Nicole Scherzinger planted a celebratory kiss on her fiancé Thom Evans, after emotionally accepting her first ever Tony Award at the star-studded 78th ceremony on Sunday night, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
The Pussycat Dolls singer, 46, won the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wilder.
Sobbing as she took to the stage to accept the gong, she gave a special shout out to Thom, thanking him for ‘believing in me when I forget to believe in myself.’
And as Nicole spoke to press in the media room, the former rugby player, 40, was quick to congratulate his stunning fiancée and give her a sweet kiss.
During her acceptance speech, the actress broke down in tears as she confessed: ‘Growing up I always felt like I didn’t belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last.’
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Nicole Scherzinger planted a celebratory kiss on her fiancé Thom Evans , after emotionally accepting her first ever Tony Awards at the star-studded 78th ceremony on Sunday night, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City
The Pussycat Dolls singer, 46, won the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard
Sobbing as she took to the stage to accept the gong, she gave a special shout out to Thom, thanking him for ‘believing in me when I forget to believe in myself’
She added: ‘I’m so honored to be recognized alongside these exceptional warrior women in this category. I want to thank you all so much for making this little Hawaiian/ Ukrainian/ Filipino girl’s dream come true. So proud to represent.’
As well as Thom, Nicole also thanked her family, including her mother, stating she ‘had me at 18 and gave everything up for me.’
While she also paid tribute to the crew of the musical, thanking composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and gushing: ‘It has been such an honor to be able to create with you the past 15 years.’
And voicing her gratitude and appreciation for producer Jamie Lloyd, she added: ‘Jamie, you saw in me what no one else did. You have given us all new ways to dream and you have changed my life forever.’
Nicole wrapped up her emotional speech with an inspiring message, saying: ‘If there’s anyone out there who feels like they don’t belong, or your time hasn’t come, don’t give up.
‘Just keep on giving and giving, because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever. This is a testament that love always wins. Thank you so much. God Bess you.’
She also took to the stage to give the audience a glimpse of her award-winning performance, as she sang As If We Never Said Goodbye from the show.
Nicole first met Thom when he appeared as a contestant on the celebrity edition of the X Factor in 2019, while she was a judge.
And as Nicole spoke to press in the media room, the former rugby player, 40, was quick to congratulate his stunning fiancée and give her a kiss
During her acceptance speech, the actress broke down in tears as she confessed: ‘Growing up I always felt like I didn’t belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last’
She also took to the stage to give the audience a glimpse of her award-winning performance, as she sang As If We Never Said Goodbye from the show
Tony Awards 2025 winners: AT A GLANCE
MUSICAL CATEGORIES
A sobbing Nicole Scherzinger won the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award, for her performance in Sunset Boulevard
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Nicole Scherzinger — Sunset Blvd.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Darren Criss — Maybe Happy Ending
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Natalie Venetia Belcon — Buena Vista Social Club
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Jak Malone — Operation Mincemeat
Best Musical: Maybe Happy Ending
Best Revival of a Musical: Sunset Blvd.
Best Direction of a Musical: Michael Arden — Maybe Happy Ending
PLAY CATEGORIES
Cole Escola won for Oh, Mary!, triumphing over George Clooney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Sarah Snook — The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Cole Escola — Oh, Mary!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Kara Young — Purpose
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Francis Jue — Yellow Face
Best Play: Purpose — Author: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Best Revival of a Play: Eureka Day — Author: Jonathan Spector
Best Direction of a Play: Sam Pinkleton — Oh, Mary!
They soon hit it off with Thom gushing he knew Nicole was ‘the one’ since they met, admitting: ‘Within the first couple of days with Nicole it was just awesome, and it has been awesome ever since.’
The ex-Glasgow Warriors rugby league player popped the question while on holiday in Portugal back in July 2023.
Taking to Instagram to share the special moment at the time, Nicole wrote : ‘I said yes,’ along with a ring emoji.
And last week, the singer revealed they were finally set to tie the knot, once her run in Sunset Boulevard comes to an end in just over a months time.
Speaking on US radio, she confirmed: ‘ Yes, we will get married. We’re engaged to be married when I’m not working. Thank God he is so patient.
‘I’ve had to be disciplined to make sure I get six to eight hours [sleep] because my voice is my everything so I kind of live like a hermit. I don’t do much, I just drink a lot of water.’
Nicole previously enjoyed an eight-year, on-off relationship with Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and a shorter romance with tennis player Grigor Dimitrov.
While Thom’s former girlfriends include model and actress Kelly Brook – who herself is set to wed boyfriend Jeremy Parisi ‘in the coming weeks’.
Nicole first met Thom when he appeared as a contestant on the celebrity edition of the X Factor in 2019, while she was a judge
The ex-Glasgow Warriors rugby league player popped the question while on holiday in Portugal back in July 2023
And last week, the singer revealed they were finally set to tie the knot, once her run in Sunset Boulevard comes to an end in just over a months time (pictured in 2024)
In 2021, Thom opened up on his relationship with Nicole, telling how he was ‘massively punching above my weight!’ and exclaimed: ‘I’ve hit the jackpot’.
Speaking to The Sun, he made it very clear that he feels lucky to be with Nicole as he explained: ‘Nobody is asking Nicole how she got with me because I’m massively punching (above my weight). She’s so easy and fun to be around. I’ve hit the jackpot.’
He explained: ‘It wasn’t even in my thought process to try it on with Nicole because it would have been unprofessional and she’s so lovely and stunning in every possible way. I was just like, “She’s out of my league”.
The former Scottish international rugby union player went on to say that it was his grandmother who inspired him to ‘pluck up the courage’ and talk to Nicole as he recalled her motto: ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get’.
Thom reflected that he rejected the idea of sliding into the pop star’s DMs as he didn’t think it was the ‘done thing’ and would be ‘awkward’, but instead felt it was right to have an old fashioned face-to-face conversation.
He added that he’s ‘really grateful’ that their relationship began ‘naturally’ during their ‘intimate first meeting’, with the hunk insisting he’s ‘never looked back’.