Doctor Who star Catherine Tate is to host the Olivier Awards 2018 and the British stage honors will get an extended presence on social media platform Facebook for the first time.

Tate, who has also starred in BBC Two comedy The Catherine Tate Show as well as stage performances of Assassins and The Vote, will replace British comedian Jason Manford, who oversaw proceedings last year as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child became the most-nominated new play in Olivier Award history, scoring a record-breaking 11 nominations.

The Olivier Awards, which are sponsored by Mastercard, will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on April 8 and broadcast to the UK and worldwide. Nominations will be hosted on Facebook on March 6 at 1 PM.

Ahead of this year’s event a four-part series, Road to the Oliviers, will air live on Facebook in March and April. The show will build excitement of the event with intimate performances, interviews with the nominees and backstage footage from nominated shows.

Tate said, “I’m delighted to be hosting this year’s Olivier Awards. Theatre has always been a big love of mine both as a performer and as an audience member. For me it’s the shared experience that can’t be beaten. The memories I have of theatre stay with me long after the show has ended, even the productions I caught as a child, such is the power of this wonderful medium! There is so much to celebrate within the UK theatre scene and it’s my pleasure to be involved in this exciting and inspiring event.”