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Broadcast date for National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals

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The BBC has confirmed the recording of their annual National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 28 March at 7.45pm.

Hosted by Jason Manford, the ever popular celebration of the best of musical theatre was filmed in front of a live audience at the AO Arena in Manchester on Monday 26 January.

Highlights include an exclusive performance of ‘Gethsemane’ from Jesus Christ Superstar by Sam Ryder, making his debut as Jesus and Alexandra Burke as music legend Chaka Khan in I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical.

The line-up also includes a preview of the new production of Miss Saigon, as well as songs from Wicked, The Lion King, Oliver! and Paddington The Musical. There’s also an exclusive Disney medley performed by West End stars Lucie Jones, Mae Ann Jorolan and Trevor Dion Nicholas.

The event will also feature specially choreographed collaborations with local National Lottery-funded performing groups: Stockton-on-Tees men’s choir Infant Hercules with Jason Manford and the cast of The Choir of Man as well as a preview of La Voix’s performance as Miss Hannigan in the upcoming touring production of Annie performing alongside Manchester’s Wild Things Performing Arts.

Host Jason Manford said: “This event is all made possible because of National Lottery players whose support has raised over £1.4BN for theatre related projects in the UK, which keeps theatre alive and accessible. The 2026 line-up is phenomenal, some of the biggest shows in the world are coming together for one night only, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals | Winners and good causes | The National Lottery

The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals

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Back for the 4th year the National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals yet again proved the perfect way to beat the January blues and celebrate the wonderful work done by the National Lottery AND the very best of musical theatre.

Superbly hosted by comedian Jason Manford as well as offering performances from some of the hottest West End shows, the event showcased a range of touring productions – some which are headed to Greater Manchester soon.

The show also highlighted the support the National Lottery has given to more than 20,000 theatre-related projects over the last 30 years.

North West theatregoers got to see sneak peaks of some of the touring shows heading our way in 2025 – with exciting peformances from Chicago (Lowry, August), Bat Out of Hell (Palace Theatre, February), Mary Poppins (Palace Theatre, April), Dear Evan Hansen (Palace Theatre, February) and Here & Now – The Official Steps Musical (Opera House, September).

Stand out moments from West End productions included a first look at Marisha Wallace’s Sally Bowles from Cabaret – with Maybe This Times – and a brilliantly bonkers number from the new cult hit Titanique – starring Layton Williams and the brilliant Lauren Drew (you might remember her from starring in Lizzie at Hope Mill Theatre last year).

Perhaps most exciting was the chance to for a first look at the brand-new Disney’s Hercules, which is coming to the West End this summer, with a spectacular performance of ‘Zero to Hero’ and ‘Go The Distance’  from Luke Brady (Hercules) and his fiercely fabulous Muses.

Undoubtedly one of the most moving parts of the evening was when musicals legend Michael Ball made a special appearance, singing a spine-tinglinh rendition of ‘The Impossible Dream’ alongside National Lottery-funded charity, Our Dementia Choir, founded by actress Vicky McClure. It’s not an exaggeration to say the performance moved many audience members to tears.

There was also a beautiful performance of Electricity from Billy Elliot by two youth theatre groups from Stockport and Yorkshire – the young people absolutely did themselves proud.

The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals celebrates 30 years of The National Lottery funding theatre and performing arts across the UK and serves to thank players who have helped support theatre-related projects to the tune of £1.3BN. National Lottery funding has helped restore theatres as well as enabling hundreds of performing arts projects.

The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals will air on BBC One, BBC Radio 2, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds this Spring.