12 March 2026
The UK Pantomime Association has announced the nominations for The Pantomime Awards 2026, marking the Awards’ 5th year. The star-studded awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 19 April at Wycombe Swan, staged in partnership with Trafalgar Entertainment and ATG Entertainment.
And it’s great news for Trafalgar production company Imagine Theatre with 8 nominations across the award categories. Imagine’s nominations are:
- Best Pantomime (500-900 seats), Snow White, Eden Court Inverness
- Best Newcomer, Jack “Hobbit” Hobbs, Dick Whittington, De Montfort Hall Leicester
- Best Secondary Lead, Finlay McKillop, Sleeping Beauty, Stafford Gatehouse
- Best Sisters, Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottington aka Han and Fran, Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno
- Best Contribution to Music, Steve Clark and Shaun Critten, Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno
- Best Costumes, James McIver, Sleeping Beauty, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
- Best Lighting, Matt Ladkin, Sleeping Beauty, Wyvern Theatre Swindon
- Best Dame, Steve Elias, Snow White, Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen
Cinderella, Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Steve Boden, Joint CEO and Managing Director of Imagine Theatre, said: “We are always so thrilled to receive nominations for the UK Pantomime Awards so to receive 8 for our 2025/6 season is just fantastic. Pantomime is the backbone of regional theatre in the UK, so we at Imagine are so glad to see it recognised in this way. There is an army of people involved in creating the magic every year, so we wish all of our nominees the very best of luck on the night, but whether they win or lose we are so grateful and proud of each and every one of them as well as the hundreds of other performers; creatives and production teams that work with us.”
Chris Jordan’s production of The Adventures of Peter Pan which played at the Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne is also nominated for Best Ensemble, for Lyndan Barclay, Bebe Fox, Rhiannon Mackay, and Sam Scott.
The cast of The Adventures of Peter Pan - Eastbourne
The Pantomime Awards 2026 nominees exemplify the breadth of talent, skill, enthusiasm and hard work from the creative forces, production teams and the cast members who work tirelessly year-round to deliver outstanding entertainment to theatres across the country.
As well as celebrating the winners, The Pantomime Awards 2026 will feature special guest performances from some of pantomime’s biggest stars, alongside exceptional up-and-coming talent from across the industry. Public tickets for the glamorous event will go on sale in the coming weeks.
Han and Fran
Anita Harris, President of the UK Pantomime Association said: “In the 2025-26 pantomime season, our 64 judges travelled the length and breadth of the country, visiting 234 venues and seeing over 603 performances. It is a glorious privilege to witness the passion, hard work and extraordinary talent behind pantomime and the joy it brings to audiences. I’m so proud that The Pantomime Awards 2026 will celebrate this wonderful artform and their fifth anniversary at the Wycombe Swan in April.”
Chris McGuigan, Commercial & Business Development Director, Trafalgar Entertainment said: “The Pantomime Awards are well and truly back! We’re delighted to be working once again with the UK Pantomime Association and ATG Entertainment on the 2026 ceremony as part of our ongoing partnership, and this year it’s our turn to host the event at Wycombe Swan as we celebrate the very best performers, venue teams, and productions from the 2025/26 pantomime season.”
Claire Dixon, Business Director of UK Venues, ATG Entertainment: “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with the UK Pantomime Association and Trafalgar Entertainment in supporting The Pantomime Awards for a second year. At the heart of family theatre across the UK, pantomime brings local communities together and delights audiences of all ages. We’re proud to play a part in championing and celebrating one of the UK’s most enduring and joyful theatre traditions.’’
Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future. For more information, visit: www.pantomimeassociation.co.uk