Actor John Hurt has picked up a lifetime achievement award, the Alexander Walker Special Award, for his contribution to cinema at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.

I feel very flattered, I feel very honoured, and I don’t feel that I deserve it. I really don’t

Mr Hurt, 72, is also due to collect the outstanding British contribution to cinema award at the Baftas on Sunday.

The Elephant Man star was joined at the Evening Standard event at the London Film Museum on the South Bank by celebrities including Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, Downton’s Elizabeth McGovern and Birdsong’s Clemence Poesy.

Others winners included Michael Fassbender, who picked up the best actor award for his portrayal of a sex addict in Shame and his role in Jane Eyre.

Rev star Olivia Colman won the best actress award for her performance in Tyrannosaur, beating three Oscar winners – Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Weisz and Tilda Swinton – to the prize.

The award for best film went to Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin, about a woman’s attempt to come to terms with her son’s involvement in an American high school massacre.

Others winners at the awards, hosted by Green Wing star Stephen Mangan, included Irish film The Guard, which won the Peter Sellers award for comedy and Senna, which was named best documentary.

Mr Hurt was modest about his award, saying: “I have had them before but I always thought I was a little bit too young, but I suppose when you’ve gone past 70 you can’t really say you’re too young.

“I feel very flattered, I feel very honoured, and I don’t feel that I deserve it. I really don’t.

“I’m really not that modest. I can be horribly arrogant. But I don’t know what makes one deserve something like that, but I’m enormously respectful of the kindness of the people who decided to give it to me.”

The Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy star named his breakthrough role as Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant as the highlight of his career.

He said: “There are many highlights. I never try to choose one thing, comparisons are odious. But I suppose if you want to choose one particular piece which changed the public’s perception of me as an actor, it was The Naked Civil Servant all those years ago back in 1974.”

Ms Colman was delighted to win for her role as a battered wife in Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur.

“Very excited, it’s obviously a very, very lovely feeling.

“To win things for this particular film feels pretty special because it’s probably the best part I will ever get.”

It was the latest in a run of awards for the Peep Show star.

A champagne reception before the ceremony was interrupted by a fire alarm, meaning all the stars including Tom Hiddleston, Ms Poesy and Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown-Findlay were evacuated outside on to the street for a short time.

But everyone made light of the episode, swigging from miniature bottles of champagne and huddling together for warmth.

List of winners

• Best film: We Need To Talk About Kevin
• Best actor: Michael Fassbender for Shame and Jane Eyre
• Best actress: Olivia Colman for Tyrannosaur
• Most promising newcomers: Tom Kingsley and Will Sharpe for co-writing and directing Black Pond
• Peter Sellers Award for comedy: The Guard
• Best documentary: Senna
• Best screenplay: Andrew Haigh for Weekend
• London Film Museum Award for technical achievement: Robbie Ryan for his cinematography of Wuthering Heights
• Alexander Walker Special Award: John Hurt for his contribution to cinema
• Blockbuster of the Year, People’s Choice Award: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.