The venue has celebrated theatre, dance, visual art, television, comedy and music across its 50 year history.
The team at Riverside Studios has announced its plans for its 50th anniversary.
On Sunday 15th March, 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).
This will then be followed Sir Lenny Henry in Conversation on the 14th April, which will see broadcaster and author Gyles Brandreth (Just a Minute, Celebrity Gogglebox) interviewing Sir Lenny about his life and career.
On Sunday 26th 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. The show was initially born as the live show Peter Sellers is Dead at Riverside Studios in 1995.
It’s also been announced on the 28th June that Gyles Brandreth, star of three productions at Riverside Studios, will host a very personal trip up memory lane, exploring how memory works 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.
In addition, the arts venue will from the 17th March until the 3rd May present 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 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.
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.”.
To find out more visit: https://riversidestudios.co.uk/