Elaine Paige to receive Special Award at OLIVIER AWARDS 2026 with Cunard
As revealed on BBC’s The One Show last night (9 March), Dame Elaine Paige will receive this year’s Special Award at the Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard.
The star-studded ceremony, showcasing London’s world-leading theatre industry, will take place at the iconic Royal Albert Hall on 12 April. Celebrating 50 years of theatre’s biggest night, the event will be hosted by Nick Mohammed.
Elaine Paige is an Olivier Award-winning actress whose extraordinary career has made a defining contribution to musical theatre. Widely regarded as one of the leading stars of her generation, she has appeared in a remarkable number of smash-hit West End and Broadway productions, helping to shape and set the standard for the modern stage musical, and originating iconic roles such as Eva Perón in Evita, Florence in Chess, and Grizabella in Cats. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the arts, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1995, and in 2025 was further honoured by King Charles III who made her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music and charity.
Alongside her celebrated stage career, Dame Elaine has starred in numerous television productions, performed in concert around the world and recorded more than 30 albums. She also continues to present her hugely popular weekly programme Elaine Paige on Sunday on BBC Radio 2, now in its 22nd year. A passionate supporter of the next generation of performers, she serves as Artistic Associate and Vice President of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has established scholarships there and at BIMM University to support emerging musical theatre talent. Alongside this, she is deeply committed to charitable work, supporting a wide range of organisations across the arts, health and community sectors, including her own animal welfare charity, West End Woofs.
Dame Elaine Paige said: “I am thrilled and profoundly honoured to receive this Special Award at the Olivier Awards with Cunard. To be recognised by my peers and by the theatre community that has been my home for so many years means more than I can say. Theatre has given me a lifetime of unforgettable roles and memories, and I feel deeply privileged to have shared those moments on stages in the West End, on Broadway and around the world.
“To stand alongside the remarkable artists who have received this honour before me is truly humbling. I accept this award with sincere gratitude and pride on behalf of everyone who continues to keep musical theatre alive and dazzling for future generations.”
President of the Society of London Theatre, Kash Bennett, added: “Dame Elaine Paige is quite simply one of the defining figures of modern musical theatre. For decades she has captivated audiences in the West End and on Broadway, setting an extraordinary benchmark for performers and helping to shape the landscape of musical theatre as we know it today.
“As we celebrate 50 years of the Olivier Awards, it is especially fitting to honour a performer whose artistry, dedication and generosity have inspired generations of audiences and artists alike. We are delighted to recognise Dame Elaine’s remarkable contribution to theatre with this Special Award.”
On 12 April, the Olivier Awards 2026 will be broadcast on BBC Two and iPlayer. BBC Radio 2 will also broadcast a special two-hour show (8-10pm) from the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jo Whiley, featuring performances from some of the night’s biggest shows and exclusive interviews with a dazzling line-up of stars.
For more info on this year’s Olivier Awards, please click here.