WEDNESDAY: The final instalment of Channel 4’s Big Fat Gypsy Weddings managed to beat ITV1’s live coverage of the Brits by more than 2m viewers.

It was the lowest-rating Brit Awards in five years, recording an average audience of 4.77m (18.58%) from 8pm to 10pm, of which 354,400 (1.38%) watched the ITV1 HD simulcast.

An additional 167,200 (0.75%) watched an hour later on time-shifted ITV1+1, according to overnight Barb figures supplied by Attentional.

In February 2010, live coverage of the awards drew 5.8m (21.86%) - a million more than this year.

Last night’s rating also marks the worst performance since 2006 when the Brits managed overnights of 4.58m (19.85%).

An informed Tipster tells me we actually peaked at 8.7 million - still far better than 4.7.

And compared to The Grammys , shown last night on ITV 2, it looked and sounded very ordinary. James Corden was dull dull dull; if you hire a comedian , at least give them licence to be occasionally funny.

Can viewing figures be compared? There wasn't much choice back then was there? It was either The Brits or World in Action.

The Grammys had key current artists performing Muse, Lady Antebellum ,Lady Gaga,Ceelo,Bruno Mars; Legends such as Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger .Then there were the Interesting combinations such the tribute to Aretha Franklin.
As a result , having something for everyone to enjoy and staged brilliantly, the show produced excellent figures.
Also they had mega stars Streisand, P Diddy, Jamie Foxx and the like presenting awards.

The Brits get Boris Becker??

The Brits need" a voice of god" to announce the Acts performing and the stars presenting the Awards. Not some unshaven moon faced git strait jacketed in terms of his wit.

Honestly Artful Dodger, P Diddy a mega star? Barbra is a mega star and Jamie is a best actor Oscar winner with enormous talent. Diddy is a marginally talented self promoting jackass, and is widely viewed as such.

The lowest common denominator presentations that the Grammys continue to implode into make the show the confusion that it is and ripe for the criticism that it gets. From the embarrassment of paring Taylor Swift with Stevie Nicks, to this years embarrassing Gwyneth Paltrow debacle, to the mess of the Justin Beiber Usher performance and throw in Will Smith's kid for 10 seconds for more confusion and attempted demo grabs. They simply cannot get this show right. Can anyone really get an awards show right?

I will give them this, logistically, technically, Ken Ehrlich is a genius to pull off this confusion.

The Producer Grammy not being an onstage on-air event is so absurd in 2011 that its not to be believed.

In 2011 how many of the mainstream acts would even be nominated if it weren't for the producer, who in most cases in 2011 is the one with the musical talent. Funny that!