Beverley Knight, Jay Perry, Shanay Holmes and Arinzé Kene among the 2025 winners

The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) took place at the Piccadilly Theatre in London last night, 26 October 2025, celebrating Black excellence, artistry, and legacy in UK theatre.

Nominations were announced last month.

Presenters at this year’s awards included The Devil Wears Prada stars Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry, Cush Jumbo OBE, Baroness Lola Young, David Blake, Miriam-Teak Lee, Cherrelle Skeete, Miranda Cromwell and Jason Pennycooke.

Performances at the ceremony came from Alexandra Burke, Beverley Knight, the Kingdom Choir and the casts of Moulin Rouge! The Musical and The Harder They Come.

Winners included Beverley Knight, who took home Best Female Lead Actor in a Play for Marie & Rosetta, which is transferring to the West End’s @SohoPlace Theatre from February 2026.

Lynette Linton picked up Best Director for Intimate Apparel at the Donmar Warehouse, and Arinzé Kene’s performance in the play earned him Best Male Lead Actor in a Play.

Jay Perry scored a Best Male Lead Actor in a Musical award for Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre, and Shanay Holmes won Best Female Lead Actor in a Musical for Oliver! at the Gielgud Theatre.

Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre in London roared to victory with Best Musical Production; and Shifters at the Duke of York’s Theatre won Best Production – Play.

Other stars who won awards included Emmanuel Akwafo for A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Cash Holland for A Raisin in the Sun; Cedric Neal for Hadestown; and Jade Marvin for Starlight Express.

The Black British Theatre Awards are sponsored by ATG Entertainment and presented in partnership with Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Global Creatures, with thanks to Playful Productions.

Black British Theatre Awards 2025 – Full list of winners

CREATIVES GROUP

BEST PRODUCER – BODY OF WORK OR PRODUCTION
Chuchu Nwagu

BEST DIRECTOR
Lynette Linton, Intimate Apparel, Donmar Warehouse

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Takisha Sargent, The Women of Llanrumney, Theatre Royal Stratford East

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER OR MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
Ingrid Mackinnon, Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION OR PERFORMER
Our Mighty Groove, Sadler’s Wells East & Uchenna Dance

RECOGNITION GROUP (BODY OF WORK) AWARDS

BEST SOUND AND/OR LIGHTING DESIGN
Eamonn O’Dwyer

THEATRE DESIGN
Georgie Lynch

BOOK AND LYRICS
Trish Cooke

BEST PLAYWRIGHT
Anne Odeke

BEST CASTING DIRECTOR
Heather Basten

PLAY AWARDS

BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Arinzé Kene, Alterations, National Theatre

BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Beverley Knight, Marie & Rosetta, The Rose Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Emmanuel Akwafo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Cash Holland, A Raisin in the Sun, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

BEST PRODUCTION – PLAY
Shifters, Duke of York’s Theatre

MUSICAL AWARDS

BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jay Perry, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre

BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Shanay Holmes, Oliver! The Musical, Gielgud Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Cedric Neal, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jade Marvin, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre

CHAMPION AWARDS

BEST CHILD PERFORMER (UNDER 16)
Keilah Kofi, The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre

LGBTQIA+ CHAMPION
Newtion Matthews

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

BEST TEACHER
Stewart Avon-Arnold, Studio 59

LORD Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick AWARD
Liam Godwin

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Nicola Blackman

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Main photo: Black British Theatre Awards 2025 winners - The Lion King (Stephenson Ardern Sodje, Photo Johan Persson), Beverley Knight (Marie & Rosetta, Photo Marc Brenner), Jay Perry (Hamilton, Photo Danny Kaan), Shanay Holmes (Oliver!, Photo Johan Persson)

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