Jodie Comer will be presented with the inaugural Outstanding Achievement in British Theatre Award at the UK Theatre Awards 2026 sponsored by Encore.
The award will be presented at the annual ceremony on Monday 12 October at 8 Northumberland Avenue, hosted by La Voix, celebrating the breadth and quality of theatre produced across the UK over the past year.
Comer is being recognised for her work on Prima Facie, the acclaimed one-woman play by Suzie Miller, which returned this year for a major UK and Ireland tour following its Olivier and Tony Award-winning success in London and on Broadway.
Her performance in the production has earned widespread acclaim, while the play has reached more than 1.2 million people worldwide through stage performances and National Theatre Live screenings.
The award specifically acknowledges Comer’s commitment to taking Prima Facie beyond London and bringing the production to audiences across the UK and Ireland, helping to make world-class theatre accessible to communities nationwide.
Jodie Comer said: “I’m incredibly honoured to receive the inaugural Outstanding Achievement in British Theatre Award. Prima Facie has been such a huge part of my life, and taking the production on tour has been one of the most special experiences of my career. There’s something so unique about sharing live theatre with audiences in different communities and seeing the impact the story can have in each venue.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported the production and made it possible for us to take it across the UK and Ireland. Especially James Bierman at Empire Productions for having the passion and ingenuity to make the idea a reality.
“To have our journey recognised in this way is a real privilege, and I’m hugely thankful.”
The UK Theatre Awards 2026 are sponsored by Encore, with additional support from Theatre Tokens, Tysers Live in association with Ecclesiastical, John Good, Marquee TV, The Noël Coward Foundation, SINE, Theatrical Rights Worldwide, Trafalgar Entertainment and Preevue.
The full list of nominees for this year’s awards has also been announced ahead of the ceremony.
More information can be found here.
