Collins: 'Oscar movies were too grim'

Joan Collins has blamed the "grim" nature of this year's Oscar-nominated movies for the ceremony's low viewing figures.

The US coverage of the 80th annual Academy Awards was watched by an average of 32 million viewers - 20% fewer than last year and the lowest on record for any Oscars.

The actress, 74, put the ratings slump down to the absence of any "feel good" factor in the main contenders.

Contactmusic quotes her as saying: "This year's Oscars logged the show's smallest viewership mostly because the films had such grim subject matter.

"There were no nominated musicals, except for the sinister Sweeney Todd, and no comedies to speak of. It's as if making a feel good movie is as politically incorrect as wearing a Swastika."