Gravity wins an impressive six awards including Best Director but fails to scoop Best Film or Best Actor from 12 Years A Slave at 2014 BAFTAs 

Winners: Alfonso Cuaron (left) and David Heyman hold the award for Best British Film Award for Gravity

Lady in red: Oprah Winfrey presented the award for Outstanding British Film to Gravity at the beginning of the ceremony

The ceremony was opened with a performance from Tinie Tempah and Laura Mvula, before Oprah Winfrey handed the award for Outstanding British Film to Gravity, beating Rush, The Selfish Giant, Philomena, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and Saving Mr Banks.

But no sooner did they receive the news that they had won the coveted award, did they find out that they had also picked up Best Sound, Best Original Music, Cinematography and Special Visual Effects.

Picking up the award, producer David Heyman said: 'Of course the film would mean nothing without our cast, George Clooney and of course the heart of the film Sandra Bullock.'

Victorious: British director Steve McQueen poses with the award for best film for 12 Years A Slave at the BAFTAs

Winner: Brad Pitt hold onto the award won for 12 Years A Slave

The host: Stephen Fry, wearing Hackett, hosts the 67th BAFTA night at the Royal Opera House on Sunday evening

Here he comes: The Duke of Cambridge was accompanied by Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA

On the front row: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was accompanied by Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of Bafta on the front row

Enjoying themselves: Steve McQueen sat beside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ahead of being awarded Best Film for 12 Years A Slave

High five: Tinie Tempah give a high five to the Duke Of Cambridge on the front row at the 2014 BAFTAs

High spirits: Prince William takes in the show at LOndon's Royal Opera House

Two fingered salute: Emma Thompson playfully sticks her fingers up at the camera as daughter Gaia looks on during Sunday's show

He also praised his son, Jonás and Sandra Bullock before dedicating the award to the 'downstairs' workers who had made the film’s sound and effects possible.

Although Gravity won the most trophies, historical drama 12 Years A Slave was named Best Film and its star, Chiwetel Ejiofor, took the Leading Actor award.

Accepting the trophy from Uma Thurman, Chiwetel thanked director Steve McQueen, saying: 'Thank you for you work, your artisty and your passion in this project … to make it of such value, of such worth. This is yours by the way – I'm going to keep it, that's the kind of guy I am, but it's yours.'

A great honour: Chiwetel Ejiofor accepts his award on Sunday evening

Elated: Chiwetel Ejiofor looks simply elated with his Best Actor award for 12 Years A Slave

Arm in arm: Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofer attends the event with partner Sari Mercer on Sunday evening

Three's company: Oprah Winfrey poses with Gravity award winners Alfonso Cuaron (L) and David Heyman (R)

Support: Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron was joined on the red carpet by partner Sheherazade Goldsmith

The ceremony, held at London's Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, was hosted by Stephen Fry along with other celebrities invited to present awards such as Chiwetel Ejiofor and Gillian Anderson.

On welcoming the audience to the opera house, Fry made a joke directed towards actress Dame Helen Mirren, who has played the Queen on stage and screen, saying that she has 'this year brought her grandson along. Welcome his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge'.

Although she could not make it to the event, Jennifer Lawrence beat off stiff competition to pick up the award for Best Supporting Actress.

She took the crown from exciting newcomer Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave), experienced Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), the legendary Oprah Winfrey (The Butler) and British entry Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine). 

Here we go: Emma Thompson presents the award for Best Supporting Actor on Sunday evening

On top of the world: Barkhad Abdi, wearing Hackett, wins Best Supporting Actor award for Captain Phillips, and poses alongside Emma Thompson

Close: Emma Thompson was clearly delighted with Barkhad Abdi's win on Sunday evening

He's pleased: Captain Phillips star Barkhad Abdi talks to the press on Sunday evening

A surprise to the night's events, was the award for Supporting Actor Winner which went to Barkhad Abdi who starred as pirate leader Abduwali Muse in Paul Greengrass's Captain Phillips, who was handed the award by Emma Thompson.

An elated Barkhad said: 'Thank you, thank you, 'I want to thank BAFTA for this honour, I want to thank Paul Greengrass for believing me before I believed in myself.

'I want to thank Tom Hanks for everything, I see you.'

Welcome: Stephen Fry welcomes the audience of stars into the Royal Opera House before kicking off with the night's proceedings

Let's talk: Tinie Tempah chats to the press on Sunday evening

A taste of Royalty: The Duke of Cambridge meets members of the BAFTA committee at the Royal Opera House

Delighted: Production designers Catherine Martin (2R) and Beverley Dunn (2L) pose with the award for production design for their work on the film The Great Gatsby alongside presenters British actor Richard E Grant (R) and French actress and model Olga Kurylenko (L)

Honoured: Peter Greenaway holds his award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema, alongside presenter Juliet Stevenson

Triumph: (L-R) Luke Evans, Sophie Venner, Samantha Barks and James W. Griffiths in the winners' room at the BAFTAs on Sunday evening

Big winners: (L-R) Cate Blanchett, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Dame Helen Mirren pose with their awards on Sunday evening

Loving: Angelina Jolie straightens partner Brad Pitt's bow tie

A warm embrace: Chiwetel gets a hug from fellow award winner Cate Blanchett

Main man: 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen chats to reporters

Familiar face: Leonardo DiCaprio attends on Sunday evening

But the film, directed and co-produced by Baz Luhrmann, was in for a double win, also taking the gong for Best Production Design.

Best British Short Film went to Room 8, while Best British Short Animation was awarded to Sleeping With The Fishes.

Coming up top for Best Editing was Formula 1 film Rush while Best Documentary went to ground-breaking The Act Of Killing.

Animating their way to the top: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee won Best Animated Film for Frozen, presented by Gillian Anderson and David Oyelow (left and right)

Pretty pleased: Joshua Oppenheimer collected the award for Best Documentary, The Act Of Killing

So delighted: James Walker, Sarah Woolner and Yousif Al-Khalifa (right) held onto tight to thier award for Best Short Animation, Sleeping with the Fishes

Frozen beat Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University to win Best Animation.

Director Chris Buck said: 'This is amazing. we would love to thank BAFTA and our cast and crew, it took about 600 people that work on this one.

'It took thousands of storyboard drawing they had to to and re-draw, and also hundreds of hours of voice recording and computer rigging.'

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Winner went to Peter Greenaway, while Outstanding Debut by a A British Writer, Director or Producer went to Kieran Evans (Director/Writer), for Kelly + Victor, and was presented by actor Steve Coogan.

Taking the gong for Best Adapted Screenplay was British production Philomena, which beat 12 Years A Slave, Behind the Candelabra, Captain Phillips and The Wolf of Wall Street.

Rising star: Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander support Will Poulter as he wins his EE Rising Star award

Winner: Will Poulter beat off stiff competition to win the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted for by the public

Enjoying his moment: Sunday evening marked the beginning of Will's very exciting career

Taking the award for the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted for by the public, was 21-year-old Will Poulter, who snatched the award away from the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Dane Dehaan, George Mackay and Léa Seydoux.

The BAFTA for Film Not in the English Language Winner went to Italian film The Great Beauty.

Beating a list of top Hollywood names including Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale to win Leading Actor Winner was Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years A Slave.

But showing why she is one of the best actresses in Hollywood, Cate Blanchett has snatched the award fro Best Actress from Amy Adams, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench, and Sandra Bullock.

On top: Tom Hardy and Cate Blanchett pose together after Kate won the prestigious Best Actress award

Pleased: Award winner  Barkhad Abdi poses with his award for Best Supporting Actor (L) while Oprah Winfrey has a laugh backstage (R)

Dapper: Tinie Tempah looked smart in a tuxedo suit and bow-tie on Sunday evening

On collecting her award, Cate said: 'Jasmine was the most extraordinary opportunity for an actress, this actress.

So to everyone who made that not only possible but so memorable and such a game changer for me - so thank you.

'I'd like to dedicate this award to a monumental actor, the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman.

'Your monumental talent, your generosity and your unflinching quest for truth, you raised the bar continually so very high.

'So Phil buddy this is for you, you b****** I hope you're proud.'

The Fellowship Award, the only award to be announced before the ceremony, went to Dame Helen Mirren.

Simply stunning: Dame Helen Mirren poses in the press room after receiving the Academy Fellowship award at the 2014 EE British Academy Film Awards

Quite an achievement: Dame Helen Mirren was collecting her fourth BAFTA Awards on Sunday evening

Rwasons to be cheerful: The actress poses with her award alongside presenter Jeremy Irons, wearing Hackett

Worthy winners: Chiwetel Ejiofor (L) and David O. Russell (R) pose with their awards

Unlikely pals: Noel Gallagher has a hug for Emma Thompson at Grosvenor House Hotel following the BAFTAs

Elation: Barkhad Abdi (L) and Cate Blanchett (R) show off their award on Sunday evening

Husband and wife: Tom Hanks is accompanied by Rita Wilson on Sunday evening

'I just want to quickly blow a kiss to my husband who can't be here tonight.

'My journey to this place began with a great teacher Alice Welding who died just two weeks ago at age 102

'She alone was the person who encouraged me to become an actor.

'And I'd like to thank all those teachers now.

Sharing stories: Cate Blanchett, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Helen Mirren chatted after picking up their awards

What a moment: Cate looked overcome with emotion as she accepted her award

'My teachers in film of course included directors, several of whom are here today.

'And all those incredibly carnival of characters that march into battle on any film - I thank you all, it has been an amazing journey up to now.

'I'm going to finish with the words of a great writer (Shakespeare's The Tempest)

'Our revels now are ended. These our actors,

All together now: All of the winners looked proud while posing with their awards

Here's to us: Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett and Chiwetel Ejiofor all raised their awards as they celebrated

As I foretold you, were all spirits, and

Are melted into air, into thin air;

And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,

The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,

The solemn temples, the great globe itself,

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;

And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,

Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff

As dreams are made on, and our little life

Is rounded with a sleep

'My little life is rounded with this honour thank you so much indeed.'

All together now: Group shot of the winners following the BAFTA Awards, at the Royal Opera House