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Jodie Comer has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in British Theatre Award for her performance in Prima Facie which will be presented at the UK Theatre Awards 2026 on 12 October.

Emmy, BAFTA, Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor Jodie Comer will be awarded the inaugural Outstanding Achievement in British Theatre Award for her performance in Prima Facie at the UK Theatre Awards 2026.

The UK Theatre Awards 2026, sponsored by Encore, will take place at 8 Northumberland Avenue in London on 12 October 2026, and will presented by drag queen, actress and singer La Voix.

The award recognises Comer’s commitment to taking the role of Tessa in Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie on a major UK and Ireland tour earlier this year, following her Olivier and Tony Award-winning performances in London and on Broadway.

An actress at the top of her game

Stage and screen star Comer is one of Britain’s most acclaimed actors, with an Emmy, two BAFTAs, a Tony and an Olivier Award to her name across stage and screen. She is known for starring in The Price of Everything at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and playing Villanelle in the BBC series Killing Eve.

Speaking about the award, she said: “I’m incredibly honoured to receive the inaugural Outstanding Achievement in British Theatre Award. Prima Facie has been such a huge part of my life, and taking the production on tour has been one of the most special experiences of my career… I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported the production and made it possible for us to take it across the UK and Ireland. Especially James Bierman at Empire Productions for having the passion and ingenuity to make the idea a reality.” 

What is Prima Facie about?

Prima Facie - 2026 Tour. Jodie Comer. Photo by Rankin
Prima Facie – 2026 Tour. Jodie Comer. Photo by Rankin

Prima Facie is an award-winning one-woman play exploring justice, power, and the law’s intersection with personal experience. The story focuses on Tessa – a young, brilliant barrister who loves to win, and has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game, but an unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.

The play has become a landmark theatrical event, with Comer’s performance earning widespread critical acclaim and reaching more than 1.2 million people worldwide through its stage run and National Theatre Live broadcasts, with the tour extending that reach to audiences beyond the capital. 

It is also being adapted into a film starring Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Dracula) across the UK and Ireland from 13 November 2026.

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Main photo: Jodie Comer in Prima Facie. Photo credit: Helen Murray

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