AFP/ London

Madonna's on-stage fall at the Brit Awards was mocked mercilessly on the Internet on Thursday, unleashing a wave of jokes and memes about the 56-year-old star's cape malfunction.

Video of Madonna's on-stage fall
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The US superstar was performing "Living For Love" at British pop's top awards ceremony in London Wednesday night when a problem with her floor-sweeping Armani cape caused her to tumble down stairs on the stage.

"Armani hooked me up! My beautiful cape was tied too tight! But nothing can stop me and love really lifted me up!" the star wrote on Twitter afterwards, explaining what had happened.

Surrounded by muscular dancers with horns on their heads wearing bondage-style costumes, she quickly picked herself up and continued with the song, ironically peppered with lines like "I'm not giving up, I'm gonna carry on".

The hosts of the Brit Awards, TV hosts Ant and Dec, joked on Twitter after the show that they were stuck in a hospital emergency ward with Madonna, who was making her first Brits appearance for 20 years.

"Ta for all your lovely messages, we really enjoyed it. We're stuck in A&E with @Madonna. Still an hour wait.....," they wrote.

Another British TV presenter, Matt Johnson, quipped: "Cape Calm And Carry On".

British celebrities were generally supportive of Madonna, highlighting the pop icon's long career as a superstar.

"Madonna come party with us - I'm gonna dj - you can vogue - everything will be fine. DO NOT BRING THE BLOODY CAPE!!!," wrote BBC DJ Nick Grimshaw on Twitter.

But many ordinary fans on the social media site were more cruel, joking that the pop veteran had fallen because of her age and should consider investing in a stairlift to help her navigate stairs in future.

The Guardian newspaper, meanwhile, said that the fact the "truly stunning tumble" had drawn so much attention was a damning indictment of the quality of show itself.

"If the ceremony proved anything, it was that the Brit Awards themselves are substantially less interesting than watching someone fall over," it said.

Video of Madonna's on-stage fall
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=667716953355162

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