It’s joyous to see the unrivalled range and breadth of the BBC’s audio content celebrated with these awards. From local to national, from insightful investigations to entertaining music and speech shows, together our teams across the BBC produce the best British audio there is, trusted and enjoyed by millions of people across the UK.
The BBC’s world class audio content was recognised with an incredible 19 gold awards at last night’s 2024 Audio & Radio Industry Awards (ARIAS), with winning programming spanning across local, nations and network radio.
BBC Asian Network was crowned Station of the Year, recognising the range of content, music and culture showcased by the network, and BBC Radio Manchester was named as the winner of the John Myers Station of the Year.
Rob Burrow CBE was celebrated as the biggest winner of the night with an incredible reception to his BBC Local podcast Seven. The legendary Leeds Rhino star received not one, but two gold awards - for Best New Podcast and The Creative Innovation Award – and two silvers – for Best New Presenter and The Impact Award. Burrow launched his BBC Radio Leeds podcast Seven last year, showcasing inspirational stories from sporting greats. In each episode Burrow, who has motor neurone disease and communicates via a computerised voice he banked before he lost the ability to speak, talks to a different sports person about their careers, challenges, and successful moments. Burrow’s show is available on BBC Sounds.
Collecting his gold awards, Rob Burrow says: “Best New Podcast! What a result. The last big trophy I lifted was at the Super League Final in 2017. This one isn’t as big, but it certainly is as special.
“This is the first time someone like me, who has Motor Neurone Disease and uses an eye-gaze machine to communicate, has been given the chance to present a podcast. I want to say a big thank you to the team at BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Sounds for making this possible. Thank you for having the patience to work with me, and being brave enough to give me a microphone, trusting that I won’t say something that would get you in trouble. I also want to thank my incredible wife Lindsey for always being there, and being my co-host to chat to our guests.
“The fact that this is the first ever podcast, presented by someone who uses an eye-gaze machine to communicate …… shows that nothing is impossible. The work that goes on behind the scenes to support Lindsey and I, so that we’re able to make this podcast, is incredible.
“Thank you to the BBC for shining a light on MND, and allowing me to champion my identity as a sportsman.”
Radio 4 received four golds across its unrivalled content offer, from factual to comedy, investigations and readings. Winners included File on 4: Generation Shame with Jon Holmes; BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, host of BBC Radio 4’s Marianna in Conspiracyland; Laura Smyth: I Don’t Know What To Say; and audiobook Open Throat.
Radio 2’s distinctive and creative editorial was recognised with three gold awards. Scott Mills won Best Music Entertainment Show for his weekday afternoon programme and the station’s special concert commemorating the 75th anniversary of Windrush hosted by Trevor Nelson won gold for Best Coverage of an Event. The station’s 21st Century Folk project, which saw an ambitious partnership with BBC Local Radios Newcastle and Radio Tees capturing the essence of life in the North East of England today through the prism of specially commissioned folk songs also picked up the gold award for Best Music Special.
Radio 5 Live received gold for Terri White: Britain’s Ghost Children for Best Factual – Series, and John Robins revealing his struggles with alcohol addiction and his journey of recovery on Radio 5 Live was named as the Radio Times Moment of the Year.
The night’s wins showcased the BBC’s commitment to investing in and producing relevant, high quality audio content to audiences across the UK, including Matt Bailey from BBC Radio Newcastle receiving gold for the Best Speech Breakfast Show, BBC Radio Scotland’s Shiny Bob: The Devil’s Advocate being awarded Best News Coverage, and BBC Radio Manchester’s Three Ways to Save a Life winning The Grassroots Award.
The BBC’s content made across England also dominated The Impact Award, winning every prize available. BBC Radio Newcastle’s Stoma Swimmer received gold, Burrow’s Seven silver, and Different: Nicky Campbell by Audio Always for BBC Radio 5 Live bronze.
Caroline Steel, from BBC Audio’s Science Unit, won Best New Presenter, and Radio 1Xtra was awarded gold for its Station Sound.
The ceremony also remembered the life and career of Steve Wright MBE, and Annie Nightingale CBE, who was posthumously honoured with the Pioneer Award.
Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer says: “It’s joyous to see the unrivalled range and breadth of the BBC’s audio content celebrated with these awards. From local to national, from insightful investigations to entertaining music and speech shows, together our teams across the BBC produce the best British audio there is, trusted and enjoyed by millions of people across the UK.
“Huge congratulations to Rob Burrow and the BBC Radio Leeds team for their incredible wins. They’ve pursued this truly unique project with such creativity and passion, bringing together so successfully this hugely impactful podcast, which has been brilliantly produced, and brilliantly presented. This amazing podcast has been expertly made by our colleagues in BBC Local Radio, and I’m delighted that it’s already been discovered by audiences everywhere on BBC Sounds, and I hope many more will find it after this much deserved recognition.
“I’m pleased we get to celebrate BBC Asian Network as The Station of the Year, and the distinctive role the station plays in the lives of so many people with its wide-ranging content mix. I’m so proud to work with such talented people across our output and every winner at ARIAS 2024 was rightly chosen for their skills, expertise and love of audio.”
Ahmed Hussain, Head of Asian Network says: “I’m humbled to receive the prestigious award for Radio Station of the Year for the network. This recognition is a testament to the dedication, passion, and tireless efforts of our incredible teams at BBC Asian Network. Day in, day out – our teams work super hard to create meaningful and impactful audio and visual content that resonates with our British Asian audience, celebrates diversity, and amplifies voices within our community – truly a reflection of Great British Storytelling! I am immensely grateful for this recognition and proud of everyone that has contributed to our success.”
Full list of BBC winners:
Best New Presenter
Gold: Caroline Steel – BBC Audio Science Unit
Silver: Rob Burrow – BBC Radio Leeds
Best New Podcast
Gold: Seven: Rob Burrow – BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Sounds
Best Speech Breakfast Show
Gold: Matt Bailey at Breakfast – BBC Radio Newcastle
Bronze: 5 Live Breakfast – BBC Radio 5 Live
Best Speech Presenter
Gold: Marianna Spring – BBC Radio 4
Best Coverage of an Event
Gold: Windrush 75 – Spiritland Productions for BBC Radio 2
Best News Coverage
Gold: Shiny Bob: The Devil’s Advocate – BBC Scotland
Best Factual – Single Programme
Gold: File on 4 – Jon Holmes, Generation Shame – BBC Radio 4
Bronze: Inside an Autistic Mind – Boffin Media for BBC World Service
Best Music Special
Gold: 21st Century Folk – 7digital Creative for BBC Radio 2
Bronze: How The UK Changed Hip Hop Forever – BBC Audio for BBC Radio 1Xtra
The Impact Award
Gold: Stoma Swimmer – BBC Radio Newcastle
Silver: Seven: Rob Burrow – BBC Radio Leeds
Bronze: Different: Nicky Campbell – BBC Radio 5 Live and Audio Always
The Comedy Award
Gold: Laura Smyth: I Don’t Know What To Say – BBC Studios for BBC Radio 4
Silver: The Skewer – unusual for BBC Radio 4
Best Factual – Series
Gold: Terri White: Finding Britain’s Ghost Children – BBC Radio 5 Live
The Creative Innovation Award
Gold: Seven: Rob Burrow – BBC Radio Leeds
Silver: My Dream Dinner Party – Series 5 – Tuning Fork for BBC Radio 4
Bronze: Hamlet Noir – Almost Tangible for BBC Radio 3
Best Audiobook or Reading
Gold: Open Throat – BBC Audio Wales and the West of England for BBC Radio 4
Best Station Sound
Gold: BBC Radio 1Xtra
Best Music Entertainment Show
Gold: Scott Mills – BBC Radio 2
The Grassroots Award
Gold: Three Ways to Save a Life – BBC Radio Manchester
The John Myers Station of the Year Award
Gold: BBC Radio Manchester
UK Station or Network of the Year
Gold: BBC Asian Network
Radio Times Moment of the Year
Gold: John Robins reveals his struggles with alcohol addiction and his journey of recovery – BBC Radio 5 Live
Bronze: Luton Town are promoted to the Premier League – BBC Three Counties
Pioneer Award
Annie Nightingale, CBE
Best New Radio Show
Silver: Unexpected Elements – BBC World Service
Best Sports Coverage
Silver: Everton: Nothing Will Be The Same – BBC Studios for BBC Radio 5 Live
Bronze: Sportsworld – BBC World Service
Best Local Show
Silver: The Graham Liver Breakfast Show – BBC Radio Lancashire
Best Music Breakfast Show
Bronze: The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show – BBC Radio 2
Best Drama
Bronze: Hamlet Noir – Almost Tangible for BBC Radio 3
LZ / RB2