Olivier Awards 2023: How to watch including ITV1 and Youtube as Hannah Waddingham set to host
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The Olivier Awards, one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in the theatre industry, is returning to London for another year tonight (April 2). The awards, named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, will take place at the Royal Albert Hall as it celebrates the best of London theatre.
Hosted by Emmy-award winning stage star and Ted Lasso actress, Hannah Waddingham, the show will kick off with an opening number written by Pippa Cleary from the Great British Bake Off Musical for the first time ever. The performance will also feature performers from current long-running West End shows.
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A number of stage stars will also be presenting awards at the ceremony, including 2023 BAFTA Rising Star nominee Aimee Lou Wood (currently appearing in Cabaret), Liz Carr, who won Best Actress in a Supporting Role at last year’s ceremony, and multi-Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne.
This year’s ceremony will also see performances from The Band’s Visit, The Book Of Mormon, Grease The Musical, Disney’s Newsies, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Sister Act, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, and Sylvia and Tammy Faye.
Here’s everything you need to know about the awards show, including how to watch it so you don’t miss a thing.
How to watch the Olivier Awards
The main event, which will kick off at 10.15pm, will be aired on ITV1. You can also listen to the full radio broadcast live on Magic FM from 6pm. If you’re based outside of the UK, a livestream will be available on Olivier Awards’ YouTube channel from 6pm.
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Viewers are also able to catch the ceremony by visiting their Twitter page, Instagram or Facebook stories and the Olivier Awards 2023 page where they will be announcing all the winners live from the venue.
What is the Olivier Awards?
The Olivier Awards are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise achievement in professional theatre in the capital. The awards were formerly known as the Society of West End Theatre Awards before being renamed in 1984 in honour of Laurence Olivier.
Those working in West End performances and other notable non-commercial theatres based in London are recognised in a variety of categories including plays, musicals, dance, opera, and affiliate theatre.
The Olivier Awards are worldwide recognised as the top honour in British theatre, comparable to the BAFTAs for cinema and television and the BRIT Awards for music. The Olivier Awards are regarded as the equivalent of the Tony Awards on Broadway and the Molière Prize in France.
Since their debut, the awards have been held at a variety of London venues and theatres, including the Royal Opera House from 2012 to 2016, before moving to the Royal Albert Hall in 2017.
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