Riverside Studios Will Host 50th Anniversary Celebration Events With Dame Helen Mirren And More

Riverside Studios has announced details of the first special events being staged to celebrate the West London venue's 50th anniversary. Opened in 1976, Riverside Studios has built a reputation for excellence and innovation across theatre, dance, visual art, television, comedy and music. This anniversary season takes inspiration from the past in the form of special performances and creative partnerships, while welcoming back some of the key figures who have helped shape the iconic venue's rich history. 

On Sunday 15 March, the incomparable Dame Helen Mirren returns to Riverside Studios for Dame Helen Mirren in Conversation, a fundraising evening during which she will discuss her remarkable life and career with director and producer Simon Curtis (The Woman in Gold, My Week with Marilyn, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale). There will also be the opportunity for audience members to submit a question for Dame Helen in advance.

Having made her name as a young actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1979 Helen Mirren starred at Riverside Studios to great acclaim in Peter Gill's production of Measure for Measure. Since then, she has become one of the world's most celebrated stars, with an Oscar, three BAFTAs, six Emmys, three Golden Globes, an Olivier Award, a Tony Award and a Damehood to her name. 

Sir Lenny Henry in Conversation takes place on Tuesday 14 April, in which broadcaster and author Gyles Brandreth (Just a Minute, Celebrity Gogglebox) will interview Sir Lenny about his remarkable life and career. The conversation will be audio recorded and released as an episode of Gyles's podcast Rosebud, with audiences able to submit questions for Sir Lenny in advance.

In 1988, at the height of his stand-up career and in the same year he presented the first Red Nose Day for Comic Relief, Lenny Henry performed to sold out audiences at Riverside Studios. He has since become one of the UK's most prolific and versatile creative figures.

On Sunday 26 April, Goodness Gracious Me stars Nina Wadia, Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE and Kulvinder Ghir, along with BBC commissioner and producer Jon Plowman CBE (Smith & Jones, French & Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous), reunite to discuss the creation and impact of their now-legendary series in Goodness Gracious Me in Conversation.

Born as the live show Peter Sellers is Dead at Riverside Studios in 1995, Goodness Gracious Me went on to take BBC Radio (1996-1998) and Television (1998-2000) by storm as a revolutionary and hilarious sketch show starring a British Asian cast.

On Sunday 28 June, Gyles Brandreth, star of three productions at Riverside Studios, will host a very personal trip up memory lane, exploring how memory works (or doesn't!) and sharing hilarious stories of the best (and worst!) moments of his unlikely life – including backstage tales from Riverside Studios. Brandreth will be joined on stage for Gyles Brandreth - Up Memory Lane by his friend Harriet Jaine, producer of his chart topping, multi-billion download podcast.

Additionally, from 17 March – 3 May, audiences can enjoy Pull Focus, an exhibition curated by Katharine Meynell, that celebrates 40 years of the Riverside Artists Group (RAG), a unique and enduring collective formed in 1986 at Riverside Studios, now returning to its recently redeveloped home. This vibrant, curated exhibition brings together artworks, films and memorabilia from 33 current members, weaving past and present practices into a cohesive yet deeply personal portrait of the group's evolving identity.

Tickets for the above events are now on priority sale to Riverside passholders. General sale will begin at 10am on Tuesday, 24 February via Riverside Studios website.

Further special events, exhibitions and performances which form part of Riverside's 50th anniversary programme, will be announced in the coming months. A Gala Auction Night will also take place later in the year.

Season curator Daniel Thurman said “The variety of special guests and events we are presenting throughout 2026 speaks to Riverside's legacy as an intersection and an incubator for the arts. Actors, comedians, artists, musicians, producers and directors have always found a home at Riverside Studios – and that is as true today as it ever was.”.

Rhys Williamson, Head of Programming, said: “For half a century Riverside Studios has been a launchpad for groundbreaking work across theatre, film, comedy and the visual arts. This anniversary season honours that legacy while reaffirming our commitment to championing new voices and new ideas for the future.”