Joan Collins at The 3rd Annual Los Angeles Italia - Film, Fashion and Art Festival held at Mann Chinese 6 Theatre. Hollywood, California - 17.02.08

The ceremony - the 80th Oscars - pulled in an average of 32 million viewers - the lowest viewing figures since 1974.

And Collins believes the reason behind the slump in viewers is the serious nature of the movies nominated.

She says, "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 feelgood movie is as politically incorrect as wearing a Swastika (Nazi symbol)."

Source: WENN