The winners of The Pantomime Awards 2026 have been announced at a star-studded ceremony in the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe with veteran Dame, Allan Stewart, designer Terry Parsons, panto favourites Brian Conley and Lesley Joseph all winning recognition.
The Pantomime Awards 2026, staged in partnership with Trafalgar Entertainment and ATG Entertainment, were announced by the UK Pantomime Association at a star-studded ceremony presented by Vernon Kay.
Terry Parsons, who received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pantomime, is a designer whose imaginative and iconic work, from Cinderella with Stanley Baxter to Mother Goose with Danny La Rue and Dick Whittington with Barbara Windsor, has shaped the look, spirit and craft of British pantomime for more than 50 years.
The first ever Panto Icon Awards honoured Brian Conley, whose tireless energy, definitive Buttons performances and unrivalled connection with audiences have made him one of the most recognisable figures in the form, and Lesley Joseph, celebrated for her star presence and for consistently delighting audiences as a leading Fairy and Villain across the UK’s major pantomime stages. The category was introduced this year to recognise the sustained commitment to the artform, mastery of its unique craft, recognition and affection from audiences, and a consistently high standard of performance over many years.
Resident Edinburgh King’s Theatre dame Allan Stewart, who celebrated his 50th year in panto in Jack and the Beanstalk at the productions temporary home of the Festival Theatre, received the coveted Stanley Baxter Award For Best Dame.
Anita Harris, President of the UK Pantomime Association, says, “I am delighted to join in celebrating this year’s nominees and winners at The Pantomime Awards 2026, whose talent and dedication shines through. It is a privilege to honour those who bring magic to audiences across the UK. I am especially thrilled to see my dear friend Terry Parsons recognised with the Outstanding Achievement Award.
“I have had the joy of working alongside Terry for decades and have been blessed with him designing my principal boy costumes for Dick, Jack, Aladdin and Robinson Crusoe and many more. His extraordinary imagination and artistry have helped define the very heart of pantomime as we know it. As we mark the fifth anniversary of The Pantomime Awards, it is wonderful to reflect on how they have grown into such a meaningful celebration of our unique and beloved artform. My warmest congratulations to all those recognised this year.”
Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future. During the 2025-26 pantomime season, 64 Judges collectively visited 234 venues to see over 603 performances across the UK.
THE PANTOMIME AWARDS 2026 WINNERS IN FULL
PANTO ICON Lesley Joseph
PANTO ICON Brian Conley
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PANTOMIME Terry Parsons
BEST PANTOMIME (UNDER 550 SEATS) Weans in the Wood, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
BEST PANTOMIME (550 TO 950 SEATS) Sleeping Beauty, The Arts Theatre Cambridge
BEST PANTOMIME (OVER 950 SEATS) Sleeping Beauty, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
STANLEY BAXTER AWARD FOR BEST DAME Allan Stewart: Jack and the Beanstalk, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – Crossroads Pantomimes
CARMEN SILVERA AWARD FOR BEST MAGICAL BEING Joe McElderry: Aladdin, Newcastle Theatre Royal – Crossroads Pantomimes
BEST COMIC Jez Edwards: Sleeping Beauty, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds – Paul Holman Associates
BARBARA WINDSOR AWARD FOR BEST PRINCIPAL LEAD Sario Solomon: Aladdin, Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – Evolution Productions/Sheffield Theatres
BEST VILLAIN Nigel Harman: Jack and the Beanstalk, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre – UK Productions
BEST SECONDARY LEAD Ruth Betteridge: Jack and the Beanstalk, Festival Theatre, Malvern – UK Productions
BEST SISTERS Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington aka Han and Fran: Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno – Imagine Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ARTIST Ada Campe: Growled – Beauty And The Beast Continues…, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London
BEST NEWCOMER TO PANTOMIME Jeevan Braich: Cinderella, Norwich Theatre Royal
BEST NEWCOMER TO INDUSTRY Caitlin O’Shea: Sleeping Beauty, Central Theatre, Chatham – Jordan Productions
BEST ENSEMBLE Lianha Cooke, Gemma Davis, Chloe Davies, Olly Gooch, Thomas Marc Toombs, Richard Womersley, Erin Harrison and Finlay Tozer: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne – Made to Measure Productions
BEST SCRIPT Andrew Pollard: Beauty and the Beast, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
BEST DIRECTION Gary Wilmot, Cinderella, Richmond Theatre, London – Crossroads Pantomimes
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Claire Cassidy: Sleeping Beauty, Harlow Playhouse – KD Theatre Productions
BEST SET Kenny Miller: Gallus in Weegieland, Tron Theatre, Glasgow
BEST LIGHTING Nic Farman: Sleeping Beauty, Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells – Little Wolf Entertainment
BEST SOUND Conrad Kemp: Dick Whittington, St Helens Theatre Royal – Regal Entertainment
BEST COSTUMES James MacIver: Sleeping Beauty, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry – Belgrade Theatre and Imagine Theatre
BEST CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC James Harrison: Aladdin, Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – Evolution Productions/Sheffield Theatres
ACHIEVEMENT IN INNOVATION Johnny McKnight
NIGEL ELLACOTT SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD FOR PANTOMIME HISTORY, TRADITION AND HERITAGE Keith Simmons
And with that you might say The Pantomime Awards are BEHIND YOU for another year. OH, YES THEY ARE!
