LORD Lloyd-Webber and Sir Cameron Mackintosh are no longer the theatre world’s leading men.

Instead, husband and wife team Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire have been named the most influential people in UK theatre.

The couple top The Stage newspaper’s guide to the 100 most powerful people in the industry following their £90m purchase of Live Nation’s UK theatres.

It made Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), of which they are joint chief executives, the UK’s biggest commercial theatre operator in the West End and UK regions.

The deal included Liverpool’s Empire and Southport theatres.

It is only the third time since the Stage 100 was launched in 1997 that neither Sir Cameron or Lord Lloyd-Webber are at the top of the power list.

Alistair Smith, editor of The Stage 100, said: “The Stage 100 has been dominated by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Cameron Mackintosh.

“The purchase of Live Nation’s UK venues has created a new theatrical superpower – the largest theatre operator of the modern era.

“It dwarfs all competition. “