by Michael Osborn BBC News Online

The cream of pop's current stars received a red carpet welcome at this year's Top of the Pops Awards in Manchester - and a vast audience of enthusiastic fans.

But today's chart regulars had to bow their heads in respect to musical legend Sir Elton John, who sealed off the ceremony with his classic hit Your Song.

He was inducted into the music show's Hall of Fame and performed a duet with boy band Blue, whose praise for the veteran singer almost overshadowed their own award for Top Pop Act.

"Working with Elton was the highlight of the year for me," explained Blue's Duncan. "We've got so much respect for him - he's such a massive icon," he added.

Elton john was inducted into the TOTP Hall of Fame

A singer who has only been in the business for nine months went home from Manchester with two TOTP awards under his belt - for Top Newcomer and Top Single for his debut song Evergreen.

Pop Idol Will Young, spiky-haired and with a beaming smile for everyone, admitted he was "disappointed" when his latest single failed to hit number one.

An old hand in comparison to Will appeared in a breathtaking outfit, was shimmering with star quality and yet another trophy for Top Tour to add to her collection.

"I've actually sent a few of my awards to Australia for safekeeping," said diminutive singer Kylie Minogue.

"I'm having a short break but will be back in the studio early next year to start work on the next album," revealed the single star, who added - with a coy giggle - that she was "too busy" to start dating again.

Dynamite hoard

Ms Dynamite has enjoyed what she called an "amazing" year - adding Top R&B trophy in Manchester to join a clutch of Mobos and the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for her album A Little Deeper.

Ms Dynamite won this year's Mercury Music Prize

But she is already looking ahead to next year, and the tough task of following up a run of phenomenal success.

"I've got a new album called A Little Darker coming out next spring which is more underground with more garage, MCing and hip hop. I'll try to do something different," explained the north Londoner.

US dance guru Moby may have gone home empty-handed, but he was the funniest pop star of the night, talking about "that man" Ian Van Dahl - the female trio who beat him to TOTP Top Dance gong.

"Kylie is the smallest person I've ever met in my entire life," continued the shaven-headed, bespectacled musician. "She looks like her mother was a sparrow," he added.

And as for the night's musical icon Sir Elton John, Moby was happy to be less than reverent in his approach to him.

"We had this huge fight. We were beating each other with cricket bats. It lasted for about an hour and a half," he joked.

On a glittering night of pop idols, music icons and awards which pop stars could hang around their necks, a sense of humour was a refreshing commodity.