News | Entertainment
16 Feb 2026 5:14
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Andrew Lloyd Webber is set to receive a trial vaccine for coronavirus

    The 72-year-old composer says he’s determined to prove theatres can “re-open safely” amid the ongoing health crisis, and will even let himself receive the trial vaccination which has been developed by Oxford University


    He tweeted on Wednesday (12.08.20): “I am excited that tomorrow I am going to be vaccinated for the Oxford Covid 19 trial. I’ll do anything to prove that theatres can re-open safely. - ALW (sic)”

    If the trial vaccine is successful it will be a huge step forward in combating coronavirus.

    Meanwhile, the impresario of musical theatre has advocated for the safe reopening of theatres and live performance venues across the UK, and recently said the theatre industry finds itself in a "hopeless" scenario amid the pandemic.

    Speaking after it was revealed theatres could only reopen if they were socially distanced, he said: "The average play needs a 65 percent capacity and a musical needs more."

    Lloyd Webber also accused the government of inconsistency, observing that people are allowed on a plane and inside pubs while strict restrictions remain in place for theatres.

    He added: "All we want is clarity and consistency.”

    The theatrical mogul owns a number of West End theatres in London, and admitted they're currently costing him as much as £1 million a month to run.

    He reflected: "It's a lot of money and we can't do it indefinitely. We've reached our borrowing limits.”

    Lloyd Webber believes the theatre industry has been low down on the government's list of priorities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    But Oliver Dowden, the UK's culture secretary, recently insisted that's not the case, saying the country's performing arts sector was "renowned across the world".

    He said: "I am pleased that we are making real progress in getting its doors reopened to the public with social distancing."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     15 Feb: Heather McComb will remember James Van Der Beek as being "innocent, kind and pure of heart"
     15 Feb: Margaret Qualley felt "overwhelmed" when she began her acting career
     15 Feb: Bunnie Xo has been wowed by Jelly Roll's 300-lb. weight loss
     15 Feb: Jesy Nelson no longer has "time" to make music
     15 Feb: Lena Dunham replaced her friends with a "posse" of cats after moving to London
     15 Feb: Camila Cabello has revealed "it's taken a year" for her hair to recover after she dyed it blonde
     15 Feb: Kylie Jenner has applauded her sister Kim Kardashian for "nailing" the new SKIMS cotton collection
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Middle distance runner Sam Ruthe has been unable to replicate his stunning mile earlier this month at another indoor event in North Carolina More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    BNZ bank is offering support to those affected by severe weather More...



     Today's News

    Environment:
    Large swathes of the country are waking up under MetService weather warnings 5:07

    Soccer:
    Optimism from Wellington Phoenix women's manager Bev Priestman after a 2-1 home A-League football loss to Central Coast 4:57

    Rugby:
    Middle distance runner Sam Ruthe has been unable to replicate his stunning mile earlier this month at another indoor event in North Carolina 21:57

    International:
    Frog toxins used to poison Alexei Navalny the latest in long history of Russian chemical attacks 21:07

    Environment:
    Residents due to be hit by heavy rain and severe gales are being warned to act now 18:57

    Politics:
    Opposition draws battlelines on nuclear and capital gains tax changes 18:17

    Law and Order:
    Police say a post-mortem will be carried out in the coming days after a body washed up at Mahia, near Wairoa 18:07

    Rugby League:
    The Indigenous Women have come from 14-nil down to beat the Maori Women 20-14 in their pre-season All-Stars rugby league match in Hamilton 18:07

    Soccer:
    The Wellington Phoenix trail the Central Coast Mariners 2-1 at halftime of their women's A-League match in Porirua 17:27

    Cricket:
    Black Caps pace bowler Lockie Ferguson has departed the T20 World Cup camp on paternity leave 16:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd