Nick Thomas

Nicholas Jeffrey Thomas (born 16 December 1959) is a British entertainment entrepreneur and an Olivier-award-winning theatre producer. He is the founder, Chairman and joint-owner with his wife Sandra, of Qdos Entertainment Ltd (Qdos), whose subsidiaries include Five Star Collection Ltd, Adverset Media Solutions and Q Talent Ltd. In March 2021, Nick & Sandra sold HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd to Trafalgar Entertainment Group led by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire, partnered with Barings, the global investment pension fund manager. In April 2021 Nick & Sandra Thomas sold Qdos Entertainment (Pantomimes) Ltd to Crossroads Live Holdings UK Ltd Live entertainment acquisition vehicle partnered in the US by Raven Capital Management LLC, and chaired in the UK by David Ian.

Since its inception, The Stage newspaper annual 'Stage 100' has accredited Thomas as one of the top 100 most influential people in British Theatre. In 2018, he was ranked 13th in the list, and his highest position was 5th in 2008.

In 2017, Thomas was the Executive Producer, alongside Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison, for Qdos' production of Dick Whittington at The London Palladium. The show was nominated for, and won, the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family at the 2018 Olivier Awards.

Thomas was first listed in Who's Who in 2013. He is a Vice President of The Royal Variety Charity which organises The Royal Variety Performance.

Performing career, 1970s–1980s Thomas created the puppet act 'Tommer Puppets' in 1973.

Producing career Pantomimes

Thomas began producing pantomimes at The Charter Theatre Preston in 1982. Qdos Entertainment (Pantomimes) Ltd is now the world's largest producer of pantomimes.

In the 2017-2018 season the company produced 35 pantomimes at theatres across Britain, including His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, and the Grand Opera House in Belfast.

In April 2021, Nick & Sandra Thomas sold Qdos Pantomimes Ltd to Crossroads Live Holdings UK Ltd Live entertainment acquisition vehicle partnered in the US by Raven Capital Management LLC, and chaired in the UK by David Ian.

Pantomime at the London Palladium

In 2016 Thomas was Executive Producer for the Qdos production of Cinderella – the first pantomime to be produced at the London Palladium for almost 30 years. The show received two Olivier-award nominations in the Best Entertainment & Family and Best Costume Design categories at the 2017 Olivier Awards.

In 2017 Thomas was Executive Producer for the Qdos Production of Dick Whittington at the London Palladium. The show won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family at the 2018 Olivier Awards at an awards ceremony at The Royal Albert Hall on 8 April 2018.

In 2018 Snow White starred Dawn French, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace.

In 2019 Goldilocks and the Three Bears starred Paul O'Grady, Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot and Janine Duvitski.

In 2020 Pantoland at the Palladium starred Julian Clary, Ashley Banjo & Diversity, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Charlie Stemp, Jac Yarrow & Beverley Knight.

Co-producing career

The Wizard Of Oz - London Palladium 2023 Crazy for You - Gillian Lynne Theatre London 2023 The Little Big Things - @sohoplace London 2023 Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat - London Palladium 2019 Mrs Henderson Presents - Noel Coward Theatre London 2016 Doctor Doolittle - 2019 UK Tour The Addams Family - 2017 UK Tour Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - 2016 UK Tour Oklahoma! - 2015 UK Tour Fiddler on the Roof - 2014 UK Tour High Society - 2013 UK Tour The Bodyguard - Adelphi Theatre London 2012 Jolson - Victoria Palace Theatre London 1995 Buddy - Shubert Theatre New York 1990 Buddy - Strand Theatre London 1989

Cruise Line Productions Thomas' Qdos Entertainment (Productions) Ltd has produced extensively on Cruise Ships, for a number of different operators. These include:

2008 - 2014; Celebrity Cruises; 'Millennium', 'Constellation', 'Infinity', 'Summit' 2013 - 2018; Cunard Lines; 'Queen Victoria', 'Queen Mary 2', Queen Elizabeth. 2015 - 2018; P&O Cruises: Britannia

Regional theatre operations career

In 2005, Thomas formed HQ Theatres Ltd (HQT) a joint venture between Qdos and Hetherington Seelig Theatres, which at the time operated the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon and The Swan Theatre, High Wycombe. Qdos went on to buy out Hetherington Seelig's shareholding in 2007. After a period of significant growth, the group is now the second largest regional theatre operator in the UK with a total of 12 venues under its management. .

Talent agency career

1991: Creates the talent agency Artist Management Group Ltd. 2002: Creates Qvoice Ltd voice-over agency. 2003: Buys International Artistes Ltd with Artist Management Group. 2006: Buys JLM Artists Ltd. 2007: Buys holiday park agency The Entertainment Department (UK) Ltd, renames it TED Group. 2014: JLM separates from QTalent to become Sharon Henry Management. QTalent continues to operate.

Restaurants and hotel career

Thomas also operates a portfolio of restaurants, pubs and accommodation. These include:

1999 – 2008: Tricolos Scarborough. 2005 – Present: The Copper Horse, Seamer, Scarborough. 2010 – 2014: The Tanglewood, York. 2010 – 2013: The Restaurant @SJT Theatre, Scarborough. 2013 – Present: The Plough Pub/Restaurant/Rooms, Scalby, Scarborough 2015 – Present: The Yew Tree Cafe, Scalby, Scarborough. 2021 – Rebranded to Five Star Collection.

Charitable work and organisational affiliations He is a fundraiser for Great Ormond Street Hospital and through his businesses has raised in excess of £1.2m for the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity. In 2017, Qdos Entertainment was included in the Friends of Adeona, a list recognizing those fundraisers whose activities have had the greatest impact on the hospital's work, which is the highest form of recognition that Great Ormond Street Hospital can bestow upon its supporters.

Thomas is a member of The Ivy Club, the Arts Club, Groucho Club and Soho House.

Personal life

Thomas was born in Blandford Forum Dorset, the son of a garage proprietor Douglas William Thomas, and the youngest of five children.

In 1966 his family moved to Formby in Merseyside and, in 1967, to Scarborough, North Yorkshire. His first visit to a theatre was in 1967 to see 'The Bachelors Show' at The Futurist Theatre Scarborough. In 1970 he met Ken Dodd at The Futurist Theatre (after a show in which his wife-to-be was a Diddyman) and began a lifelong friendship with the entertainer. Dodd's early influence is credited by Thomas as his inspiration to start a career in show business. Thomas penned a tribute to Dodd in The Stage newspaper when the entertainer died in 2018.

Thomas attended Gladstone Road Junior School 1967-1971 and Scarborough High School for Boys (renamed Graham School) 1971-1975.