An exclusive broadcast partnership has been announced for the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, with Heart Musicals broadcasting live backstage from the iconic London Palladium during this year’s ceremony.
Now in their 26th year and their third at The London Palladium, the WhatsOnStage Awards remain the only major UK theatre awards decided by theatregoers.
This year’s nominees include a wide range of productions from across the UK, with Paddington The Musical leading the field with a record 14 nominations, while shows such as Evita, The Great Gatsby and Hercules are also recognised in a wide range of categories. In the play categories, nominated performers include Jonathan Bailey, Ncuti Gatwa, Tom Hiddleston and Rosamund Pike, with shows like The Importance of Being Earnest, Much Ado About Nothing, Stereophonic and Inter Alia recognised.
Broadcasting on Sunday 8th March 2026 from 7pm to 10pm, Heart Musicals will be live backstage at The London Palladium. Big name winners will be interviewed as soon as they step off stage, with key moments from the show broadcast on Heart Musicals. The show will feature a playlist of nominated and winning shows, alongside the world’s greatest showstoppers heard daily on Heart Musicals.
Heart Musicals turns up the feel good on all the biggest showstopping tunes from the greatest stage and screen musicals.
The show will be presented by Heart’s Lindsey Russell, a massive theatre fan normally heard on Heart’s Early Breakfast Show (weekday mornings from 4am-6:30am) across the UK.
Lindsey said: “It’s been another brilliant year of theatre and I can’t wait to celebrate the best of the West End at the legendary London Palladium. I’m looking forward to chatting to all the winners backstage and bringing Heart Musicals listeners all the excitement from the awards.”
Alex Wood, Editor-in-Chief at WhatsOnStage said: “We’re thrilled to be linking up with Heart Musicals as exclusive broadcast partner for this year’s WhatsOnStage Awards. As an audience-voted awards with national scope, it’s only right that listeners can tune in and hear first-hand from the exciting talents staging brilliant theatre night after night. Bring on Sunday!"
The ceremony, co-produced with creative directors Alex Parker and Damian Sandys, will include live performances with a 24-piece orchestra and the presentation of awards voted for by theatregoers.
The evening’s concert’s hosting duties will be shared by Gina Murray and Mazz Murray, who return after presenting the 2025 ceremony and will open the event with a performance.
The line-up of performances will include appearances from 13 Going On 30 the Musical, Hercules the Musical, Paddington The Musical, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and Hope Mill Theatre’s revival of Young Frankenstein. An additional performance and cast announcement from a musical revival is also planned, with further performances currently under wraps.
Voting for the awards closed last month. Final tickets for the ceremony are on sale now.
Listen to Heart Musicals backstage at the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards on Sunday 8th March from 7pm. Listen on DAB and Global Player, the official Heart app.
