner

Best Editing in a Video winner Tom Lindsay

Ellis Bahl collects Best Alternative Video UK award with Infectious's Connie Meade

Yann Demange accepts Best Urban Video UK from East End Studios' Pauline Long

VEVO's Tom Connaughton presents the People's Choice Award

Sony's Mike O'Keefe and producer Astrid Edwards (left) accept People's Choice Award

John Moule holds the Best Commissioner trophy aloft.

Lee Groombridge wins the Best Producer Award

Jamie Thraves, MVA Icon Award winner 2012

Actor Aiden Gillen embraces Icon Award winner Jamie Thraves

Romain Gavras accepts the Best Director prize, from Shynola's Kenny (r) and Jason (l,behind him)