Sheridan Smith embodies glamour of Dolly Parton during BBC Proms tribute to star

The 45-year-old sang a rendition of Parton’s genre-defining hit 9 To 5 as part of the programme To Dolly, With Love in honour of the singer who died in August aged 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

Smith, known for Gavin And Stacey, wore a big blonde wig and a glittering gold jumpsuit as she strutted onstage belting the track during an energetic performance accompanied by a large dance ensemble.

Dolly Parton performing on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset in 2014 (Yui Mok/PA)

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The performance featured renditions of Parton’s best known hits, with pop duo Ward Thomas and singer Beverley Knight also among the performers who took part during the final show of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

The stars were joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on stage during the medley of her beloved hits arranged by Fiona Brice, with Ward Thomas singing a rendition of Jolene.

The duo, comprised of twin sisters Lizzy and Catherine Ward Thomas, similarly channelled the glamour of the country star, with the latter wearing a sparkling black suit.

They were followed by singer-songwriter Knight, who ended the performance with I Will Always Love You, which was written by Parton and later became a blockbuster hit when Whitney Houston recorded a cover for The Bodyguard.

Sheridan Smith was among the stars performing during the tribute to the country music star (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

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Knight, who was wearing a simple and elegant black dress accessorised with a gold necklace, belted out the track while the crowd waved their phone torches in the air as she wrapped up the moving tribute.

The programme also included the world premieres of two BBC commissions: Iris of Life by Academy Award-winning British composer Anne Dudley and Dithyramb by Canadian composer and conductor Samy Moussa.

The concert marks the end of the BBC Proms 2026 season, which spanned eight weeks and featured 86 concerts that were attended by 300,000 people.

Audiences can listen to the BBC Proms on BBC Sounds for 30 days after broadcast, and TV broadcasts are available on BBC iPlayer for up to one year.