Louis Theroux, Fearne Cotton and Vent Documentaries were among the big winners at the British Podcast Awards.
Vent Documentaries, a series sharing formative experiences of young people in the London borough of Brent, was the big winner at the ceremony in London’s Brockwell Park.
It picked up three awards – podcast of the year, smartest podcast and best documentary.
“After the stress of GCSEs, I didn’t want to ask anyone out to prom.”
Sometimes you need to make yourself uncomfortable to develop.
Find out more by subscribing to VENT Documentaries wherever you get your podcasts. @LBOC2020 #VENT #VENTDocumentaries pic.twitter.com/tHWTVUDOxk
— VICE UK (@VICEUK) July 22, 2020
Cotton, the host of wellness series Happy Place, was given the podcast champion prize for her efforts to open up the conversation around mental health, while the spotlight award, which recognises a podcast that reaches the masses, was awarded to interview show Grounded With Louis Theroux.
Real Dictators, a history podcast detailing how dictators rose to power, was named best arts and culture podcast, while Where Is George Gibney?, which sets out on the trail an Olympic coach charged with child sexual abuse, won the moment of the year category.
✔️‘Gripping’ – The Observer ✔️‘Heartstopping’ – The Irish Times✔️‘Exceptional’ – The Star
✍🏻Some of this weekend’s reviews in Irish & UK press for ‘Where Is George Gibney?’
Listen now to a podcast that has “set a new benchmark for the genre in Ireland” https://t.co/1BALW7KPHi
— Second Captains (@SecondCaptains) September 6, 2020
The best interview award went to Dead Honest, a podcast about people who work with death, while Tough Talks from Hits Radio Pride won the best sex and relationships category.
Who Killed CJ Davis?, which attempts to work out who killed a 14-year-old boy in broad daylight in September 2017 in Newham, east London, was chosen as best true crime.
Three new categories were introduced for the 2021 ceremony, including best lockdown podcast, which was won by Stolen Goodbyes, which tells the stories of those who died from Covid-19 without having the chance to say goodbye.
Do not resuscitate forms signed without family knowledge is a recurring theme in interviews with people who lost loved ones to #COVID19. Listen & subscribe to the #StolenGoodbyes podcast. @PatientsAssoc @ageukcampaigns @ParkinsonsUK @Keir_Starmer pic.twitter.com/qUhGcZEFSZ
— Karen Rice 🇮🇪🇬🇧 (@Ricekmc) November 19, 2020
Best new podcast went to Field Recordings, which transports listeners to the great outdoors while being confined to their own homes.
Meanwhile, the listeners’ choice award, the only gong voted for by the public, was won by true crime podcast RedHanded.