West End Wilma to celebrate 10 years of awarding the best of UK theatre

The West End Wilma Awards will return for its tenth anniversary on Sunday 1 November 2026 at London’s Leicester Square Theatre. Once again I am delighted to be being supported by Free@LastTV and Tim McArthur returns for the 10th year! The West End Wilma Awards proudly shine a light on those of often go unrecognised in UK Theatre. Previous categories have included Best Understudy, Best Backstage Dresser, Most Underrated Show, Best Swing and Best Ensemble Performer. 2025 Winner of Best Understudy, Geri Allen, from Operation Mincemeat said “thank you so much to West End Wilma for actually having these categories because understudies, covers, swings are so unsung. The only time anyone talks about us if when you’ve had to travel 150 miles across the country to ‘save’ a show but actually we are saving it every day” Categories for 2026 are still to be decided but will include the ‘Robin Windsor Award For Best Performer in a Musical’ which was named at last years ceremony in Robin’s honour by his Strictly co-star Joanne Clifton.

Tickets on sale now

Book your ticket now and come and mingle with the stars at what is sure to be the biggest and best year yet! A very limited amount of VIP tickets are available which include

  • Front row seat
  • Signed programme
  • Exclusive access to watch the soundcheck

Get tickets for the 10th year of the West End Wilma Awards

Get involved – donate to co-sponsor the award for Best Swing

This upcoming 10th anniversary is a milestone I want to make more spectacular, more inclusive, and more impactful than anything we’ve done before. But here’s the truth: as an independent theatre blogger, organising an event of this scale is incredibly challenging. Getting sponsorship in the theatre industry is especially tough and I genuinely cannot deliver the event the community deserves without support. People constantly tell me how important The Wilmas are. The industry says it. The winners say it. Audiences say it.
But to continue and grow, I need your help. Your support would help us continue shining a light on the incredible, often invisible talent across our industry and help the Wilmas enter their 10th year stronger than ever.

2025 West End Wilma Award Winners

BEST OFF WEST END SHOW – Starlight Express RISING STAR – Georgia Pemberton BEST DRESSER – Zephyr Aspen (Starlight Express) BEST LIGHTING – Howard Hudson (Starlight Express) BEST PERFORMER IN AN OFF-WEST END SHOW – Jeevan Braich (Starlight Express) BEST NEW WEST END MUSICAL – The Great Gatsby BEST NEW WEST END PLAY – The Comedy About Spies BEST TOURING PRODUCTION – Kinky Boots BEST CABARET/SOLO PERFORMANCE – Samantha Barks – Live at the London Palladium BEST EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL SHOW 2025 – I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical BEST PERFORMER IN A TOURING PRODUCTION – Carrie Hope Fletcher (Calamity Jane) BEST PERFORMER IN A WEST END SHOW – Jamie Muscato (The Great Gatsby) BEST WEST END ENSEMBLE PERFORMER – Grace Swaby Moore (Back To The Future) BEST UNDERSTUDY – Geri Allen (Operation Mincemeat) BEST SWING – Fergie Fraser (Mean Girls) See all of the winners over the past nine years of the West End Wilma Awards here