Exclusive: BBC to honour Elaine Paige in starry London Palladium concert – also set to be broadcast

Exclusive: BBC Radio 2 will celebrate Elaine Paige’s 60-year career in showbusiness with a special concert at The London Palladium.

Hosted by Zoe Ball, the event will take place on Friday 25 April 2025, and feature performances by musical theatre stars, special guests, and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe. The concert will then be broadcast on Radio 2 on Sunday, 4 May.

The evening will include appearances by West End and Broadway performers Samantha Barks, Mazz Murray, Julian Ovenden, Charlie Stemp, and Summer Strallen. They will perform some of Paige’s most iconic standards, including numbers she recorded during her career. The event follows Paige’s recent Christmas specials on Radio 2 and highlights her contributions to musical theatre as both a performer and presenter.

Paige said today: “Presenting Elaine Paige On Sunday allows me to shine a light on the West End and Broadway’s best-loved shows and songs, as well as introduce my audience to new, upcoming stage productions, so I’m thrilled that Radio 2 are sharing in my love of the genre by celebrating my own 60^th anniversary in musical theatre. I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a very special evening.”

Tickets for the concert go on sale at 12 pm on Tuesday, 14 January, with details available on the BBC website. Radio 2 Celebrates Elaine Paige is produced by BBC Audio.