The only awards show to represent and recognize British talent and artistic achievement across the full spectrum of the arts – from theatre to film, music, comedy, literature, opera, visual arts and TV drama – the ceremony was recorded for future broadcast on ITV1 on Jan. 28 at 10:35 PM London time.

Mackintosh was honored for his contribution to musical theatre, and was presented with the award by director Trevor Nunn, with whom he has worked on such shows as Cats, Les Misérables and Oklahoma! (which Mackintosh transferred from the National to the West End and Broadway). Mackintosh is currently represented in the West End by his productions of Les Misérables, Oliver! and Avenue Q. In his citation to Mackintosh, Nunn said, "It's not at all an accident or luck or happenstance that he is the producer of the three longest-running shows in the world, because he is somebody of great passion, judgment and belief."

Michael Grandage, whose production of Othello was shortlisted for the Theatre Award in a category that also featured Grandage's staging of The Chalk Garden and the Royal Court's production of Christoper Shinn's play Now or Later, said, "Othello closed nearly a year ago and to get to this point 12 months on, to still feel it is being recognized and that people are remembering it, is very exciting. It means that elements of it clearly lingered on in the memory. The play was full of some of the finest acting I have ever had the privilege to direct and to get an award for it this late in the day feels rather lovely."

Amongst other theatre nominees, director Rupert Goold and actress Andrea Riseborough lost the Times Breakthrough Award to dancer Aaron Sillis. English National Opera's co-productions of Punch and Judy and Lost Highway took the opera award, beating out the Royal Opera House's stagings of Salome and The Minotaur.