But David Baddiel misses out

Tim Minchin's Groundhog Day won two Olivier awards last night.

The show was named best new musical in London's leading theatre accolades, while star Andy Karl was named  best actor in a musical for Andy Karl.

Groundhog Day had a limited run at the Old Vic last year, and is currently in previews on Broadway ahead of next week's opening.

Composer Minchin told Oliviers host Jason Manford that he aimed to bring the production back to London soon, saying: 'If it's not here within a year, you can come and get angry with me.'

Speaking to broadway.com from the States, Karl added: 'This sounds so corny, but I was just happy to be nominated. The show is so brilliant. I had nothing to lose but to be as good as I possibly can with the most brilliant material I've ever done in my life.'

Paying tribute to the creators and producers of the show, he said: 'To get a musical on stage is like climbing Mount Everest 20 times, so I really am so proud that it paid off.'

Former comedian Jon Brittain, the co-writer of Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho and director of John Kearns's award-winning stand-up shows, also took home an Olivier.

His play, Rotterdam, about the relationship between a woman and a transgender man, won the accolade for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre for its run at Trafalgar Studios 2.

However, David Baddiel went home empty-handed. Although his  touching stand-up show My Family: Not The Sitcom had been shortlisted in the family and entertainment category, it lost out to  Matthew Bourne's ballet The Red Shoes,

Published: 10 Apr 2017