- Outstanding Contribution to Dance is awarded to Sir Wayne McGregor CBE, and Outstanding Contribution to Opera to Danielle de Niese
- This year’s Industry Recognition Award recipients are Betty Laine OBE, Linda Tolhurst & David Wood OBE
- They will each be presented with their awards at the Olivier Awards with Cunard Tea Party at The Londoner Hotel on Friday 20 March
The Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard has revealed the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Dance, Outstanding Contribution to Opera, and Industry Recognition Awards.
Sir Wayne McGregor CBE will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Dance Award. Wayne is a multi-award-winning choreographer, director, curator and author, internationally renowned for trailblazing innovations in performance that have radically redefined dance in the modern era. Driven by an insatiable curiosity about movement and its creative potentials, his experiments have led him into collaborative dialogue with an array of artistic forms, scientific disciplines, and technological interventions. The startling and multi-dimensional works resulting from these interactions have ensured McGregor’s position at the cutting edge of contemporary arts for over thirty years.
“On this milestone 50th anniversary of the Olivier Awards, I am deeply honoured and truly grateful for this recognition. Every project we bring to life is a labour of love – shaped by trust, curiosity, discipline, and the shared belief that together we can create something greater than any one of us alone. For more than three decades in the art form I cherish – dance – I have been sustained by extraordinary collaborators whose generosity and brilliance make the work possible.
“This award celebrates that collective spirit: the courage to experiment, take risks, challenge ourselves, and keep reaching for excellence. It is also a reminder that the arts matter profoundly – that through creativity, imagination, and access to culture, we give one another the chance not only to grow but to soar.”
Sir Wayne McGregor CBE
Danielle de Niese is the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Opera Award. An Emmy Award winner at just 16 for her work as a TV host, she made her Broadway debut aged 18 in Les Misérables. Since then, Danielle has forged a distinctive career that blends operatic credibility with musical theatre style and TV presenter profile, earning her the moniker ‘opera’s coolest soprano’ from The New York Times Magazine. Her wide-ranging career has seen her perform at Carnegie Hall alongside LL Cool J, appear with Mika on ITV, and lend her voice to Hannibal, directed by Ridley Scott.
“Though I have done musicals and TV my whole life, opera has been the dominant art form of my musical identity since the age of eight. From the moment I fell in love with classical music, my main objective has been to share this passion with as many people as possible. It has been a journey of many “first-ever” moments and “youngest in history” milestones but has also involved breaking down many barriers (some invisible) and pushing opera beyond its known borders to places it has never been present.
“My dream and objective has remained the same and I feel constantly rewarded and renewed by how many different audiences come to see me perform and become fans of this art form for life. I am deeply moved to be recognised for this with an Olivier Award, it is a tremendous honour and I thank the committee for welcoming me into this amazing pantheon of artists.”
Danielle de Niese
Since 2019, the Industry Recognition Awards have been given annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre. They shine a spotlight on inspirational individuals doing vital work, often behind the scenes, who have been a force for good and helped shape the industry. Recipients are nominated by their peers and must demonstrate at least one of the following qualities: excellence in their field of work; going above and beyond in terms of dedication to their role and the industry; pioneering and leading change. This year’s recipients are Betty Laine OBE, Linda Tolhurst & David Wood OBE.
Betty Laine OBE is the founder and Principal Emerita of Laine Theatre Arts. Demonstrating an exceptional vision and commitment to excellence, Betty has mentored thousands of performers over five decades, with an alumni boasting some of the industry’s most renowned performers, directors and choreographers.
Linda Tolhurst has worked at the National Theatre for over fifty years, the last forty-six of which as Stage Door Keeper. Over the years, Linda has become the bridge between the on-stage and off-stage worlds, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for performers, staff and visitors alike.
David Wood OBE is regarded as ‘the national children’s dramatist’ (The Times). He has written over 75 children’s plays, adapting the works of authors from Roald Dahl to Floella Benjamin for the stage. His works include The Gingerbread Man, Tom’s Midnight Garden, the Olivier Award-winning Goodnight Mister Tom and the Olivier Award-nominated The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
“London’s theatre is the best in the world and a huge reason for this is the extraordinary unsung heroes who are working incredibly hard behind the scenes to bring us the shows we love. Linda, Betty and David have shaped the cultural life of our city for decades and it is a wonderful that that they are being honoured with these awards.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries
“Whether they are performing on stage or working tirelessly behind the scenes, this year’s recipients are the bedrock of our sector. They represent the extraordinary breadth of talent, dedication and creativity that sustains theatre in this country, from trailblazing artists redefining their art forms, to stalwart champions of the industry. We are immensely proud to recognise each of them with an Olivier Award and look forward to celebrating their achievements.”
Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre Co-CEO Claire Walker, on the Outstanding Contribution to Dance, Outstanding Contribution to Opera, and Industry Recognition Award recipients
These five outstanding individuals will be given their awards at a special presentation at The Londoner Hotel on Friday 20 March and be guests of honour at the Olivier Awards with Cunard on Sunday 12 April. Wayne McGregor and Danielle de Niese will also present the winners of the Best New Opera Production and Best New Dance Production categories respectively, on the night of the awards.
The Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard will be broadcast on the BBC on Sunday 12 April.
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