Beverley Knight, Shifters, Lynette Linton and Arinzé Kene among the big winners as the cast of Moulin Rouge, Alexandra Burke and the Kingdom Choir bring powerhouse performances to a showstopping night at the Piccadilly Theatre.
The Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) lit up London’s Piccadilly Theatre last night in a dazzling celebration of Black excellence, artistry, and legacy. The UK’s biggest night in Black theatre returned with standing ovations, emotional speeches, and unforgettable performances, marking the seventh annual ceremony in spectacular fashion.
The 2025 ceremony — sponsored by ATG Entertainment and presented in partnership with Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Global Creatures, and with thanks to Playful Productions — celebrated a year of groundbreaking theatre and powerful storytelling on and off the stage. Hosted by an all-star lineup of presenters, including Vanessa Williams, Matt Henry MBE, Cush Jumbo OBE, Baroness Lola Young, David Blake, Miriam-Teak Lee, Cherrelle Skeete, Miranda Cromwell and Jason Pennycooke.
The evening delivered world-class performances from Alexandra Burke, Beverley Knight, the Kingdom Choir and the casts of Moulin Rouge! The Musical and The Harder They Come.
From Shifters to The Lion King, Marie & Rosetta to Hamilton, the nominees from these productions represented the rich spectrum of Black artistry shaping the British stage today — with performers from Shifters, The Lion King, Hamilton, Starlight Express, Hadestown, and Oliver! The Musical all taking home awards.
The 2025 BBTA Winners Revealed
Lynette Linton sweeps the 2025 BBTAs with triple triumph across three hit productions — Shifters, Intimate Apparel, and Alterations.
Beverley Knight took home Best Female Lead Actor in a Play for her moving portrayal in Marie & Rosetta at The Rose Theatre (Sponsored by LAMDA).
Lynette Linton was recognised with Best Director for Intimate Apparel at the Donmar Warehouse, while Arinzé Kene’s compelling performance in Alterations at the National Theatre earned him Best Male Lead Actor in a Play.
Jay Perry’s dynamic turn in Hamilton won him Best Male Lead Actor in a Musical and Musical theatre standout Shanay Holmes triumphed with Best Female Lead Actor in a Musical for her show-stopping performance in Oliver! The Musical at the Gielgud Theatre (Sponsored by Link-Artists), while The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre roared to victory with Best Musical Production (Sponsored by TodayTix).
The powerful new play Shifters, staged at the Duke of York’s Theatre, earned Best Production – Play (Sponsored by AKA), cementing its place as one of the year’s most celebrated productions.
WINNER LIST 2025
CREATIVES GROUP
BEST PRODUCER – BODY OF WORK OR PRODUCTION
Chuchu Nwagu
Sponsored Thomas Hopkins Productions Ltd
BEST DIRECTOR
Lynette Linton, Intimate Apparel,
Donmar Warehouse
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Takisha Sargent, The Women of Llanrumney,
Theatre Royal Stratford East
Sponsored by YOU Management Ltd
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER OR MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
Ingrid Mackinnon, Princess Essex,
Shakespeare’s Globe
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION OR PERFORMER
Our Mighty Groove,
Sadler’s Wells East & Uchenna Dance
RECOGNITION GROUP (BODY OF WORK) AWARDS
BEST SOUND AND/OR LIGHTING DESIGN
Eamonn O’Dwyer
THEATRE DESIGN
Georgie Lynch
Sponsored by Disney Theatrical Group
BOOK AND LYRICS
Trish Cooke
Sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide UK
BEST PLAYWRIGHT
Anne Odeke
Sponsored by Brixton House in Association with The Writers Group
BEST CASTING DIRECTOR
Heather Basten
Sponsored by Spotlight
PLAY AWARDS
BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Arinzé Kene, Alterations, National Theatre
Sponsored by London Production Studios, Dick Fiddler is Dead
BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Beverley Knight, Marie & Rosetta, The Rose Theatre
Sponsored by LAMDA – London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art
BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Emmanuel Akwafo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Cash Holland, A Raisin in the Sun, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
BEST PRODUCTION – PLAY
Shifters, Duke of York’s Theatre
Sponsored by AKA
MUSICAL AWARDS
BEST MALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jay Perry, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST FEMALE LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Shanay Holmes, Oliver! The Musical, Gielgud Theatre
Sponsored by Link-Artists
BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Cedric Neal, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
Sponsored by The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind a new musical produced
by Kenny Wax and Chuchu Nwagu
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jade Marvin, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Sponsored by I’m Every Woman
BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre
Sponsored by TodayTix
CHAMPION AWARDS
BEST CHILD PERFORMER (UNDER 16)
Keilah Kofi, The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre
LGBTQIA+ CHAMPION
Newtion Matthews
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
BEST TEACHER
Stewart Avon-Arnold, Studio 59
Sponsored by LIPA – Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
LORD Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick AWARD
Liam Godwin
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Nicola Blackman
Sponsored by London Theatre Direct
