The UK Pantomime Association has announced the nominations for The Pantomime Awards 2026, highlighting prominent performers and productions across the country. This marks the fifth year of the ceremony, celebrating the best in UK pantomime.

The full list of nominations for The Pantomime Awards 2026 was released, with the ceremony scheduled for Sunday 19 April at Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe. The event is organised in partnership with Trafalgar Entertainment and ATG Entertainment.

Among the Best Newcomer to Pantomime nominees is Will Young for his role in Jack and the Beanstalk at Bristol Hippodrome. Other nominees in this category include Sarah Hadland, George Webster, Jack Hobbs, and Jeevan Braich.

Helen George received a nomination in the Carmen Silvera Award for Best Magical Being for her performance in Cinderella at Richmond Theatre. The production also garnered nominations for Charlie Stemp as Best Comic and Gary Wilmot for Best Direction.

Additional categories cover a wide spectrum of pantomime talents including choreography, lighting, costume design, direction, and ensemble performance. Notable nominees in these categories feature productions such as Sleeping Beauty at the Arts Theatre Cambridge and Aladdin at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield.

The awards also include specialist categories like the Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead and the Stanley Baxter Award for Best Dame, showcasing the diversity of roles celebrated in pantomime.

Best Pantomime nominations are split by theatre size, with contenders including Dick Whittington and his Cat at Gordon Craig Theatre for under 550 seats, Cinderella at Theatr Clwyd for mid-sized venues, and Aladdin at Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, for large theatres.

This comprehensive list reflects the scale and variety of pantomime productions across the UK in the 2025–26 season. The Pantomime Awards continue to serve as an important platform recognising achievements in this traditional theatrical form.