Other honours dished out on the night were presented to actor Kevin Spacey - the star of Netflix's recent hit House of Cards - for his work at London's Old Vic theatre, and to David Walliams for his performance as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Little Britain star received his honour from Dame Edna Everage who congratulated him on "overcoming a difficult background - parents who couldn't spell Williams."

Kevin SpaceyKevin Spacey Received An Award For His Work At The Old Vic

The best musical went to a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, toppling the big favourite The Book of Mormon and well-fancied The Light Princess, at the National. 

Former National Theatre director Sir Richard Eyre was named best director for his staging of Ibsen's Ghosts at the Almeida.

Homeland actor Damian Lewis hosted the glitzy evening at London's Savoy Hotel, attended by the likes of Hugh Grant, Tori Amos, Sir David Attenborough and star of Thor 2: The Dark World, Tom Hiddleston.

Next page: pictures of Amber Le Bon and Hugh Grant.

Hayley AtwellHayley Atwell At The Evening Standard Awards