Nominations announced for the 2023 Audio Production Awards

The shortlist for the Audio Production Awards has been announced along with details of who will host the award ceremony next month.

Comedian, Nish Kumar, and journalist, Coco Khan, presenters of the Pod Save the UK podcast will look after proceedings at the event on Wednesday 22nd November.

Full list of Nominees for the Audio Production Awards 2023:

Best Audiobook Producer

Caroline Raphael – Dora Productions
Christopher Thompson – Penguin Random House
Jessica Beck – The Guardian
Laura-Leigh Smith – String & Tins
Lily Ridett – Freelance
Nathan Freeman – Granny Eats Wolf

Best Arts & Culture Producer

Becca Bryers – BBC Audio
Geoff Bird – Freelance
Jack Suddaby – Beautiful Strangers
Michael Umney – Freelance
Natalie Steed – Rhubarb Rhubarb Ltd
Peter Curran – The Foghorn Company

Best Lifestyle & Society Producer Sponsored by Better Help

Bea Duncan – Broccoli Productions
Beth Madden – Prison Radio Association
Jack Suddaby – Beautiful Strangers
Ruth Abrahams – The Guardian
Ryan Winders – This Is Distorted
Sylvie Carlos – Freelance

Best Branded Content Producer

Adam Venton – Little Monster Media
Arthur Hagues – Prison Radio Association
Daniel Prior – Absolute Radio Network
Geoff Bird – Freelance
James Stodd – Greatest Hits Radio
Natalie Steed – Rhubarb Rhubarb Ltd

Best New Producer Sponsored by BBC Sounds

Becky Green – Audio Always
Jill Achineku – Whistledown Productions
Sam Tyler – There Are No Greater Heroes
Silvia Malnati – Reduced Listening
Talia Augustidis – Broccoli Productions/Freelance
Tess Davidson – Freelance

Best Comedy Producer (Gethin Thomas Award)

Joe Fraser – Baby Cow
Jon Homes – unusual
Lance Dann – Rezilience Ltd
Lyndsay Fenner – Mighty Bunny
Matt Thomas – Audio Always
Simon Nicholls – Freelance

Best Entertainment Producer 

Amy Johnson – BBC Radio 1
David Manero – Listen
James Payne – Folding Pocket
Kay Hutchison – Belle Media Ltd
Lucy Hunt – Listen
Matt Thomas – Audio Always

Best Drama & Fiction Producer

Anishka Sharma – Freelance
David Beck – Wireless Theatre Company
Isobel Pietsch – Rooks Nest
Jack Bowman – Freelance
Nicholas Jackson – Afonica
Nicholas Newton – Promenade Productions

Best Ensemble Cast

Betty Glover, Christian Hewgill & Greg James – The Fast and the Curious
Coco Khan and Nish Kumar – Pod Save the UK
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders – Titting About
Kurupt FM
The Ensemble Cast of Bess Loves Porgy
William Hanson and Jordan North – Help I Sexted My Boss

Best Music Producer

Bradley Duggan – Listen
Gabriel Francis – Reduced Listening
Katie Callin – Reduced Listening
Shreni Yajnik – Listen
Silas Gray – Freelance
Tom Whalley – Freelance

Best Narrator sponsored by United Voices

Eva Feiler – Almost Tangible
Kerry Godliman – Wondery
Kristin Atherton – HarperCollins Publishers
Natasha Miller – Miller Libertine
Oliver Jeffers – HarperCollins Publishers
Paapa Essiedu – Audible Studios

Best News & Current Affairs Producer

Alex Bishop – Reduced Listening
James Shield – The Times and The Sunday Times
James Tindale – Whistledown Productions
Rebecca Kesby – CTVC
Ruth Abrahams – The Guardian
Will Roe – The Times and The Sunday Times

Best Factual Producer

Anishka Sharma – Freelance
Arlie Adlington – Overcoat Media
Dan Tierney – BBC Audio North
Joe Kent – BBC News Long Form Audio
Phoebe McIndoe – Falling Tree Productions
Scarlett O’Malley – Little Cactus

Best Presenter sponsored by Morley Radio

Catherine Carr – Loftus Media
Jack Saunders – Listen
James Grasby – National Trust
Justin Dealey – BBC Three Counties Radio
Niall Paterson – Sky News
Scarlett O’Malley – Freelance/Little Cactus

Best Sound Design Producer

Emma Barnaby – Freelance
Jack Suddaby – Beautiful Strangers
Jon Holmes & Tony Churnside – unusual
Jon Nicholls – Almost Tangible
Jonn Wakefield – Hat Trick
Nicholas Alexander – Novel

Best New Voice sponsored by BBC Sounds

Agnes Chambre – Politico/Whistledown
Ali Ali – Prison Radio Association
Coco Khan – Reduced Listening
Kwesia aka City Girl in Nature – Peanut & Crumb
Natasha Miller – Miller Libertine
Phoebe McIndoe – Falling Tree Productions

Best Sports Producer sponsored by In:Quality

Abi Paterson – The Athletic
Adonis Pratsides – The Athletic
Justin Dealey – BBC Three Counties Studio
Katie Sayer – unusual/Pozzitive
Matt Tasker – Audio Always
Sarah Stolarz – Chalk + Blade

The Amazon Music & Wondery Grassroots Production Award
Behear Ltd
Jack Suddaby – Time & Again
Made by Mortals – Armchair Adventures
Multitrack
Prison Radio Association
Transmission Roundhouse Podcast Academy 

The Sustainability Award

Audible Originals – Climate of Change Season 2 

Eloise Stevens – Sustainability Acupuncture
Erin MacIndoe Sproule – Climate Vision 2050
Sarah Craig – Toughie
Talia Randall – Blossom Trees & Burnt Out Cars
Whistledown Productions – Our Broken Planet

Producer of the Year sponsored by Audible

Anishka Sharma – Freelance
Bea Duncan – Broccoli Productions
Jack Suddaby – Beautiful Strangers
Katie Callin – Reduced Listening
Ruth Abrahams – The Guardian & Whistledown Productions
Steven Rajam – Overcoat Media 

Production Company of the Year sponsored by Why Now Media

Audible Studios UK
Fresh Air
Overcoat Media
Prison Radio Association
Reduced Listening
TellTale

Publisher or Network of the Year

Audible
BBC Asian Network
Podimo
Resonance
The Economist Podcasts
Wondery

Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said:  “It is such a pleasure every year for us to get the opportunity to celebrate the deep production talent that we have in the UK, which is among the best in the world. The awards remain unique in that the focus is on the people who are involved in making audio content, and we are able to celebrate the expertise and talent, which so often goes on behind the scenes, to craft such brilliant work.

I am as excited as you to see the nominations, the judges do an excellent job of listening to the work and discussing who should be nominated – many a debate has I’m sure taken place over the last few weeks. Thanks to all the judges and to Joby Waldman, our excellent Chair of Judges who provides a guiding hand when needed. Thanks also to our EDI consultant Yassine Senghor, who provides unconscious bias training and guidance as part of the judging process. 

Thank you to our lead sponsor Audible, their support enables us to put the awards on every year and to celebrate the people who make the audio industry. Thank you to Amazon Music and Wondery, our Pay What You Can Scheme partners, if you are unable to access the awards due to finances, please get in touch for free or discounted tickets. And thank you to our category sponsors, BBC Sounds, Better Help, In:Quality, Morley Radio, The Podcast Show, United Voices, and Why Now Media.”

Joby Waldman, Managing Director of Reduced Listening and Chair of Judges said: 

The APAs are here to recognise the highest standards in the largely unseen world of audio production, and it’s good to see a mixture of established and emerging names on the 2023 nominations list. Big congratulations to all the nominees who are helping shape the future of an industry which is alive with creativity. Looking forward to finding out who distinguishes themselves to take the top spots. See you on the 22nd November!”

See more details and book tickets here.

This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk