'I wish you were here' - Imelda Staunton dedicates fifth Olivier Award to her mother with emotional acceptance speech

At the age of 69, Imelda Staunton's career continues to go from strength to strength. Having previously been nominated for a host of awards and winning a BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award, the actress has now secured her fifth Olivier Award.

Imelda took home the award for her performance in Hello, Dolly!, having starred in the show's revival at the London Palladium. She took the role of socialite-turned-matchmaker, Dolly Levi, from July to September 2024.

Winning Best Actress in a Musical for the role at the 2025 Olivier Awards, Imelda paid tribute to her late mother, Bridie, when accepting the award.

"If I may say something to my late mum, whose name was Bridie McNicholas," she said, adding, "Great name, must renew [my] Irish passport."

The actress continued, "Mum, I'm here at the Albert Hall, I've got a prize, but more importantly, I'm about to do a play with your granddaughter. I wish you were here."

The play Imelda alludes to in the emotional speech, is a new production of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs Warren's Profession in the West End - she will appear alongside her daughter, Bessie Carter, who plays Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton.

The show marks the first time the mother and daughter will appear onstage together, with Imelda playing Mrs Kitty Warren and Bessie portraying Vivie Warren.

Imelda has previously won Olivier Awards for supporting roles in A Chorus Of Disapproval at the National Theatre Olivier and The Corn Is Green at the Old Vic in 1985.

These were followed by wins for Into The Woods (1991), Sweeney Todd (2013) and Gypsy (2016).

Hello, Dolly! is based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 play, The Matchmaker, which was originally named The Merchant of Yonkers - this was revised and retitled to The Matchmaker in 1954.

The musical was then adapted into a film in 1969, with Barbra Streisand taking the role of Dolly.

Hello, Dolly! is unusual in that it has a middle-aged widow as the show's lead, and one looking for love again and to live her life to the full

The importance of seeing midlife bereavement followed by the need for a second act of life on stage, was not lost on Imelda.

Speaking to Vogue, the actress said, "She’s [Dolly] been away, and now she’s coming back to life. She’s had to scratch a living. She’s put everyone else’s needs first. She’s tired."

To Imelda, the importance of Dolly is representing "giving that woman, that age of woman, her voice, giving her feelings, giving her needs, giving her strengths".