Audio and Radio Industry Awards


The Audio and Radio Industry Awards are annual awards awarded for excellence in UK radio and audio presenting and production. Established in 2016 by the Radio Academy, they succeeded the Radio Academy Awards, the academy's honours system of 1983 to 2014. They are awarded for productions in the previous calendar year. In contrast to many other media award ceremonies, three winners are selected by judging panels for each category and graded Gold, Silver or Bronze.
In May 2019 the Young ARIAs were inaugurated at the BBC Radio Theatre in London in a ceremony hosted by BBC Radio 1's Matt Edmondson and Kiss FM host Daisy Maskell. The very next year they were rebranded as the Young Audio Awards.

Notable omissions

Since their launch, the Audio and Radio Industry Awards have been shunned by the biggest commercial radio group in the UK, Global Radio. Although the Radio Academy is not supported by Global Radio this does not preclude it from entering programmes or presenters from its stations, namely Heart, Capital, LBC, Capital Xtra, Classic FM, Smooth Radio, Radio X or Gold.

ARIAs 2016

Nominations for the 16 inaugural award categories were unveiled on 19 September 2016 by Radio 1's Scott Mills and Pandora Christie of Kiss FM. The shortlist for each category was limited to five nominees.

ARIAs 2017

Nominations were revealed on 18 September 2017 by Virgin Radio presenters Kate Lawler and Matt Richardson. The number of categories was increased to 23, each with a shortlist of six nominees.
Best New PresenterBest New ShowBest News Coverage
Gold: Andrew Flintoff Silver: Andrew Scott, U2@40 documentary Bronze: Gemma Atkinson Gold: Flintoff, Savage & the Ping Pong Guy Silver: Quake Bronze: Soundtracking with Edith Bowman Gold: London Bridge Attacks Silver: PM: The High Street Abduction Bronze: BBC Radio Leeds
Best Speech Presenter – BreakfastBest Speech Presenter – Non breakfastSports Show of the Year
Gold: Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden Silver: Vanessa Feltz Bronze: Liz Green Gold: Iain Lee Silver: Jeremy Vine Bronze: Mike Sweeney Gold: 5 Live Sport Silver: Our summer: The Story of Wales at Euro 2016 Bronze: On the Sporting Couch
Best Music Presenter – BreakfastBest Music Presenter – Non breakfastBest Specialist Music Show
Gold: Christian O'Connell Silver: JACK’S Morning Glory Bronze: Chris Evans Gold: Annie Mac Silver: Richard Allinson Bronze: Stephen McCauley Gold: Benji B Silver: The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe Bronze: Soundtracking with Edith Bowman
Best Entertainment / Comedy ProductionBest Factual StorytellingBest Fictional Storytelling
Gold: The Frank Skinner Show Silver: A Normal LifeHenry Normal Bronze: 24-hour “LOLathon” for Red Nose DayScott Mills & Chris Stark Gold: The Enemy Within Silver: Hillsborough: Trevor and Jenni's Journey Bronze: The Tale of June and Gretel Gold: Life Lines Silver: Sarah Kendall: Australian Trilogy Bronze: Comment is Free
Best Community ProgrammeBest Online Radio StationBest Podcast
Gold: The Manchester Bombing Silver: Dig Deep Bronze: National Prison Radio Bronze: Talking Heads Gold: Worldwide FMSilver: Live @ Wimbledon Radio Bronze: ReformGold: Flintoff, Savage and the Ping Pong Guy Silver: Close Encounters Bronze: The Untold: Missing
Best On-Air PromotionBest Branded Content or PartnershipBest Marketing Campaign
Gold: 6 Music Festival in Glasgow Silver: UEFA Euro 2016 France Bronze: The Archers Gold: The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show with Wickes Silver: BBC Local Radio and National Poetry Day Bronze: Mardi Gras 2017 with British Airways Bronze: School of Rock Gold: BBC Radio 1Xtra Street StudioSilver: See Radio Differently Campaign Bronze: Superhero Day
Best Coverage of an EventLocal Station of the YearNational Radio Station of the Year
Gold: Manchester's Response to the Arena Attack Silver: Running the Brighton Marathon Bronze: BBC Radio 1's Big WeekendHighly commended: World Cup ‘66 Live Gold: BBC Radio LondonSilver: BBC Radio MerseysideBronze: Metro RadioGold: BBC 1XtraSilver: Planet RockBronze: BBC Radio 1
Team of the YearIndividual of the Year
Winner: Local Radio Day Winner: Tony Moorey, Group Content Director

ARIAs 2018

Nominations were revealed on 17 September 2018 by Capital South Wales presenters Matt Lissack and Polly James. New categories introduced this year included Best Local Radio Show, Funniest Show, Best Commercial Promotion and Best Station Sound.
Best New PresenterBest New Show / PodcastBest News Coverage
Gold: Ronan Keating Silver: Mollie King Bronze: Kat Harbourne & Jenny Eells – The Naked Podcast Gold: You, Me & the Big C Silver: Death in Ice Valley Bronze: I Hear Voices Gold: Real Life Stories, The Emma Barnett Show Silver: BBC Radio LeedsBronze: We Stand Together: The Manchester Arena Attack One Year On
Best Speech Presenter – BreakfastBest Speech Presenter – Non breakfastBest Sports Show / Podcast
Gold: Stephen Nolan Silver: Nicky Campbell & Rachel Burden Bronze: Mishal Husain Gold: Justin Dealey Silver: Tony Livesey Bronze: Anna Foster Gold: Mo-Joe: An 18 Week Marathon Training Diary Silver: Fight DisciplesBronze: On The Left Side – The Funny Football Show
Best Music Presenter – BreakfastBest Music Presenter – Non breakfastBest Specialist Music Show
Gold: The Mylo & Rosie Show Silver: Nick Grimshaw: Radio 1 Breakfast Bronze: Dotty: The 1Xtra Breakfast ShowGold: Jamie Cullum Silver: Trevor Nelson Bronze: Edith Bowman ''Soundtracking Gold: Soundtracking with Edith Bowman Silver: Annie Mac Bronze: Soundscapes with Stephen McCauley
Funniest ShowBest Factual Storytelling / DocumentaryBest Fictional Storytelling
Gold: Fortunately... with Fi and Jane Silver: International New Year Comedy Celebration Bronze: John Holmes Saturday Show Gold: Meeting The Man I Killed Silver: Between the Ears: "The NHS Symphony" Bronze: The Sound of Protest Gold: Carl Cattermole – Double Bubble Silver: The World's Worst Children 3 by David Walliams Bronze: The Final Take: Bowie in the Studio for BBC World Service
Best Community ProgrammeBest PodcastBest Station Sound
Gold: The Frank Skinner Show conversation with Al Gore Silver: The Helen & Douglas House Radiothon Bronze: Mulberry Girls School, Tower Hamlets Gold: Cariad LloydGriefcastSilver: Health Uncovered – This is Distorted with the NHSBronze: Double Bubble Gold: Radio 1 Vintage Silver: Absolute RadioBronze: Belfast is...
Best Commercial PromotionBest Marketing CampaignBest Coverage of an Event
Gold: The Greatest Showman Silver: Just EatThe 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia Bronze: Wickes Gold: Common People Silver: The 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia Bronze: The Dave Berry Breakfast Show Gold: An Accent Exceedingly Rare: A Love Letter to Liverpool Silver: Manchester – Together With One Voice Bronze: Gregathlon: Pedal To The Peaks
Best Local Radio ShowLocal Station of the YearNational Station or Network of the Year
Gold: David Burns Silver: Wake Up with Webster'' Bronze: Stephanie Hirst Gold: BBC Radio LeedsSilver: Forth 1Bronze: BBC Radio MerseysideGold: BBC Radio 1Silver: BBC Radio 5 LiveBronze: Absolute Radio
Team of the YearIndividual of the Year
Winner: Cash for Kids, Bauer Radio's network of local charitiesWinner: Paul Sylvester, Content Director

ARIAs 2019

Fallow year.

ARIAs 2020

The awards ceremony was moved to a spring slot from its traditional autumn fixture and took place at The London Palladium. Nominations were revealed on 15 January 2020.
Best New PresenterBest New ShowBest News Coverage
Gold: Raj & Pilar: The Reality Tea Silver: Jacob Hawley: On Drugs Bronze: Tyler West Gold: Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg JamesSilver: The Next Episode Bronze: Politix & Chill Gold: Myles Bonnar: A-Game Exposé Silver: Cops on the Front Line Bronze: PM: Anatomy of a Stabbing
Best Speech Presenter – BreakfastBest Speech Presenter – Non breakfastBest Sports Show
Gold: Toby Foster Silver: Annabel Amos Bronze: 5 Live Breakfast Gold: Emma Barnett Silver: Mike Sweeney Bronze: Frank Skinner Gold: Super G: How Geraint won the Yellow Jersey Silver: That Peter Crouch Podcast Bronze: Tailenders
Best Music Presenter – BreakfastBest Music Presenter – Non breakfastBest Specialist Music Show
Gold: Dotty: The 1Xtra Breakfast Show Silver: Greg James: Radio 1 BreakfastBronze: Dave Berry: Absolute RadioGold: MistaJam Silver: Abbie McCarthy Bronze: Edith Bowman ''Soundtracking Gold: This Classical Life Silver: Absolute Radio Stories Bronze: Gilles Peterson
Funniest ShowBest Factual – Single programmeBest Factual – Series
Gold: Elis James and John Robins: Audio Always Silver: James Veitch’s Contractual Obligation Bronze: Shagged Married Annoyed Gold: Kane Walker: Life and Death On The Streets Silver: Being Gerry Adams Bronze: A Sense of Quietness Gold: Ladder to Nowhere Silver: Surrogacy: A Family Frontier Bronze: The Bellingcat Podcast: MH17
Best Community ProgrammeBest Independent PodcastBest Station Sound
Gold: National Prison Radio Silver: Chris Evans with Reverend Ruth Scott Bronze: Samaritans Gold: Passenger List Silver: The Bellingcat Podcast: MH17 Bronze: My Dad Wrote a Porno Gold: Radio 1 Station Sound Silver: Project Baxter on BBC Radio 6 Music Bronze: Absolute Radio Network
Best Commercial PromotionBest Marketing CampaignBest Coverage of an Event
Gold: Samaritans Silver: Maldon Sea Salt: The Hometime Fish and Chip Tour 2019 Bronze: Women of Steel Gold: Radio 1 Breakfast: #MakeThisGreg Silver: England's Winter Tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies Bronze: Absolute Radio 10 Gold: Mental Health Awareness Week Silver: Cricket World Cup Final Bronze: Great North Run
Best Local Radio ShowJohn Myers Award for Local Station of the YearNational Station or Network of the Year
Gold: Boogie in the Morning Silver: Allison Ferns Bronze: Justin Dealey Gold: BBC Hereford & WorcesterSilver: Stray FMBronze: BBC Radio SheffieldGold: BBC Radio 2Silver: Absolute Radio NetworkBronze: BBC Radio 1Xtra
Best Fictional StorytellingRadio Times Moment of The YearThe GOLD Awards

  • Gold: Forest 404 Silver: A View From A Hill Bronze: First Do No Harm''
  • Gold: Overdosing man calls Iain Lee Silver: England win the Cricket World Cup Bronze: Live from the helicopter crash site
  • talkSPORT Jazz FM Tay FM

    ARIAs 2021

    The nominees were announced on 21 April 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the 2021 awards ceremony was an hybrid event with just 100 invited guests in a small theatre at The May Fair Hotel. In recognition of content produced to support audiences in lockdown, new categories included The Creative Innovation Award, The Impact Award and The 2020 Special Award.

    ARIAs 2022

    The nominees were announced on 5 April 2022. The awards ceremony was once again a live in-person event after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Ivor Norvello Award-winning Tom Odell and two-time BRIT award-winning Heather Small both performed at the awards, with Heather Small opening the ceremony. This year marked the inaugural Pioneer Award, which was bestowed on Janice Long.

    ARIAs 2023

    The nominees were announced on 30 March 2023. Two award categories were retired; Best Independent Podcast and Best Marketing Campaign, and replaced by four new categories; Best Community Station of the Year, Best Audiobook or Reading and a split of Best New Show into Best New Radio Show and Best New Podcast. In addition, Best Fictional Storytelling which in previous years had included readings became Best Drama. There was also a one-off 2022 Special Award recognising audio coverage following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, bringing the total number of awards to 28. A change of venue was also announced.
    On 21 April 2023 it was revealed that Tony Blackburn would be receiving this year's Pioneer Award for his near 60 years in broadcasting and contribution to the popularity of soul music in the UK. Tim Blackmore was announced as guest of honour at this years ceremony in recognition of his contribution to radio and audio over the past six decades.

    ARIAs 2024

    Source:

    ARIAs 2025

    Full list of nominees

    Sources:

    Best Commercial Partnership Award

    • Dead River – Audio Always for Pogust Goodhead
    • Empowering Young Lives – KISS and KFC
    • Fun Kids Teacher of the Year with Collection Pot – Fun Kids
    • Hold or Fold with GambleAware – Prison Radio Association
    • The Mid.Point: Sweaty Betty Special – Spiritland Productions
    • Scottish Island Adventures – The Big Light

    Best Event Coverage Award

    Best Drama or Fiction Award

    • 1984 – Audible
    • Central Intelligence – Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • Life & Time – BBC Radio 4
    • The Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Poirot Mystery – Audible
    • One Hundred and Fifty Days – BBC Audio Scotland for BBC Radio 4
    • Ruthie Henshall Sees Dead People – Magic Radio
    • The Skies Are Watching – Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • UNSINKABLE – Datura Studios and North Atlantic Ridge in association with B7 Media and AudioMarvels
    • Zeroes – BBC Studios Audio for Audible

    Best Comedy Award (Show or Presenter)

    • Christmas Dinner with Kurupt FM – Prison Radio Association
    • Green Wing: Resuscitated – Audible
    • Help I Sexted My Boss – Audio Always
    • IM1: 60 Years and Counting, Sadly… – Manx Radio
    • Mark Steel’s in Town – BBC Radio 4
    • The Menagerie – Radio M29
    • The Skewer – Unusual Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • Time of the Week – DLT Entertainment for BBC Radio 4
    • Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake – Sony Music Entertainment

    Best Factual Series Award

    • Band Aid at 40 – Gimme Sugar Productions for Virgin Radio
    • Country Lines – Falling Tree Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • Grenfell: Building a Disaster – BBC Radio 4
    • Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion – BBC Radio 4
    • Ken Bruce on Drums – Jazz FM
    • Kill List – Novel and Wondery
    • The Pitcairn Trial – Audio Always
    • The Trapped – ITN / ITV News
    • The Story of No. 1: Lauryn Hill’s the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – 100 Best Albums Radio, Apple Music

    Best Factual Single Episode Award

    • Between the Ears: Henry Mancini – BBC Radio 3
    • Black Box – The Guardian
    • The Daily T: The Grenfell inquiry that ‘delayed justice’ – The Telegraph
    • Deep Hidden Meaning: will.i.am – Apple Music Radio
    • Degraded by Deepfakes: File on 4 Investigates – BBC Radio 4
    • Esther Ghey & Jaxon Feeley: Reclaiming influence – Virgin Radio Pridecast
    • NATO75: An Alliance Rescue – BFBS
    • Our Whole Life is a Secret – BBC Radio 4
    • The Weekend Intelligence: A Portrait of the Proud Boys – The Economist

    Best Music Award (Show or Presenter)

    • Annie Nightingale: A Life in Music – We Are Grape for BBC Radio 1
    • Radio 1’s Dance Party with Danny Howard – BBC Radio 1
    • Classical Connections Radio with Alexis Ffrench – Apple Music Radio
    • The Dance Music Archive with Andi Durrant – This is Distorted for KISSTORY
    • The Eras Podcast, hosted by Abbie McCarthy – Good Karma
    • Free Flow – Prison Radio Association
    • Folk on Foot – Matthew Bannister
    • Indie Forever – We are Grape for BBC Radio 6 Music
    • Phil Taggart’s ChillDaBeats – Slack Panda Productions

    Best Music Breakfast Radio Show

    Best Music Entertainment Award (Show or Presenter)

    • Barry Island Discs: Gavin & Stacey’s Big Songs Send Off – BBC Radio Wales
    • The Cavern Podcast – The Cavern Club
    • Earlier… with Jools Holland – BBC Radio 3
    • Gemma Atkinson & Mike Toolan – Hits Radio
    • Haroon Rashid – BBC Asian Network
    • Hometime with Bush and Richie – Absolute Radio
    • Ruthie Henshall Sees Dead People – Magic Radio
    • Scott MillsBBC Radio 2
    • The Simon Mayo Drivetime Show – Greatest Hits Radio

    Best New Presenter

    • Beth Wallace – Forth 1
    • Bronwen Lewis – BBC Radio Wales
    • Chance Litchfield – Fix Radio
    • Emma Nagouse – Muses: An Ampersand Podcast
    • Helen Pidd – The Guardian
    • May Robson – BBC Sounds Audio Lab
    • Niall Breslin – The Madman’s Hotel, Audible
    • Phoebe McIndoe – Falling Tree Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • Scout Tzofiya Bolton – Prison Radio Association

    Best News or Current Affairs Award

    • 90 Seconds to Midnight – Daily Mail
    • The 2024 ‘Genny Lex’ – KISS
    • Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump – Times Radio
    • The Boys Are Not Alright – Audio Always for BBC Radio 4
    • Electoral Dysfunction – Sky News
    • Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion – BBC Radio 4
    • Pod Save The UK – Reduced Listening and Crooked Media
    • Sitrep – BFBS
    • Southport – BBC Radio Merseyside

    Best Sonic Branding Award

    • BBC Radio 1
    • BBC Radio 2
    • BBC Radio 3 Unwind
    • Clyde 1 Superscoreboard
    • Fix Radio
    • Greatest Hits Radio 60s

    Best Speech Breakfast Radio Show Award

    • 5 Live Breakfast – BBC Radio 5 Live
    • The Graham Liver Breakfast Show – BBC Radio Lancashire
    • The Kevin Duala Breakfast Show – BBC Radio Merseyside
    • talkSPORT Breakfast – talkSPORT
    • Times Radio Breakfast – Times Radio
    • Today – BBC Radio 4

    Best Speech Entertainment Award (Show or Presenter)

    • Believe In People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma – ReNew
    • British Scandal – Wondery & Samizdat Audio
    • Elis James and John Robins – Audio Always for BBC Radio 5 Live
    • Help I sexted My Boss – Audio Always
    • Jon Holmes Says The C-Word – Unusual Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • Josie Long – Falling Tree Productions for BBC Radio 4
    • The Louis Theroux Podcast – Mindhouse Productions
    • Matt Chorley – BBC Radio 5 Live
    • Overnights With Martin Kelner – talkSPORT

    Best Sports Award (Show or Presenter)

    • The Big Scottish Football Show – Forth 1
    • From Extinction to Promotion – BBC Radio Derby Sport
    • Gameday – talkSPORT
    • Guardian Football Weekly – The Guardian
    • Men in Blazers: Early Kick Off – Men in Blazers and Footwork Media for Wondery
    • P1 with Matt & Tommy – Stak
    • Premier League Sunday – BBC Radio 5 Live
    • Test Match Special – BBC Radio 5 Live
    • White & Jordan – talkSPORT

    The Creative or Technical Innovation Award

    • 6 Music’s Way with Words – Audio Always for BBC Radio 6 Music
    • The Ballad of Scout and the Alcohol Tag – Prison Radio Association
    • Fun Kids Space Station – Fun Kids
    • Fun Kids Time Machine – Fun Kids
    • The Gossip Gays: Who Killed Danny Beard? – Audio Always
    • Help I Sexted My Boss, in cinemas – Audio Always
    • Lowlines – Social Broadcasts and Scenery Studios
    • OUTCAST UK with Graeme Smith – 7th Planet for Virgin Radio Pride
    • Sleep Tracks – Peanut & Crumb for BBC Radio 3 Unwind

    The Social Impact Award

    • Assume Nothing – Femicide: Eight Steps to Stop a Murder – BBC Radio Ulster
    • Black History Month: Raising The Next Generation – Hits Radio
    • Clare’s Law: A Decade of Saving Lives – Hits Radio
    • The Culture Colonel – BFBS
    • Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion – BBC Radio 4
    • Life After Prison – Prison Radio Association
    • The Madman’s Hotel – Audible
    • The Quiet Place – BBC Radio 5 Live
    • The Quilt – Aunt Nell

    Local Radio Station of the Year

    • BBC Radio Cornwall
    • BBC Radio Ulster
    • BBC Radio Derby
    • Forth 1
    • Clyde 1
    • Portsmouth’s Express FM

    UK Audio Brand of the Year

    UK Radio Station or Radio Network of the Year

    • BBC Asian Network
    • BBC Radio 3
    • BBC Radio 5 Live
    • Fun Kids
    • Greatest Hits Radio
    • talkSPORT

    Radio Times Moment of the Year

    • Johnnie Walker’s Final Show on Sounds of the 70’s – Listen for BBC Radio 2
    • Radio 4’s PM Laura Trott Interview – BBC Radio 4
    • Sunday Love Songs Remembering Steve Wright – BBC Radio 2
    • ‘I want my mum to die’ – Stuart George on BBC Radio Stoke
    • Coldplay go Orange for Luton – BBC 3 Counties Radio
    • BBC Radio 4’s Today: Mishal Husain and James Cleverly – BBC News
    • A listener unexpectedly calls Cristo Foufas’ final show to thank him for saving his life – TALK
    • Marjorie Taylor Greene blames media for Trump assassination attempt – Times Radio
    • Dan Noble speaks out about the far-right riots across the UK – Absolute Radio
    • Frank off the Radio – The Frank Skinner Project, Avalon