Nicole Scherzinger celebrated her win at this year’s Oliviers with an acceptance speech that reminded everyone what made her such a hit on the X Factor all those years.
On Sunday night, the former Pussycat Dolls star scooped the prize for Best Actress In A Musical for her unique performance as Norma Desmond in the recent Sunset Boulevard revival (a role previously played by the likes of Patti LuPone and Glenn Close).
Collecting the award during the ceremony, which was live-streamed on YouTube, Nicole tripped slightly on the stage, and began her speech by joking: “First of all, I’d like to thank God for saving me from that trip right there.”
The chart-topping singer continued: “I want to thank all of you, the London theatre community, for wrapping your arms and legs around me like a spider monkey, and embracing me as one of your own.”
She went on to thank her “family back in Hawaii”, naming her mum as the reason that her take on Norma Desmond is “the warrior that she is” before shouting out her father, sister and “biggest cheerleader”, fiancé Thom Evans.
“Thank you to Andrew Lloyd Webber, my dear friend and mentor, for writing this masterpiece,” she said. Thank you so much for writing music and lyrics that I can sink my teeth and my soul into.
“Like this,” she added, dropping into a squat, before commenting: “This is something Hannah [Waddingham, the night’s ghost would do… but you go real low.”
At that point, she dropped to the floor, joking: “And that’s how we do. Focus, Nicole!”
Becoming emotional, the Don’t Hold Your Breath singer then stated: “As a little girl from Hawaii and then growing up in Kentucky, coming from really humble beginnings, I always wanted to be a singer and do musicals, and I dreamed of so many roles that I wanted to do. And honestly, this role, Norma Desmond… was not one of those roles. I was like, ‘Jamie, what are you thinking?’.”
To rapturous laughs from the audience, Nicole added: “God works in mysterious ways because honestly it’s one of the ballsiest and bravest things I’ve ever done. And I have the incomparable director Jamie Lloyd to thank for that.”
Nicole is set to reprise the role in New York later this year, and wrapped up her speech by enthusing: “I cannot wait to come for blood on Broadway with you and the rest of the team.”
Other winners on the night included Mark Gatiss, Nicole’s co-star Tom Francis and Succession performer Sarah Snook.
The night was hosted by Ted Lasso actor and theatre legend Hannah Waddingham, for the second year running.