Paddington and Rent director Luke Sheppard named patron of the British Youth Music Theatre

The British Youth Music Theatre has announced the appointment of Olivier Award-winning director Luke Sheppard as its new Patron.

marking a significant moment for the organisation and its long-standing commitment to developing early-career theatre makers.

Sheppard, who won the 2026 WhatsOnStage and Olivier Awards for Best Director for Paddington the Musical, first began his professional directing career with BYMT through its Creative Work Placement scheme. He started as an assistant director on the 2007 production Force 9½, working under mentor John Nicholson, and went on to establish a sustained creative relationship with the organisation.

Over the following years, he directed several BYMT productions including Mort in 2012, Soul Music in 2013 and 2014, Jabberwocky in 2017 and Help Get Me Out of this Musical in 2018.

Sheppard said today: “I’m not exaggerating when I say I owe so much to my assistant director role with BYMT. It gave me a pathway beyond graduation, real experience on the ground, and connections that sprung me forwards into the professional landscape.

“Opportunities for early-career theatre makers are hard to come by, and initiatives like the Creative Work Placement Scheme are crucial for the future of the industry. I’m thrilled to now give back to BYMT as Patron, supporting the CWP Scheme and all the incredible training opportunities they provide for young people.”