Elaine Paige To Receive Special Award At 2026 Olivier Awards

BBC Radio 2 presenter and musical theatre star Dame Elaine Paige will receive the Special Award at the Olivier Awards 2026, The One Show has announced.

Marking the ceremony's 50th anniversary, the event will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 12 April and will be hosted by Nick Mohammed. The BBC is the official broadcast partner for this milestone year.

Dame Elaine Paige said: "To stand alongside the remarkable artists who have received this honour before me is truly humbling. I accept this award with sincere gratitude and pride on behalf of everyone who continues to keep musical theatre alive and dazzling for future generations."

An Olivier Award-winning performer, Dame Elaine is widely regarded as one of the foremost figures in modern musical theatre. She originated landmark roles including Eva Perón in Evita, Florence in Chess, and Grizabella in Cats, and has helped define standards on both the West End and Broadway. She was appointed OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1995 and, in 2025, was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by King Charles III for services to music and charity.

Beyond the stage, Dame Elaine has appeared in numerous television productions, toured in concert internationally and released more than 30 albums. She also fronts the long-running BBC Radio 2 programme Elaine Paige on Sunday, now in its 22nd year. A dedicated advocate for emerging talent, she is Artistic Associate and Vice President of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has created scholarships there and at BIMM University. Her charitable commitments span arts, health and community causes, including her animal welfare charity, West End Woofs.

She continued: "I am thrilled and profoundly honoured to receive this Special Award at the Olivier Awards with Cunard. To be recognised by my peers and by the theatre community that has been my home for so many years means more than I can say. Theatre has given me a lifetime of unforgettable roles and memories, and I feel deeply privileged to have shared those moments on stages in the West End, on Broadway and around the world.

"To stand alongside the remarkable artists who have received this honour before me is truly humbling. I accept this award with sincere gratitude and pride on behalf of everyone who continues to keep musical theatre alive and dazzling for future generations."

Kash Bennett, President of the Society of London Theatre, added: "Dame Elaine Paige is quite simply one of the defining figures of modern musical theatre. For decades she has captivated audiences in the West End and on Broadway, setting an extraordinary benchmark for performers and helping to shape the landscape of musical theatre as we know it today.

"As we celebrate 50 years of the Olivier Awards, it is especially fitting to honour a performer whose artistry, dedication and generosity have inspired generations of audiences and artists alike. We are delighted to recognise Dame Elaine’s remarkable contribution to theatre with this Special Award."

On Sunday 12 April, the Olivier Awards 2026 will be broadcast on BBC Two and iPlayer. BBC Radio 2 will also air a special two-hour programme (8-10pm) from the Royal Albert Hall, presented by Jo Whiley, featuring performances from major shows and exclusive interviews with the night's stars.

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