Olivier Awards 2026 – photos and highlights from the ceremony

We’d like to wish the Olivier Awards a very happy 50th birthday!

The annual prize-giving event returned to the Royal Albert Hall to mark half a century of celebrating theatre in London, and what a night it was!

You can catch up with the winners here, and keep an eye out for all of our coverage still to come.

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The cast of Phantom of the Opera opens the show

If you were to walk past the Royal Albert Hall yesterday, you may have been bewildered to see the West End cast of Phantom of the Opera performing “Masquerade” in the bright sunshine outside. What a treat! The epic opening number then crashed into the title sequence, as the show celebrates 40 years in London this year. Taking inspiration from recent Andrew Lloyd Webber revivals, expert videography tracked the Phantom and Christine Daaé as they made their way to the stage, and even featured a cameo (à la Sunset Boulevard) from the composer himself.

Underdogs triumph

There were a bunch of more-than-worthy winners at last night’s event, but we were thrilled to see underdog Jack Holden triumph in the Best Actor category for his solo role in Kenrex. It was a marvellous feat that highlighted the importance of regional theatre, with the show starting out in Sheffield, and all of the unrecognised people who keep the theatre industry propped up. The Kenrex team are busy mounting the show in New York, but still celebrated a win for sound designer Giles Thomas, too. Not too far away, James Graham‘s award-winning Punch started at Nottingham Playhouse and has since played the West End and Broadway. Julie Hesmondhalgh was Best Supporting Actress for portraying Joan, a woman who comes to forgive and connect with Jacob, the man who threw the punch and killed her son, James.

Nick Mohammed teases Tom Hiddleston

On hosting duties this year was the ever-faithful Nick Mohammed, who had a lot of fun with the starry nominees! Throughout the ceremony, he was taking Polaroids with attendees and asked Best Actor nominee Tom Hiddleston for a photo, as one would. But the catch was, he wanted Hiddleston to take the photo of Mohammed with Bryan Cranston! The gag didn’t stop there when the Loki star was then asked to assist as a human auto-cue.

Georgina Onuorah brought the house down

Georgina Onuorah showed exactly why she was nominated not once, but twice at this year’s Olivier Awards. The actress took to the Royal Albert Stage for a full-belt rendition of Lulu’s big number from the new musical Shucked. Her performance proved that she is “independently owned and celebrating”!

All of the performances were fantastic, and you can see the line-up here.

Timothée Chalamet doesn’t present a category

The Olivier Awards are the only major awards to honour dance and opera. And who worst to present that category than headline-maker Timothée Chalamet? Despite the set-up, the Dune, Marty Supreme and Wonka actor did not give those awards. But the English National Opera were keen to reiterate that opera is for everyone, including our Timmy.

Husbands feature heavily

From the auditorium, it appeared that every winner was thanking their husbands. A proper love fest! It was enough to make anybody feel single, including our Cole Escola! The writer of Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play Oh, Mary! said in their speech: “I want to thank my husband, who doesn’t exist.” Hilarious.

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt receives her first award that isn’t in PDF form

Having spent the morning overseeing a mouse burial for her children, she spent the evening winning her first Olivier Award! The ever-hilarious Victoria Hamilton-Barritt claims this is her first award that hasn’t arrived in PDF format. We think it is more than due!

Elaine Paige receives a standing ovation

Honoured with a special Olivier Award this year from her friend Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elaine Paige received a massive standing ovation from the audience at the Royal Albert Hall. She reflected on her stage career and the friends she has made, and we heard from some of them. Don Black said it best: “There’s no one like a dame, and there’s no one like Elaine!”