John Plunkett 

Baftas 2014: more than 4 million watch 12 Years a Slave win best film

BBC1 coverage of awards ceremony pulls in its lowest ratings since 2010 and is beaten by ITV costume drama Mr Selfridge. By John Plunkett
  
  

Baftas 2014: Steve McQueen accepts the best film prize for 12 Years A Slave
Baftas 2014: Steve McQueen accepts the best film prize for 12 Years A Slave. Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features

More than 4 million people watched 12 Years a Slave win best film at the Baftas on Sunday, but it could not hit the audience heights of last year's awards.

BBC1's The British Academy Film Awards attracted an average of 4.6 million viewers, a 22% share, between 9pm and 11pm, the ceremony's lowest ratings since 2010 and a fall on last year's 10-year high of 5.4 million (23.9).

With 12 Years a Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor and Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett picking up the leading actor gongs, the Baftas' audience was its lowest since 3.6 million watched four years ago.

Last year the Baftas were beaten by ITV's Jeremy Piven drama Mr Selfridge and this year was no different, the department store drama racking up 4.8 million viewers (20.3%) between 9pm and 10pm.

Supporting overnights prize

Elsewhere, BBC1's teatime PG Wodehouse adaption Blandings returned with 3.6 million viewers, a 16.5% share, between 6.30pm and 7pm, down 36% on the channel's three month slot average.

Top Gear powered ever onwards on BBC2 with 5.5 million viewers (20.3%) between 8pm and 9pm, once again seeing off ITV's Dancing on Ice Skate Off, which could only manage 4.3 million viewers (15.7%) between 8.30pm and 9pm, with 5 million (22%) watching the main Dancing on Ice show from 6.15pm.

While Helen Mirren was on the Baftas red carpet she was also starring in Channel 4's movie repeat Red, which had 2.3 million viewers (11.5%) between 9pm and 11.5pm.

BBC1's Call the Midwife was again the most-watched show of the day, attracting 8.4 million viewers and a 30.9% share from 8pm.

All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live, +1 (except for BBC channels) and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated

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