The Orange British Academy Film Awards attracted its largest audience since 2004 when it aired on BBC One on Sunday 13 February, with an average of 5.3 million viewers.
The BAFTA ceremony airing on BBC One and BBC One HD was watched by a 22.3% share of the total television audience during its 9pm to 11pm slot, according to BARB data. It attracted a peak audience of 5.8 million viewers, representing a 24.9% share.
The figure surged dramatically from 2010 where 3.6 million viewers watched the ceremony (15% share) on BBC One.
The figures were buoyed after a bumper night for British film The King’s Speech, which picked up seven awards including Best Film and Best Actor for Colin Firth.
Other winners included Inception and The Social Network, each winning three BAFTAs, and Alice in Wonderland, which received two. The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award was presented to the Harry Potter films and the Fellowship to Sir Christopher Lee, the highest accolade the Academy can bestow.
BAFTA also saw an increase in traffic to its website, www.bafta.org, with year-on-year increases of 48% in visits and of 53% in unique visits.
About BAFTA:
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. For further information, visit www.bafta.org.
