The Audio Production Awards, sponsored by Audible, were held at a gala evening on Wednesday 24 November at the BFI on London’s South Bank. Podcast and radio stars Jordan North & Vick Hope were the hosts.

The APAs, organised by AudioUK, celebrate podcast, radio and audiobook production skills. There are 21 categories in total spanning podcasting, audiobooks and radio.

The Grassroots award, sponsored by The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund, was won by We are VOICES, a British Red Cross/VOICES network initiative which involved refugees and asylum seekers learning production skills to make podcasts building understanding and empathy through stories of lived experience.

Reform Radio’s Olivia Swift won in the Best New Podcast Producer category, with The Lunar Company’s Victor Lee and Crowd Network’s Anna Staufenberg taking Silver and Bronze respectively.

Elsewhere Annie Mac won the special AudioUK Award for representing the full 360 degrees of audio - podcasts, radio, and now an audiobook, and for being a huge supporter of women and new talent in the industry.

Ben Walker won Best Drama Producer for his work with the new company Storyglass, run by Steve Carsey.

Novel was also well-represented among the categories, with two gold awards, one bronze award and three further nominees.

The coveted Production Company of the Year Award was won by Listen Entertainment.

Kellie While, Chair of AudioUK, said:

“It’s been fantastic to have everyone back together in one place to celebrate our wonderful industry- this year’s nominees and winners can all be so proud of their work, produced to such a high standard in times which are still difficult for many. We hope these awards will inspire the next generation of production talent to seek recognition and we hope to see them here next year, up on the stage where they belong.”

Audio Production Awards

Winners 2021

Best Arts Producer

GOLD - Michael Umney - Novel

SILVER - Leonie Thomas - Whistledown Productions

BRONZE - Ben Walker - Storyglass in association with English Touring Theatre

Nominees

Caroline Thornham - Novel

Geoff Bird - Freelance

Sarah Jane Murray – Storyglass

Best News Producer

GOLD - Rachel Stonehouse - BBC Newsbeat

SILVER - Elizabeth Cassin - The Guardian

BRONZE - Robert Nicholson - Whistledown Productions

Nominees

Asya Fouks - The Times and The Sunday Times

James Shield - The Times and The Sunday Times

Courtney Yusuf - The Guardian

Best Factual Producer *Sponsored by Audio Content Fund*

GOLD - Geoff Bird - Freelance

SILVER - Will Roe - Wireless Studios

BRONZE - Joe Kent - BBC Long Form Audio

Nominees

Sean Allsop - Audio Always

Martin Austwick - Freelance

Emma Barnaby - Whistledown Productions

Best Drama Producer

GOLD - Ben Walker - Storyglass

SILVER - Rosalind Ayres - Jarvis & Ayres Productions

BRONZE - Nicolas Jackson - Afonica

Nominees

Dirk Maggs - Audible Studios

Emma Haigh - Big Finish Productions

Jacob Roberts-Mensah - Our Day

Best New Voice

GOLD - Ade Oladipo - talkSPORT

SILVER - Zakia Sewell - Falling Tree Productions

BRONZE - Liza Ward - Whistledown Productions

Nominees

Josie Bevan - Falling Tree Productions

Jack Blanchard - POLITICO Europe / Whistledown Productions

Dom Stephens - Freelance

Grassroots Production Award *Sponsored by The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund*

GOLD - We Are VOICES - British Red Cross/VOICES Network

SILVER - Lucy Evans - Fierce Green Productions

BRONZE - Multitrack

Nominees

Miran Hadžić - Miran Hadžić Productions

The Last Bohemians

Best Sports Producer *Sponsored by In:Quality*

GOLD - Chris Browning - Formula 1

SILVER - Tayo Popoola - Freelance

BRONZE - Olly Clink - talkSPORT

Nominees

Steve Hankey - Whistledown Productions

Ben Mundy - BBC Newsbeat

Andrew Spence - Unedited

Best Ensemble Cast

GOLD - Elis James & John Robins - Audio Always

SILVER - Nikita & Islah - TBI Media

BRONZE - Zeze Millz & David ‘Sideman’ Whitely - Amazon Music

Nominees

Kat Harbourne & Jenny Eells - BBC Radio Sheffield

Kurupt FM: MC Grindah, DJ Beats, Steves and Chabuddy G - Audible

Sofa Cinema Club: Jack P Shepherd, Colson Smith and Ben Price - Audio Always

Best New Podcast Producer *Sponsored by Acast*

GOLD - Olivia Swift - Reform Radio

SILVER - Victor Lee - The Lunar Company

BRONZE - Anna Staufenberg - Crowd Network

Nominees

Jessica Beck - Freelance

Meera Kumar - Freelance

Weyland McKenzie-Witter – Freelance

Best Sound Design Producer

GOLD - The Skewer - Unusual Productions

SILVER - Steve Bond - Freelance

BRONZE - Martin Austwick - Freelance

Nominees

Nicholas Alexander - Novel

Emma Barnaby - Whistledown Productions

Phil Smith - Falling Tree Productions / Freelance

Best Entertainment Producer *Sponsored by Outset Studio*

GOLD - Lance Dann - Rezilience Ltd

SILVER - Natalia Rodriguez - Radio Wolfgang

BRONZE - Liam Conroy - BBC Radio 1

Nominees

Geoff Jein - TBI Media

Selina Ream – Somethin’ Else

Will Wilkin - BBC Radio 1

Best Station Sound Producer

GOLD - Chris Nicoll - WIZZFX

SILVER - Ali Rezakhani - BBC Sounds

BRONZE - Rob Green - Audio Always

Nominees

Mark Jeeves - Scala Radio

Sam Parker – WIZZFX

Adam Venton - Little Monster Media

Best Narrator

GOLD - Olivia Colman - HarperCollins UK

SILVER - David Haig - Pier Productions Ltd

BRONZE - Colleen Prendergast - Almost Tangible

Nominees

David Bower - Penguin Random House

Carl Prekopp - Almost Tangible

Andy Serkis - HarperCollins Audio

Best Audiobook Producer

GOLD - Dirk Maggs - Audible Studios

SILVER - Richard Hughes - Anyway Audio

BRONZE - Caroline Raphael - Freelance

Nominees

Lisa Hollinshead - Audiobook Productions

Rosemary O’Dowd - RNIB / Freelance

Tanya Hougham - HarperCollins UK

Gethin Thomas Award for Best Comedy Producer

GOLD - Benbrick - Novel

SILVER - Lance Dann - Rezilience Ltd

BRONZE - Jon Holmes - Unusual

Nominees

Kurt Brookes - Made in Manchester

Andy Cartwright - Soundscape Productions

Best New Radio Producer *Sponsored by Cleanfeed*

GOLD - Hunter Charlton - Burning Bright Audio

SILVER - Rosie Merotra – Somethin’ Else

BRONZE - Eleanor Biggs - Novel

Nominees

Michael Dale – Somethin’ Else

Bradley Duggan - Listen

Sami El-Enany - Falling Tree Productions

Best Host - Speech Audio *Sponsored by Outset Studio*

GOLD - Lady Unchained - Folded Wing / Prison Radio Association

SILVER - Danny Robins - Bafflegab Productions

BRONZE - Elinor Hamilton - Tadah Media

Nominees

Elis James & John Robins - Audio Always

Prof. Alice Roberts - Made in Manchester

Ian Wright – Somethin’ Else

Best Host - Music Audio

GOLD - Ricky Wilson - Made in Manchester

SILVER - Vick Hope - BBC Audio

BRONZE - Miranda Sawyer - Freelance

Nominees

Dermot O’Leary - Ora Et Labora

GuyB - Great Music Stories Radio

Jerelle Forbes - Prison Radio Association

Best Music Producer

GOLD - Jack Howson - Reduced Listening

SILVER - Ashley Byrne - Made in Manchester

BRONZE - Steven Rajam - Overcoat Media

Nominees

Geoff Bird - Freelance

Jesse Howard – Somethin’ Else

Natalie Steed – Folk on Foot

Life in COVID-19 Award

GOLD - Judith Dimant & Julian Wilkinson - Wayward Productions

SILVER - Justin Dealey - BBC Three Counties Radio

BRONZE - Victoria Ferran & Kim Normanton - Just Radio Ltd

Nominees

2000 AD Dramas - Penguin Random House

Ivor Manley & Holly Aquilina - Radio Wolfgang

Sue Nelson & Luke Hastings - Boffin Media / BBC OS

Production Company of the Year

GOLD - Listen Entertainment

SILVER - Made in Manchester

BRONZE - Fresh Air Productions

Nominees

Audio Always

Novel

Whistledown Productions