Last month the BBC hosted Radio 2 Celebrates Elaine Paige, a special celebration of West End star and BBC Radio 2 host Elaine Paige at the London Palladium.
Watch a clip of the stars of Radio 2 Celebrates Elaine Paige performing at the concert, including Mamma Mia!’s Mazz Murray singing ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ and Julian Ovenden singing ‘Sunset Boulevard’ from Sunset Boulevard, Charlie Stemp and Summer Strallen singing ‘It’s De-Lovely’ from Anything Goes, and Sharon D Clarke singing ‘Losing My Mind’ from Follies.
Celebrating Elaine Paige’s 60-year career in theatre, Radio 2 Celebrates Elaine Paige took place at the London Palladium on Friday 25 April 2025, hosted by Zoe Ball.
The concert was broadcast on Radio 2 on 4 May 2025, and is now available on BBC Sounds. The concert was also filmed, although there is no current news about a forthcoming broadcast.
The concert featured a host of West End and Broadway stars, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra led by Richard Balcombe.
Stars included Samantha Barks (Frozen), Mazz Murray (Mamma Mia!), Julian Ovenden (South Pacific), Charlie Stemp (Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors), Sharon D Clarke (The Importance of Being Earnest), Summer Strallen (The Sound of Music), Preeya Kalidas (Bend It Like Beckham), Lucy St Louis (Wicked) and Clive Rowe (Sister Act).
The guest stars performed many of Elaine Paige’s greatest hits from across her incredible career, including her starring roles in Cats, Evita, Chess, Hair, Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes, and Piaf.
Lyricists Tim Rice and Don Black were present, as was director Trevor Nunn, and special video messages came from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh, Michael Ball, and more.
You can also watch Zoe Ball interview Elaine at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in Elaine Paige: 60 Years on Stage, on BBC iPlayer, and listen to the interview on BBC Sounds.
Also read more about Elaine Paige programming on the BBC.
Elaine Paige said in a statement back in January when the concert was first announced: “Presenting Elaine Paige On Sunday allows me to shine a light on the West End and Broadway’s best-loved shows and songs, as well as introduce my audience to new, upcoming stage productions, so I’m thrilled that Radio 2 are sharing in my love of the genre by celebrating my own 60th anniversary in musical theatre. I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a very special evening.”
Host Zoe Ball said: “As a huge fan of musical theatre, it’s an honour to be a part of this celebration as we pay homage to the original Queen of the West End, the gorgeous and beyond talented, Elaine Paige.”
This summer the London Palladium will be home to the latest production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita, this time directed by Jamie Lloyd. Elaine Paige originated the role of Eva Peron in the world premiere production of Evita at the Prince Edward Theatre in London in 1978.
UPDATES: First published 14 January 2025 with news about the concert; Updated 16 May 2025 with a clip of the concert
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