The BBC has confirmed that The National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals 2026 will air on Saturday 28th March, BBC One and iPlayer, 19:45pm
What the event is
The concert was recorded earlier in the year on 26 January 2026 at Manchester's AO Arena. Now in its fifth year, the event showcases major West End and touring productions while highlighting the impact of National Lottery funding, which has supported more than 29,000 theatre-related projects and contributed over £1.4 billion to the arts across the UK.
Jason Manford returned as host for the 2026 edition, continuing his long-running association with the event.
Performances and highlights
The broadcast will feature a wide range of productions and special performances, including:
Paddington The Musical, with Victoria Hamilton Barritt performing Pretty Little Dead Things
Jesus Christ Superstar, ahead of its London Palladium run, featuring Sam Ryder as Jesus
Alexandra Burke closing the night with a medley from I'm Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical
A Disney medley, including The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast
Cameron Mackintosh favourites Miss Saigon (returning to the West End in 2027) and Oliver!
Annie, featuring La Voix as Miss Hannigan
The hit West End revival of The Producers at the Garrick Theatre
Long-running blockbuster Wicked, with Emma Kingston and Zizi Strallen
The BBC broadcast will condense the arena event into a polished, performance‑focused programme. While the exact airtime is still to be announced, the show will follow the familiar format of previous years: high‑energy numbers, behind‑the‑scenes glimpses, and a celebration of the UK's musical theatre landscape.