Olivier Awards: Everything you need to know about the iconic awards ceremony
It's the biggest night in London's theatrical calendar
Every year, the UK theatre community comes together to celebrate an incredible 12 months at the Olivier Awards. Here we take a look at what to expect from the 2025 Olivier Awards, and a look back at the iconic awards, including who Laurence Olivier was.
Also find out which play and musical have had the most wins, which individual has won the most Olivier Awards, and much more...
Who has been nominated this year?
On 4th March the nominations were revealed by Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis. The nominations include a massive 13 nods for Fiddler On The Roof, which is the most-nominated production this year. The production's nominations include Best Musical Revival, the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director (Jordan Fein), Best Actor in a Musical (Adam Dannheisser) and Best Actress in a Musical (Lara Pulver).
Also nominated this year are Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 which has received six nominations and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and Oliver! with both receiving four nominations each.
Giant and The Years both have five nominations each, making them the most-nominated plays, with Romola Garai being nominated twice in the same category for her roles in Giant and The Years.
See the full list of 2025 Olivier Award nominations here
Who will host the 2025 awards?
Beverley Night and Billy Porter will host this year's biggest night in theatre. Showcasing the best of London’s world-leading theatre industry the star-studded ceremony will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 6th April.
Herself a three-time Olivier Award nominee, Beverley Knight won in 2023 for her role in Sylvia and is soon to make her professional play debut in Marie and Rosetta at the Rose Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre.
International star of stage and screen, Billy Porter is a Primetime Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner, currently starring in the multi-Olivier Award-winning Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the West End.
You will be able to watch highlights from the evening on ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player, along with additional coverage on Magic Radio.
Who hosted the 2024 awards?
The super star herself Hannah Waddingham was back on the stage!
Hannah has appeared on stage in productions such as A Little Night Music, Into the Woods and The Wizard of Oz. On screen she's appeared in Sex Education on Netflix and Ted Lasso on Apple TV+.
Previous hosts of the awards include Jason Manford, Michael Ball, Imelda Staunton, Clive Anderson, Gemma Arterton, Stephen Mangan, Hugh Bonneville, Sheridan Smith, Lenny Henry, and Catherine Tate.
When were the 2024 Olivier Awards?
The 2024 Olivier Awards took place on Sunday 14th April 2024.
Where were the Olivier Awards?
The ceremony took place in London's iconic Royal Albert Hall which has hosted the in-person Olivier Awards since 2017.
When were the first Olivier Awards?
The first Olivier Awards took place back in 1976 back when it was named the Society of West End Theatre Awards, the winner of Best Musical that year was A Chorus Line. The ceremony's name was changed to honour Laurence Olivier in 1984.
Which musical has the most nominations?
The musical with the most nominations is Hamilton who got 13 nominations in 2018, they also hold the record for most nominations at the Tony Awards.
Which musical has the most wins?
This record is jointly held by the 2021 revival of Cabaret, Hamilton and Matilda the Musical who all won seven awards in 2022, 2018 and 2012 respectively.
Which play has the most wins?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child holds the record for most nominations and wins for a play with 11 nomination and nine wins.
Which actors have the most Oliviers?
The actor with the most Oliviers is Dame Judi Dench, who has seven awards plus the Special Olivier Award she received in 2004. After her, Sir Ian McKellen and Arthur Bennet have five each, plus both of them have received the Special Olivier Award.
Which individual has the most Olivier Awards?
The most Olivier awards held by an individual is seven, a record held by Dame Judi Dench, designer William Dudley and choreographer Matthew Bourne.
How many awards does Andrew Lloyd Webber have?
Andrew Lloyd Webber has six competitive Olivier Awards, his winning shows include Evita, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.
How many Oliviers does Stephen Sondheim have?
Stephen Sondheim has five wins which include Sweeney Todd, Follies and Sunday in the Park with George.
Who was Laurence Olivier?
Laurence Olivier was one of the theatrical heavyweights of the mid-20th century. He had several roles on stage and screen including several Shakespeare productions including Henry V, Hamlet and Richard III. As well as having the awards named after him, the National Theatre's largest auditorium is named after him.
Winners of the Magic Radio award for Best Musical Revival
1991 - Show Boat
The first ever winner in this category was the Opera North and Royal Shakespeare Company's co-production of Show Boat which ran at the London Palladium in 1990.
1992 - The Boys from Syracuse
The Boys From Syracuse is a Rogers and Hart musical based on Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. This production ran at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in the summer of 1991 and was directed by none other than Dame Judi Dench.
1993 - Carousel
The National Theatre's first win in this category was their revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel which enjoyed a sellout limited run from December 1992 to March 1993. The revival then re-opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in September of that year.
1994 - Sweeney Todd
Alun Armstrong and Julia McKenzie starred in the first London revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd. The production ran at the Cottesloe Theatre (now named the Dorfman) from June 1993 before transferring to the Lyttleton Theatre December of that year.
1995 - She Loves Me
She Loves me was revived at the Savoy Theatre and was directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Rob Marshal, the pair had just done a Broadway revival of She Loves Me the year prior.
The West End revival starred John Gordon Sinclair and Ruthie Henshall with the pair both winning Best Actor and Actress in a Musical.
1997 - The Who's Tommy
This year the name of the award changed to Outstanding Musical Production, which lasted through until 2007.
This rock musical is based on the 1969 rock opera, Tommy by The Who.
1998 - Chicago
In 1997, the Broadway revival of Kander and Ebb's Chicago transferred to the West End with Ute Lemper as Velma Ruthie Henshall as Roxie. The West End revival ran until 2012 and the Broadway revival is still running to this day!
1999 - Oklahoma!
The National Theatre revived Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma in 1998 with a cast that included Hugh Jackman as Curly, Maureen Lipman as Aunt Eller, Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey and Shuler Hensley as Jud Fry.
2000 - Candide
A second win in a row for the National Theatre with their 1999 production of Candide which includes music by West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein.
2001 - Singin' in the Rain
The West Yorkshire Playhouse's production of Singin' in the Rain directed by Jude Kelly quickly got a West End transfer and ran at the National's Olivier Theatre for a month in 2000.
2002 - My Fair Lady
The National continued their winning streak with their production of My Fair Lady which starred Martine McCutcheon as Eliza and Jonathan Pryce as Higgins. The production then transferred to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane after four months.
2003 - Anything Goes
The National Theatre got their fifth win in a row with their production of Anything Goes which starred Sally Ann Triplett, John Barrowman and Yao Chin. Like My Fair Lady, the production then transferred to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
2004 - Pacific Overtures
The Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Pacific Overtures transferred to the Donmar Warehouse where it ran for a short period in 2003.
2005 - Grand Hotel
A second win a row for the Donmar Warehouse with their revival of Grand Hotel starring Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
2006 - Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls was revived at the Piccadilly Theatre running between 2005 and 2007. The cast of this production originally included Ewan McGregor as Sky, Jenna Russell as Sarah, Jane Krakowski as Adelaide and Douglas Hodge as Nathan Detroit.
2007 - Sunday in the Park with George
The Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George transferred to the West End at the Wyndham's Theatre in 2006. The West End production starred Daniel Evans as George and Jenna Russell as Dot, both of whom won Olivier Awards for their respective roles.
2008 - The Magic Flute
After a run in Cape Town and at the Young Vic, The Magic Flute transferred to the West End with a run at the Duke of York's Theatre.
2009 - La Cage Aux Folles
Following the success of the Menier Chocolate Factory's scaled down production of La Cage Aux Folles, it got a West End transfer at the Playhouse Theatre with Douglas Hodge as Albin.
The success of the revival saw it get a Broadway transfer with Douglas reprising his role.
2010 - Hello Dolly!
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre started a streak of wins in this category with their revival of Hello Dolly! which starred Samantha Spiro in the titular role.
2011 - Into the Woods
The second win in this streak was for their revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods - which was very fitting for an open air theatre!
2012 - Crazy For You
Ira and George Gershwin's Crazy For You was Regent's Park's third win in a row for this category. This production got an extended life when it transferred to the Novello Theatre in October 2011.
2013 - Sweeney Todd
Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd broke an Olivier record this year when it became the first musical to win Best Musical Revival for a second time. This production began at the Chichester Festival Theatre and transferred to the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in 2012.
2014 - Merrily We Roll Along
Stephen Sondheim got a second win in a row for this category with the West End transfer of the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Merrily We Roll Along which ran at the Harold Pinter Theatre.
2015 - City of Angels
Cy Coleman, David Zippel, and Larry Gelbart's City of Angels was revived at the Donmar Warehouse in 2014 directed by Josie Rourke.
2016 - Gypsy
Another win for Sondheim (as a lyricist at least) with the West End transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre's production of Gypsy which starred Imelda Staunton in the iconic role of Mamma Rose.
2017 - Jesus Christ Superstar
The first Andrew Lloyd Webber revival to win this award was the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar. This production went on to get runs in the US as well as the Barbican Centre in London.
The production returned to Regent's Park as a socially distanced concert in the summer of 2020.
2018 - Follies
The winner in 2018 was the National Theatre's revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's Follies which starred Peter Forbes as Buddy, Imelda Staunton as Sally, Janie Dee as Phyllis, Philip Quast as Ben and Tracie Bennett as Carlotta.
The production was filmed and screened in cinemas as well as making a return to the Olivier Theatre in 2019.
2019 - Company
A modern reimagining of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company saw the leading role gender-swapped and played by Rosalie Craig. Patti LuPone reprised the role of Joanne (which she played in the 2011 Broadway concert).
The production is now running on Broadway.
2020 - Fiddler on the Roof
The Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Fiddler on the Roof directed by Trevor Nunn got a West End transfer. The West End production opened at the Playhouse Theatre in March 2019.
2022 - Cabaret
London's Playhouse Theatre has been transformed into the Kit Kat Club for this brand new revival of Cabaret directed by Rebecca Frecknall. As well as winning Best Musical Revival the production won in all four acting categories and now joins Hamilton and Matilda as one of the most awarded musicals with a total of seven wins.
2023 - Oklahoma!
Following a Tony-winning run on Broadway, Daniel Fish's stripped down revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! transferred to the Young Vic in London. Since then it transferred to the West End at the Wyndham's Theatre.
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