Brit Awards 2015 TV ratings up 1.2m as Ant and Dec replace James Corden

But the ITV broadcast could not beat Comic Relief Bake Off

Ed Sheeran performs during the BRIT music awards at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, London

The Brit Awards recovered following a ratings low with 5.8 million viewers last night - but suffered at the hands of the Comic Relief version of Bake Off.

Last year, just 4.6 million watched the music awards on ITV, the lowest figures since 2006.

Wednesday night's show, in which Madonna caused the biggest shock by tumbling backwards off the stage steps, attracted an average of 5.8 million viewers (26 per cent share).

The average audience for the Brits - this year presented by duo Ant and Dec - was smaller than the average audience for The Great Comic Relief Bake Off, with the BBC1 show, which saw actor Michael Sheen impress with a three-tiered pavlova, attracting six million viewers.

The Brits, which aired between 8pm and 10.30pm and saw Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran take the big prizes, peaked with 6.8 million viewers between 10.10 and 10.15pm.

Bake Off, which saw Sheen win the title of star baker and was broadcast between 8pm and 9pm, peaked at 6.5 million.

PA