BAFTA 2021 Film Awards viewing figures PLUMMET to a 13-year low


The BAFTA 2021 Film Awards saw an average of 2million viewers tune in on Sunday night – the lowest figures for the awards in 13 years.

Hosted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman, 500,000 people abandoned the virtual ceremony on BBC One in the first five minutes, switching off entirely.

The final five minutes saw figures rise to 4.3million – although with BBC One airing Line Of Duty immediately after the BAFTAs, it’s likely fans of the show were settling in for that.

Plummet: The BAFTA 2021 Film Awards saw an average of 2million viewers tune in on Sunday night - the lowest figures for the awards in 13 years. It was hosted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman [pictured]

Plummet: The BAFTA 2021 Film Awards saw an average of 2million viewers tune in on Sunday night – the lowest figures for the awards in 13 years. It was hosted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman [pictured]

This year’s ceremony took place in two parts, with only a peak of 700,000 viewers tuning in for the Saturday broadcast.

The figures, collated by Deadline and Screen Daily, are down from a 3million average in 2020. MailOnline has approached the BBC for clarification on the final numbers.

The show was beaten by the likes of Tipping Point: Lucky Stars on ITV, followed by Midsomer Murders.

While Saturday’s BBC Two broadcast peaked at 700,000 viewers, it averaged at 400,000 according to overnight Barb figures.

Tuning out: 500,000 people abandoned the virtual ceremony on BBC One in the first five minutes, switching off entirely [Renee Zellweger presenting from LA is pictured]

Tuning out: 500,000 people abandoned the virtual ceremony on BBC One in the first five minutes, switching off entirely [Renee Zellweger presenting from LA is pictured]

Another apparent turn-off for viewers was the ‘fake audience and canned laughter’.

Viewers took to Twitter to brand the applause ‘awkward’ and said it ‘ruined the show’ – but it was in fact confirmed afterwards that the audience were a real virtual gathering of 1, 000 people tuning in via video link. 

The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy’s film ceremonies to be held virtually but those watching weren’t impressed due to the confusion over whether the audience was fake or real.

A representative for the Academy told MailOnline: ‘1,000 people were virtually watching on a secure audience link and their audio was filtered into the show.’ 

Oh dear: Viewers were left confused during the BAFTA 2021 Film Awards' virtual ceremony, as they believed the show had a fake audience and canned laughter'

Oh dear: Viewers were left confused during the BAFTA 2021 Film Awards’ virtual ceremony, as they believed the show had a fake audience and canned laughter’

Some viewers of the ceremony – which was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London but without a live audience – branded the apparently fake applause and laughter in the studio as ‘condescending’ and ‘questionable’. 

The ceremony saw winners appearing via Zoom to collect their awards and give acceptance speeches. 

Although this helped keep the pace up – and provided some entertaining moments in the case of Youn Yuh-jung who called British people ‘snobbish’ while accepting her gong for Best Supporting Actress – many viewers were not loving the changes.

Several viewers shared their belief that the show was using ‘canned laughter’ on Twitter, with some even comparing it to something from ‘a 1970’s Two Ronnie’s Christmas special.’  

Not impressed: The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy's film ceremonies to be held virtually but those watching weren't impressed with the set up (pictured are hosts Edith Bowman and Dermot O'Leary)

Not impressed: The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy’s film ceremonies to be held virtually but those watching weren’t impressed with the set up (pictured are hosts Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary) 

One unimpressed viewer wrote on the social media platform: ‘The canned laughter is a bit much. The show would work way better with music instead’. 

Another penned: ‘This fake applause is so awkward’, while another complained: ‘Not sure about fake audience noises on the BAFTAs’. 

A fourth wrote: ‘Yeah, the canned reactions are mega-condescending. Just let the show be what it is. The tech awards mini-show yesterday was really well-pitched.’

Someone else agreed, writing: ‘The canned laughter is questionable’ while another simply said: ‘Can the canned laughter!’ 

While another unimpressed person said: ‘Changed channels … BAFTAs is on … it seems that instead of a live audience, someone thought that canned applause & laughter from a 1970’s Two Ronnie’s Christmas special would be a good idea … weird’

Opinions: Several viewers shared their belief that the show was using 'canned laughter' on Twitter, with some even comparing it to something from 'a 1970’s Two Ronnie’s Christmas special

Opinions: Several viewers shared their belief that the show was using ‘canned laughter’ on Twitter, with some even comparing it to something from ‘a 1970’s Two Ronnie’s Christmas special

Some even claimed that the star-studded night was ‘boring’ – although did put it down to the new Covid rules and restrictions that have been bought in.

One person tweeted: ‘Is the BAFTAs totally shut in this format? I know they dressy up as Covid secure c**p but really it’s so boring.’ 

Agreeing, another said: ‘God it’s depressing to watch things like #BAFTAs with no live audience. Not for much longer I hope.’ 

'Awkward': One unimpressed viewer took to Twitter to write: 'The canned laughter is a bit much. The show would work way better with music instead' - although the audience was real

‘Awkward’: One unimpressed viewer took to Twitter to write: ‘The canned laughter is a bit much. The show would work way better with music instead’ – although the audience was real

While others said they were switching the channel without making it to the end to discover who was announced as the best actress and actor.

‘Losing the will watching this, such a boring show, congrats to all the winners but I’m off’, tweeted one unimpressed viewer.

And anther penned: ‘It’s only been 20 mins and baftas is already boring me to death.’

Despite this, some did enjoy the new set-up and particularly the fun, genuine Zoom reactions some stars managed to pull off.

One person said: ‘The slight delay on the reactions of the live audience throws things off a little but seeing the instant reactions of the winners on Zoom is fun #BAFTAs.’  

Switching off: Several people said they gave up on the two-hour show and didn't stick around to see who won the best actor and actress gongs at the end of the night

Switching off: Several people said they gave up on the two-hour show and didn’t stick around to see who won the best actor and actress gongs at the end of the night

Surprising! The star-studded ceremony, filmed at London's Royal Albert Hall, saw a shock win for Anthony Hopkins in the Leading Actor category

She's not there! It came as the film's star Frances McDormand was awarded Best Leading Actress, but wasn't present at the ceremony to accept

Winners: Anthony Hopkins won in the Leading Actor category (pictured left in The Father) while Frances McDormand was awarded Best Leading Actress (seen right  in film Nomadland)

The 2021 BAFTAs saw Frances McDormand win the leading actress gong for her role in Nomadland while Anthony Hopkins was named as best actor for The Father.

Other winners included Daniel Kaluuya as supporting actor in Judas and the Black Messiah and Korean star Yuh-Jung Youn in the supporting actress category for film Minari.

The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy’s film ceremonies to be held virtually. 

The TV version of the awards show took place online during summer 2020, but last year’s film ceremony managed to go ahead a month before the Covid pandemic forced the UK into lockdown.

With the pandemic still raging, another change will take place this year: the BAFTAs will happen in two parts.

It's not all bad: Some said Covid changes had made the show 'boring' but others enjoyed seeing the entertaining and genuine win reactions of celebs on Zoom

It’s not all bad: Some said Covid changes had made the show ‘boring’ but others enjoyed seeing the entertaining and genuine win reactions of celebs on Zoom

Both shows, recognising the very best in film of the past year, will be broadcast virtually from London’s Royal Albert Hall.  

The first show celebrates the craft of film while the second main show will feature the mainstream awards.

Show one was hosted by Clara Amfo on Saturday night and saw eight of the 17 gongs awarded.

During the broadcast it was revealed that Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom won two awards: Costume Design and Make Up & Hair. Rocks won Casting while Sound of Metal won Sound. Mank picked up Production Design, and Tenet won Special Visual Effects.  

Not happy: Many viewers took to Twitter on Sunday night to complain about the fake audience (pictured is Felicity Jones presenting the Cinematography category)

Not happy: Many viewers took to Twitter on Sunday night to complain about the fake audience (pictured is Felicity Jones presenting the Cinematography category)

The Present won the British Short Film award, while the BAFTA for British Short Animation was won by The Owl and the Pussycat.

The award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, announced last month, was presented to filmmaker Noel Clarke.

Show two was fronted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman from London’s Royal Albert Hall where the acting prizes will be given out. No audience will be present.

Both programmes are being broadcast in all major territories around the world and a total of 50 feature films received nominations this year.

Presenters will appear during the ceremony from both London and Los Angeles, but all nominees will accept their prizes virtually in front of a virtual audience watching from home.

Presenter: BAFTA has announced their most diverse list of nominees in the awards' 74-year history (host Dermot O'Leary is pictured)

Presenter: BAFTA has announced their most diverse list of nominees in the awards’ 74-year history (host Dermot O’Leary is pictured) 

Among the prizes announced on the second night will be the public-voted EE Rising Star Award and the Fellowship, BAFTA’s highest honour.  

BAFTA has announced their most diverse list of nominees in the awards’ 74-year history. 

In a first for BAFTA, four women have been nominated in the Director category. Three of the nominated directors are also nominated for Film Not in the English Language.

As part of BAFTA’s pledge to support fresh talent, four of the five nominated films in Outstanding Debut are also nominated across other categories, with first-time nominees accounting for four of the six nominated Directors and 21 of the 24 nominees in the performance categories.

British talent is rife in 2021, with the Outstanding British Film category increasing from six to 10 nominations, three of which are also nominated for Best Film. 

Pandemic: The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy's film ceremonies to be held virtually (pictured Anna Kendrick presents the Best Adapted Screenplay category)

Pandemic: The BAFTA and EE British Academy Film Awards 2021 is the first of the Academy’s film ceremonies to be held virtually (pictured Anna Kendrick presents the Best Adapted Screenplay category)

Of the difficult times the awards and creative industries have had during the past 12 months – which saw a total shut-down of TV and film production across the world – BAFTA’s Chief Executive Amanda Berry said: ‘The last year has seen the Covid-19 pandemic impact everyone, and the film industry is no exception.

‘I would like to thank all those who have supported us and enabled BAFTA to continue to celebrate the very best work in film, from our members who embraced the changes we made to the voting process to the distributors for ensuring that many more films were available for online viewing.

‘Film has always held an essential place in our culture but I think we can all agree that it has been even more important during this time.

‘I very much look forward to celebrating the incredible talent of all our nominees.’

In the past year, BAFTA undertook a wide-ranging Review, signalling the beginning of a significant cultural shift within the organisation.

The changes introduced for the Film Awards are the first phase in an ongoing process of levelling the playing field for all entered films.  

Entertainment: Dermot and Edith wowed on the red carpet before they entered the studio for presenting duties

Entertainment: Dermot and Edith wowed on the red carpet before they entered the studio for presenting duties

BAFTA 2021 WINNERS

LEADING ACTRESS 

BUKKY BAKRAY Rocks

RADHA BLANK The Forty-Year-Old Version

VANESSA KIRBY Pieces of a Woman

FRANCES McDORMAND Nomadland – WINNER

WUNMI MOSAKU His House

ALFRE WOODARD Clemency  

LEADING ACTOR 

RIZ AHMED Sound of Metal

CHADWICK BOSEMAN Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

ADARSH GOURAV The White Tiger

ANTHONY HOPKINS The Father – WINNER

MADS MIKKELSEN Another Round

TAHAR RAHIM The Mauritanian

BEST FILM 

THE FATHER Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt

THE MAURITANIAN TBC

NOMADLAND Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Chloé Zhao – WINNER

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Ben Browning, Emerald Fennell, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Stuart Besser, Marc Platt

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER 

HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes (Writer/Director) – WINNER

LIMBO Ben Sharrock (Writer/Director), Irune Gurtubai (Producer) [also produced by Angus Lamont]

MOFFIE Jack Sidey (Writer/Producer) [also written by Oliver Hermanus and produced by Eric Abraham]

ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson (Writers)

SAINT MAUD Rose Glass (Writer/Director), Oliver Kassman (Producer) [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen – WINNER

DEAR COMRADES! Andrei Konchalovsky, Alisher Usmanov

LES MISÉRABLES Ladj Ly

MINARI Lee Isaac Chung, Christina Oh

QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić, Damir Ibrahimovich

DIRECTOR 

ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg

BABYTEETH Shannon Murphy

MINARI Lee Isaac Chung

NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao – WINNER

QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić

ROCKS Sarah Gavron

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE DIG Moira Buffini

THE FATHER Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller – WINNER

THE MAURITANIAN Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven

NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao

THE WHITE TIGER Ramin Bahrani

CASTING 

CALM WITH HORSES Shaheen Baig

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Alexa L. Fogel

MINARI Julia Kim

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Mary Vernieu

ROCKS Lucy Pardee – WINNER

EDITING 

THE FATHER Yorgos Lamprinos

NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Frédéric Thoraval

SOUND OF METAL Mikkel E.G. Nielsen – WINNER

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Alan Baumgarten

COSTUME DESIGN

AMMONITE Michael O’Connor

THE DIG Alice Babidge

EMMA. Alexandra Byrne

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Ann Roth – WINNER

MANK Trish Summerville 

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

THE FIRE NEXT TIME Renaldho Pelle, Yanling Wang, Kerry Jade Kolbe

THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT Mole Hill, Laura Duncalf – WINNER

THE SONG OF A LOST BOY Daniel Quirke, Jamie MacDonald, Brid Arnstein

BRITISH SHORT FILM

EYELASH Jesse Lewis Reece, Ike Newman

LIZARD Akinola Davies, Rachel Dargavel, Wale Davies

LUCKY BREAK John Addis, Rami Sarras Pantoja

MISS CURVY Ghada Eldemellawy

THE PRESENT Farah Nabulsi – WINNER

SOUND

GREYHOUND Beau Borders, Christian P. Minkler, Warren Shaw and David Wyman

NEWS OF THE WORLD Michael Fentum, William Miller, Mike Prestwood Smith, John Pritchett, Oliver Tarney

NOMADLAND Sergio Diaz, Zach Seivers, M. Wolf Snyder

SOUL Coya Elliott, Ren Klyce, David Parker

SOUND OF METAL – Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc – WINNER

SUPPORTING ACTRESS 

NIAMH ALGAR Calm With Horses

KOSAR ALI Rocks

MARIA BAKALOVA Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

DOMINIQUE FISHBACK Judas and the Black Messiah

ASHLEY MADEKWE County Lines

YUH-JUNG YOUN Minari – WINNER

SUPPORTING ACTOR 

DANIEL KALUUYA Judas and the Black Messiah – WINNER

BARRY KEOGHAN Calm With Horses

ALAN KIM Minari

LESLIE ODOM JR. One Night in Miami…

CLARKE PETERS Da 5 Bloods

PAUL RACI Sound of Metal

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM 

CALM WITH HORSES Nick Rowland, Daniel Emmerson, Joe Murtagh

THE DIG Simon Stone, Gabrielle Tana, Moira Buffini

THE FATHER Florian Zeller, Philippe Carcassone, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt, Christopher Hampton

HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes, Martin Gentles, Edward Kings, Roy Lee

LIMBO Ben Sharrock, Irune Gurtubai, Angus Lamont

THE MAURITANIAN Kevin Macdonald, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven

MOGUL MOWGLI Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara – WINNER

ROCKS Sarah Gavron, Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson

SAINT MAUD Rose Glass, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman

DOCUMENTARY 

COLLECTIVE Alexander Nanau

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey

THE DISSIDENT Bryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen

MY OCTOPUS TEACHER Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed, Craig Foster – WINNER

THE SOCIAL DILEMMA Jeff Orlowski, Larissa Rhodes

ANIMATED FILM

ONWARD Dan Scanlon, Kori Rae

SOUL Pete Docter, Dana Murray – WINNER

WOLFWALKERS Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ANOTHER ROUND Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg

MANK Jack Fincher

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell

ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Aaron Sorkin

ORIGINAL SCORE 

MANK Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

MINARI Emile Mosseri

NEWS OF THE WORLD James Newton Howard

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Anthony Willis

SOUL Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – WINNER

CINEMATOGRAPHY

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Sean Bobbitt

MANK Erik Messerschmidt

THE MAURITANIAN Alwin H. Küchler

NEWS OF THE WORLD Dariusz Wolski

NOMADLAND Joshua James Richards – WINNER

PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE DIG Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald

THE FATHER Peter Francis, Cathy Featherstone

MANK Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale – WINNER

NEWS OF THE WORLD David Crank, Elizabeth Keenan

REBECCA Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer

MAKE UP & HAIR

THE DIG Jenny Shircore

HILLBILLY ELEGY Patricia Dehaney, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Matiki Anoff, Larry M. Cherry, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal – WINNER

MANK Kimberley Spiteri, Gigi Williams

PINOCCHIO Mark Coulier

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

GREYHOUND Pete Bebb, Nathan McGuinness, Sebastian von Overheidt

THE MIDNIGHT SKY Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, David Watkins

MULAN Sean Faden, Steve Ingram, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher

TENET – Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley – WINNER

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRITISH CINEMA

Noel Clarke

BAFTA FELLOWSHIP

Ang Lee 

 

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