Madonna was snubbed by music fans last night at one of the industry’s biggest awards ceremonies as she failed to collect a single prize.

Despite being nominated for three titles at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Copenhagen, the 48-year-old Queen of Pop, who did not attend, failed to win Best Pop Act, Best Female or Best Album.

The star, who has recently been the subject of controversy over her decision to adopt David Banda, a one-year-old Malawian boy, was even ridiculed during the ceremony by the British comic Avid Merrion.

Merrion dressed up as the Material Girl in her leotard-wearing incarnation and gave a comic rendition of her performance at MTV’s events last year.

He then told the audience: “I’m getting too old for this s***. I’ve been getting a lot of hoo-ha from the press recently just because I bought a baby. But I’m Madonna. If I want to buy a baby, I buy a flipping baby.”

While big-name British nominees such as Keane and Robbie Williams went away empty handed, it was the stars on the other side of the Atlantic who took home most of the awards.

The veterans Depeche Mode were left flying the flag for the British music industry as they won the prize for Best Group and the Devon trio Muse won Best Alternative Act.

Best Pop Act went to Justin Timberlake, Best Female to Christina Aguilera and the Red Hot Chili Peppers won Best Album for Stadium Arcadium.

Timberlake, who hosted the awards with his girlfriend, the actress Cameron Diaz, also won Best Male.

Las Vegas band The Killers won the Rock category, beating the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Strokes. The Arctic Monkeys lost out in the Best UK and Ireland category, which was won by The Kooks.

The Caribbean-born singer Rihanna took the R&B prize and Gnarls Barkley won Best Song for Crazy. The rapper Kanye West won Best Hip-Hop, beating Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.

The winners of all the awards are chosen by MTV viewers.

Merrion’s act was accompanied by a troupe of four people gyrating in outsized babygrows.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s alter-ego Borat, host of the awards last year, also made a joke at Madonna’s decision to adopt.

THE WINNERS

Best Male Justin Timberlake
Best Group Depeche Mode
Best Hip-Hop Act Kanye West
Best Song Gnarls Barkley Crazy
Best Pop Act Justin Timberlake
Best Female Christina Aguilera
Best Rock Act The Killers
Best Alternative Act Muse
Best R&B Act Rihanna
Best Album Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stadium Arcadium
Best Video Justice Vs Simian
We Are Your Friends
Best UK & Ireland Act The Kooks

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