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Series 73: Olivier Awards Special

Ladies and Gentlemen, take your seats for a very special episode!\n\nFrom the heart of the London’s West End, David Harper hosts a celebration of Theatreland’s coveted awards, now in their 50th year. Renamed in 1984 after the legendary actor, the (Laurence) Olivier Awards are recognised as the highest accolade in British theatre. As David learns, the actors with the most awards are Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen. And in the Gielgud Theatre in London’s Soho, a special box honours Dame Judi.\n\nOn stage, David meets chief operating officer Billy Differ to hear about the playhouse’s hallowed history, and backstage he takes a peak in one of the dressing rooms to see the home comforts leading men and women enjoy.\n\nMeanwhile, a different kind of drama is being acted out among the stalls at Detling antiques fair in Kent. Hoping to bring the house down with their buys are four actors previously nominated for Olivier Awards. On the red team are on- and off-screen friends Lesley Joseph and Peter Polycarpou, best known for their roles in 90s hit sitcom Birds of a Feather. Waiting in the wings are the blue team, Gary Wilmot MBE and two-times Oliver winner Henry Goodman. As the curtain falls on their shopping, another opens at the all-important sale, where auctioneers Harry Ballin and Simon Watson try to hammer out profits for the celebrity teams – and BBC Children in Need – but not before the encore, when the spotlight falls on the bonus buys of experts Mark Stacey and Kate Bliss.

Source: BBC 1