Powerlist 2026: Glamour and power on red carpet as celebrities celebrate Black Excellence Awards

Well loved celebrities from all walks of life - including Chris Eubank, Vanessa Williams and Afua Kyei - came together on the red carpet for an evening of elegance, pride and celebration.

Hosted by Tim Campbell MBE and Jeanette Kwakye, the ceremony brought together the most influential figures in British business, sport and entertainment. Among other Powerlist names this year were Idris Elba, Steven Bartlett and Ian Wright, all recognised for their influence and impact.

Guests for the evening also included Frank Bruno, former heavyweight champion and mental health campaigne;, actor Rudolph Walker; and Krept, co-founder of Nala’s baby and half of rap duo Krept & Konan. Krept shared his thoughts on the evening: ”Every single person on this list deserves to be there. There are so many excellent people across so many different sectors. Being in one place where everybody can be celebrated, I think it’s amazing.”

The tone of the evening balanced celebration with reflection. Curtis Walker’s stand-up routine has the audience in stitches. His observations of British, Jamaican and African identity resonated widely, prompting cheers from under 42s and over 42s alike.

A group of young volunteers from the Amos Bursary assisted through the evening - a fitting reminder of the Powerlist’s ongoing commitment to nurturing future leaders.

A powerful scene from new musical I Dream, brought the room to applause. A reminder that Black excellence continues to shape the arts in all forms.

Awards continued across categories spanning technology, business and public service. ScreenHits took business of the year while Kojo Boachie, Vice President at Meta described attending his fourth year at the awards as a lighthouse in a turbulent year. Bernadine Evaristo, the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize, collected an award for her creative contributions.

The highlight of the night was most influential Black Briton Afua Kyei, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England. Her recognition was met with prolonged applause and emotion. One of the UK’s most senior finance leaders, she oversees the Bank’s £1 trillion balance sheet and was recognised for her leadership on financial governance, diversity, and climate disclosure. She succeeds last year’s Number One, Tech CEO Dean Forbes.

In her acceptance speech, Afua recounted how her father insisted she be given an African name at birth so that if she ever achieved greatness, the world would see an African name in lights - on the television, in print and in history. She has certainly achieved that and it was an emotional moment for all to watch. The story captures perfectly what the Powerlist represents: the importance of visibility and celebrating talent.

Vanessa Williams, whose career has spanned film, television and most recently the stage received an award for her contributions in entertainment. “Black women can redefine every story they step into,” she said. She even secured the room a last minute live performance of hit, Thinking of You from one of the sisters of Sister Sledge.

Kanya King CBE, founder of the MOBO group was also honoured. She spoke of being told to “be more realistic” when speaking of her ambitions before sharing new plans for a new MOBO venue that will be formally announced this November.

Closing the evening, Powerlist founder Michael Eboda reflected on the list’s mission. To give visibility to Black talent across all industries and to celebrate not just individual achievement but the responsibility that comes with influence. The message was clear, it’s not enough to simply be powerful. It’s about how you use that power to lift others up too.