2020 Tony Awards to be presented digitally, it has been confirmed

This year's Tony Awards will be going ahead online, it has been announced.

The Awards, which are conventionally held in June of each year, were pushed back by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They will now be presented without a live audience, with eligibility, an event date and further details to be revealed.

Charlotte St Martin, president of the Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing said: "Though unprecedented events cut the Broadway season short, it was a year full of extraordinary work that deserves to be recognized…We are thrilled not only to have found a way to properly celebrate our artists' incredible achievements this season, but also to be able to uplift the entire theatre community and show the world what makes our Broadway family so special at this difficult time. The show must go on, no matter what – and it will."

Since the pandemic struck New York before the end of the season, many shows that would have been eligible for the awards (such as Six the Musical, which was forced to close mere hours before official opening night) may not be able to take part in this year's event.

Plans for this year's Olivier Awards, which were meant to be held in April 2020, have yet to be formally revealed, though the nominees have been announced.