David Hare to receive Gielgud Award at 2017 UK Theatre Awards

Playwright David Hare is to receive this year's Gielgud Award at the UK Theatre Awards.

The awards, which take place at London's Guildhall on Sunday 15 October, recognise creative achievement on and off stage up and down the country. The Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts was established by the Shakespeare Guild in 1994.

Hare's plays include Plenty, Racing Demon, South Downs and Skylight. He has written over 25 screenplays including The Reader and The Hours.

Previous recipients of the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts include F Murray Abraham, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Kevin Kline and Lynn Redgrave.

In the same ceremony, Lyn Gardner will be receiving this year's Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award. Sharon D Clarke will be hosting the awards.

Nominees for the awards include Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Caroline Or Change and Sweet Charity for best musical, Wish List, Half Breed and Narvik for best new play.

Read the full list of nominations here.