As revealed on BBC’s The One Show yesterday evening, 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 Sunday 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.