Adele named Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards

Adele was named Songwriter of the Year at the 2016 Ivor Novello awards in London.

Although the star was not nominated by her peers in any category at the British songwriting awards event, the Hello musician received a special songwriting prize decided upon by a panel of judges.

James Bay won the first prize given out at the ceremony at London's Grosvenor House hotel on Thursday(19May16), taking home the Performing Rights Society for Music Most Performed Work award due to his song Hold Back The River being played the most on broadcast media, online and live in 2015.

"I definitely didn't expect this," James said when accepting his prize, adding. "I don't Pay Attention to the numbers."

Other early winners included Conor O'Brien who won the Album Award for his record Darling Arithmetic, Keefus Ciancia and David Holmes, whose score for BBC TV series London Spy won the gong for Best Television Soundtrack, and the composer Oliver Knussen who won The Ivors Classical award.

Jamie Lawson's track Wasn't Expecting That won him a trophy in the Best Song Musically and Lyrically category. Jamie beat his mentor Ed Sheeran to the prize, as Ed was nominated as a writer on the song Bloodstream.

Only British and Irish songwriters are eligible to win the coveted songwriting awards.