James Graham picks up the Services to UK Theatre Award at the WhatsOnStage Awards

Playwright and screenwriter James Graham has won this year’s AudienceView Services to UK Theatre Award, presented at the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.

Graham has a long list of hit plays to his name, including This House, The Vote, Labour of Love, Ink, Best of Enemies, Tammy Faye, Punch, Quiz Boys from the Blackstuff and Dear England. His most recent new work, Make It Happen, ran at the Dundee Rep Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival in 2025.

Hailing from Nottinghamshire, Graham studied at the University of Hull before starting his playwriting career at the Finborough Theatre in west London. When not writing critically lauded plays, he is also a successful screenwriter, with his hit crime drama Sherwood on its third series, and other credits including Coalition, Brexit: The Uncivil War, and a small-screen version of his play Quiz. 

Currently sitting on the board at the National Theatre, Graham has been a tireless advocate for the arts and its place in wider society, regularly appearing on panel shows, news programmes and more, tirelessly making the case for the national significance of culture.

Graham is a two-time Olivier Award winner – firstly picking up the Best New Comedy award for Labour of Love, followed by the Best New Play award in 2024 for Dear England, which is currently on a major UK tour. He was made OBE in 2020.

You can watch a series of industry leaders pay tribute to Graham in our special video:

See more from this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards below