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Tony Awards 2022: Where is Angela Lansbury? Fans furious CBS did not broadcast her Lifetime Achievement Award

Lansbury was not in attendance to receive the honor, but the New York City Gay Men's Chorus performed a tribute to the star

During the 75th annual Tony Awards, acting legend Angela Lansbury was conferred with her sixth Tony Award and this was a special one. The 96-year-old legend was honored with the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 12. However, Lansbury's absence was felt at the ceremony as she gave it a miss as well as the New York City Gay Men's Chorus's tribute performance to the star

The Tony Awards announced plans to honor Lansbury in May, writing in a tweet, "Legendary actress and five-time #TonyAwards winner Angela Lansbury will receive the 2022 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre!" Lansbury holds two Tony Awards records, one of which is for the most wins for 'Best Actress in a Musical.' She has a total of four, winning for 'Mame' in 1957, 'Dear World' in 1969, 'Gypsy' in 1975 and 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' in 1979. Her fifth and most recent Tony win came in 2009 for 'Best Featured Actress' in a play for 'Blithe Spirit.' Fans were at first concerned about Lansbury's absence from the event and later expressed outrage her award was not highlighted in the main telecast but given a brief mention during the pre-show. "They couldn't even have Angela Lansbury record an acceptance speech for her lifetime achievement award? How awkward. Then again, maybe she knew she would be part of the pre-show and figured we don't deserve to hear a word #TonyAwards," wrote one social media user.

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Many fans jumped to Twitter to congratulate the Broadway icon, one wrote, "I'm so happy that Angela Lansbury is being honored tonight. She is the definition of class and a true star." Another fan said, "Such a well deserved win for Angela Lansbury."

However, many expressed their concern about her absence and not broadcasting the win on CBS. A former critic commented, "And wait. They’re giving an award to one of the greatest actors of our age, Angela Lansbury - a woman who carried CBS on her back for over a decade - and they’re not doing it on the CBS broadcast? Shameful." Another upset fan wrote, "Angela Lansbury won a lifetime achievement award and they didn’t even televise it? FOR SHAME, TONY AWARDS!" The actress nor her spokesperson has commented on her absence from the award show. 

A user tweeted, "Angela Lansbury's absence, even by video, is concerning. And perhaps helps explain why this wasn't on the main broadcast." Another outraged fan wrote: "Absolutely shameful that the Lifetime Achievement Award for Angela Lansbury is not on the main telecast, as well as being horribly brief. I don’t care whether she’s there or not."

Angela's history of awards

Beyond the Tony Awards, Lansbury has also been nominated for 18 Primetime Emmy Awards, including 12 consecutive nominations for every season of 'Murder, She Wrote.' She was also nominated for the Grammy Award for 'Album of the Year for the Beauty' and the 'Beast soundtrack' in 1993 and three Oscars for 'Best Supporting Actress' for her roles in 'Gaslight,' 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and 'The Manchurian Candidate.' 

In 2013, Lansbury was presented with an Academy Honorary Award for being an entertainment icon who has created some of cinema's most memorable characters, inspiring generations of actors.