Dame Elaine Paige is to receive this year’s Special Award at the 2026 Olivier Awards.
Elaine Paige will be presented with the Olivier Award during the ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday 12 April 2026.
2026 sees the Olivier Awards celebrate its 50th anniversary, with the awards hosted by Nick Mohammed.
The news was announced tonight, 9 March 2026, on the BBC’s The One Show.
Elaine told The One Show that “this is just so wonderful because I’m being given the award by the industry… my peers, so that’s what makes it really special.” She went on to say that she is “very humbled by it to be honest”, and that “it’s very nice to get an award for having the privilege of being able to do something I’ve loved all my life”.
Paige, who was made a Dame in the 2025 King’s birthday honours list, celebrated 60 years in showbiz last year with a concert at the London Palladium.
The stage star, often called the First Lady of the West End, is known for her leading roles in blockbuster musicals including Cats, Evita, Chess, Anything Goes, Hair, Sunset Boulevard and Piaf.
Olivier Awards 2026 – Elaine Paige wins a Special Award
More 2026 Olivier Awards winners
A number of other award winners have already been announced ahead of the ceremony, including the Outstanding Contribution to Dance and Opera, and the Industry Recognition Awards.
In dance, Sir Wayne McGregor CBE is receiving this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Dance Award; and in opera, the Outstanding Contribution to Opera Olivier Award is going to opera and West End star Danielle De Niese.
The Industry Recognition Awards at the Olivier Awards have also been announced, and will go to theatre school founder Betty Laine OBE, National Theatre Stage Door Keeper Linda Tolhurst, and children’s dramatist David Wood OBE.
Olivier Awards nominations
Last week saw the full list of Olivier Awards 2026 nominations announced, ahead of the ceremony next month.
The leaders of this year’s nominations include Paddington The Musical at the Savoy Theatre, and Jordan Fein’s revival of Sondheim’s Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre, both of which scored 11 nominations.
In terms of plays, All My Sons at the Wyndham’s Theatre starring Bryan Cranston, and Kenrex and Stereophonic each scored six nominations.
You can view the full list of 2026 Olivier Awards nominations here.
Also see: Olivier Awards 2026 – Everything you need to know about this year’s awards
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