Justin Timberlake to Brits: 'Stop Drinking!'

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Justin Timberlake was named best international male solo artist at the Brit awards (the UK's version of the Grammys) on Wednesday, and used the opportunity to jokingly warn the audience about the perils of drinking. "Thank you very much for this," Timberlake, 26, said via video link. "I'm very flattered. I'm actually on tour so I couldn't be there. Everyone have a great night. Stop drinking! You know who you are. I'm speaking to you. You are going to get sloppy." Then, referring to a British tabloid, he joked, "OK! magazine is going to say something bad about you." Since he wasn't on hand to receive his engraved statuette, he continued: "I accept this mock award right now. And if someone doesn't send me my real Brit in the mail, there will be hell to pay!" Las Vegas band The Killers, on the other hand, were at the ceremony at Earls Court in west London, and had no regrets about spending Valentine's Day far away from home. "I didn't have to come up with any Valentine's apologies to spend my evening here," frontman Brandon Flowers, 25, told PEOPLE backstage after winning best international album for Sam's Town. Asked how he would celebrate, he said: "Hopefully return to the stage in a few minutes and win another award." And he did: Moments later, The Killers carried off a trophy for best international group. Nelly Furtado scored the best international female award, making it a clean sweep for North America in all international categories. "God I'm excited, I'm thrilled," Furtado told the crowd of 11,000. "I can't wait to put him on my mantle – or her – I can't tell. But I've always wanted one of these."