Elaine Paige's risqué jokes with Queen Elizabeth - 'we both howled'

Daily Mirror

11-05-2025

Throughout her time in the spotlight, Elaine Paige has performed multiple times for royalty - she's even managed to form a tight bond with the late Queen Elizabeth II.
After dazzling the West End and Broadway for six decades, Elaine Paige is celebrating a milestone birthday with an exclusive interview with Zoe Ball.
Elaine Paige 's glittering career has brought her face-to-face with royalty and showbiz legends alike, but few moments have matched a surreal encounter with Queen Elizabeth II.
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During a private concert at Windsor Castle with Barbara Dickson, a wardrobe malfunction struck mid-performance. 'My earring fell out of my ear,' she remembers, 'I picked it up after the song and placed it on the lid of the piano and carried on singing as if nothing happened.'
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After the concert, the Queen came to greet her. 'She threw her arms around me in this enormous hug,' Elaine says, 'Then she said, 'it's such a nuisance when that happens, isn't it?''
The Queen even shared her own fashion mishap: during a visit to Zimbabwe, an earring had fallen into her cleavage. 'She pulled her dress away from her bust and pointed down,' Elaine says. 'So I'm staring at the Queen's bosom.'
It's a memory Elaine treasures. 'It was so relaxed and informal, she was just telling me a funny story about something that had happened to her,' she says.
'We both howled with laughter, and I've never forgotten it. It was like talking to my mother. She had such a twinkle in her eye and the most wonderful sense of humour.'
Before Elaine Paige was catapulted to stardom as Eva Peron in Evita, she nearly quit showbusiness altogether. 'I was nearing 30 and everyone around me was either getting married, having children or succeeding in their own careers,' she says.
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'Though I worked, I couldn't land a really good role.' Tired of rejection and uncertain about her future, she even considered retraining as a nursery nurse. 'I was just trying to think of other things that I might do if working in theatre didn't come to pass,' she says.
Elaine, now 76, partly blames her height for those early struggles. 'They would often cast a six foot tall man,' she quips, 'It was awkward for me. They sometimes put a board down to lift me up so I could be in the same frame.'
It was Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman, now 87, who convinced her to hang on, offering her the perfect encouragement at a time when rejection felt relentless.
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'I was thinking of throwing in the towel because there's only so much rejection one can take. But he encouraged me to stick with it,' Elaine says.
'He told me not to give up, to keep singing and if necessary, sing on the streets like Edith Piaf. ' Shortly afterwards, Elaine won the role that made her a star.
Ironically, her petit 5ft stature worked in her favour for Evita. 'Eva herself was a small person,' Elaine says. 'She was only about five foot, two or something!'
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Now, the BBC is celebrating her incredible six decades in showbusiness. The celebrations kicked off with a starry BBC Radio 2 concert at the London Palladium, broadcast on May 4.
Hosted by Zoe Ball, the show featured big names from the West End and Broadway, including Samantha Barks (Frozen, Les Misérables, Oliver!, Chicago) to Charlie Stemp (Half a Sixpence, Hello, Dolly, Kiss Me, Kate). This Sunday, May 11, BBC4 airs an exclusive interview where Zoe Ball sits down with Elaine for a candid career-spanning conversation.
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Today, Elaine is realistic about her future on stage. 'Never say never,' she says, 'But I honestly can't imagine performing in musicals again. Musical theatre demands everything you've got - it's a young man's game. You have to be incredibly fit, strong and have endless energy.'
She has experienced firsthand the sacrifices required. 'When I played Eva in Evita or Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, I couldn't play these roles with my heart and soul and live an ordinary life,' she says. 'It was so demanding in every aspect. You have to be dedicated to giving up your life. But I loved every minute.'
These days, Elaine is content to pass the baton to a new generation. Yet she admits there's still a part of her that misses it. 'I watch others now,' she says, 'I sometimes think I wish I could still do it. But I don't know if I can ever do it again.'