Catherine Tate Will Host the 2018 Olivier Awards

The Olivier Awards with Mastercard, the UK's most prestigious stage honours, is delighted to announce Catherine Tate as the host of this year's 42nd Olivier Awards ceremony. The ceremony will be hosted at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 8th April and broadcast to the UK and worldwide.

Catherine Tate is an award-winning actress and writer renowned for her BBC Two series The Catherine Tate Show and her central role in BBC One Doctor Who alongside David Tennant. Stage credits include Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory, 2015), The Vote (Donmar Warehouse, 2015), Season's Greetings (National Theatre, 2011), Much Ado About Nothing (West End, 2011) and Some Girl(s) (West End, 2005) as well as credits at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Catherine presented BBC Two Shakespeare Live! From the RSC with David Tennant and the pair recently reunited for Disney's Duck Tails (2017). Other recent film credits include playing Baba Yaga in animated horror comedy Monster Family (2017).

Catherine Tate commented, "I'm delighted to be hosting this year's Olivier Awards. Theatre has always been a big love of mine both as a performer and as an audience member. For me it's the shared experience that can't be beaten. The memories I have of theatre stay with me long after the show has ended, even the productions I caught as a child, such is the power of this wonderful medium! There is so much to celebrate within the UK theatre scene and it's my pleasure to be involved in this exciting and inspiring event."

The Oliviers Awards is also delighted to announce the 2018 Be Inspired champions, voted for by members of the public and industry. This year's winners include Ballet Teacher, Angela Allport; accessible theatre campaigner and reviewer, Pippa Stacey; Youth Theatre Director, Cheryl Govan and editor of The Musical Theatre Appreciation Society social media platforms, Willy Mukendi. The champions will attend the ceremony on 8th April to receive their plaques during the red carpet show.

2018 sees the premiere of Road to the Oliviers, a new four-part series building excitement with intimate performances, interviews with the nominees and backstage footage from nominated shows. These will be co-produced by the Olivier Awards and Facebook, and broadcast live on 16th, 23rd, 29th March and 6th April.

Nominations for the Olivier Awards 2018 will be hosted on Facebook on Tuesday 6th March at 1pm.

Mastercard continues its partnership with Society of London Theatre and its headline sponsorship of the Olivier Awards, bringing cardholders with a passion for theatre closer to the genre they love.

Full broadcast details will be announced at a later date.