Nominees for the 2019 Audio Production Awards (APAs) – leading awards for production skills in radio, audiobooks, and podcasting – have been announced.
The APAs, sponsored by leading audiobook publisher Audible, will be presented at a gala event on Thursday, November 28, hosted by TV and radio presenter Tommy Sandhu.
Nominees represent a diverse range of UK production talent, including audio production companies, in- house producers and freelance producers of radio, podcasts and audiobooks.
Out-of-London companies featured range from Gusman in Falkirk to Sweet Talk in Sussex, via Allegra Productions in Suffolk, and Manchester’s Audio Always and Sparklab.
Nominees include Dame Kelly Holmes, shortlisted for the ‘New Voice Award’, and DJ Snoochie Shy (‘Best Presenter’), while producers Cathy FitzGerald and Hana Walker-Brown have each received three nominations. David Walliams is nominated for Audio Performer of the Year.
The Grassroots Production Award, celebrating working with new and diverse talent, includes nominations for the Prison Radio Association and Radio Wanno at HMP Wandsworth, alongside Carousel, a Brighton-based charity helping learning-disabled artists develop their creative lives through radio and podcast projects, and Amaliah, which works with Muslim women.
Kellie While, chair of AudioUK, which organised the APAs, said: “We’ve once again seen a record number of entries to the awards. The wide range of nominees shows how everyone, whether a well-known producer or a breaking new talent, has the chance to be celebrated. We’re continuing with our bursary scheme to provide ten free places for freelancer nominees, and really looking forward to seeing everyone at the awards night. And we want to thank Audible for their continued support.”
Tommy Sandhu added: “How exciting – being at last year’s APAs led to my working with platforms I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I’m looking forward to celebrating the brilliant world of audio. I know its power to entertain, I know the talent that works within it and can’t wait to celebrate those great people.”
Full List of Nominations for APAs 2019:
Best Arts Producer:
Anishka Sharma – Whistledown
Jack Howson – Reduced Listening
Cathy FitzGerald – White Stiletto Productions
Josephine Wheeler – Freelance/Just Radio
Sera Baker – TBI Media
Victoria Ferran – Just Radio
Best Music Producer:
Chris Elcombe – Reduced Listening
Fuzz Chaudhrey – Wisebuddah
Jax Coombes – BBC Radio 6 Music
Natalie Steed – Folk on Foot
Nathan Goodman – We are Grape
Tom Fuller – Somethin’ Else
Best Factual Producer:
Gabriela Jones – Wisebuddah
Cathy FitzGerald – White Stiletto Productions
Chelsea Dickenson – Audio Always
Hana Walker-Brown – Audible
Philippa Geering – Overtone Productions
Richard Hollingham – Boffin Media
Best News and Current Affairs Producer:
James Shield – the RSA
Kate Lamble – BBC
Anishka Sharma – Whistledown
Gabriela Jones – Wisebuddah
Robert Nicholson – Whistledown
Sarah Gosling – BBC
Abi Paterson – Muddy Knees Media
Ben Mundy – BBC Newsbeat
Justin Dealey – the Luton Town Fans Podcast – BBC Three Counties
Best Sports Producer:
Simon Crosse – Shooting Shark
Tayo Popoola – Freelance – Football Stories That Matter, Told by The People That Were There
Tim Durrans, Johnny Cantor, Adrian Harms – BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey Sport
Best Entertainment Producer:
Lily Ames – Chalk and Blade
Lorna Skingley – 7digital
Dave Masterman – Audio Always
Hana Walker-Brown – Audible
Louise Molony – BBC Radio 2
Will Wilkin – BBC Radio 1
Gethin Thomas Award for Best Comedy Producer:
Ed Morrish – Somethin’ Else
Elroy Powell – FAADA Ltd
Dave Masterman – Audio Always
David Tyler – Pozzitive
Gus Beattie – Gusman Productions
Jon Holmes – Unusual
Best Live Event/Outside Broadcast Producer:
James Walker – Celador Radio
Andrew Wilkie – Prison Radio Association
Chris Gilvear – Jazz FM
Magic at the Musicals team – TBI Media
Mark Carter – BBC Sussex
Ant McGinley – On the Left Side
Becca Bryers – BBC
Clare Freeman – ASFB Productions Best Podcast Producer
Hana Walker-Brown – Audible
Sam Bonham – Freelance
Sefa Nkyi – BoomShakalaka Productions
Best Drama Producer:
Allegra McIlroy – BBC Northern Ireland Radio Drama
Charlotte Melen – Almost Tangible
Boz Temple-Morris – Holy Mountain
Fiona McAlpine – Allegra Productions
Melanie Harris – Sparklab
Nicolas Jackson – Afonica
Best Audiobook/Readings Producer:
Joanna Green – Greenlit Productions
Neil Gardner – Ladbroke Audio
Chris Thompson – Heavy Entertainment
Jeremy Osborne – Sweet Talk Productions
Richard Hughes – Penguin Random House
Simon Richardson – BBX
Best New Producer:
Axel Kacoutié – Falling Tree Productions
Jessie Lawson – Freelance
Leonie Thomas – Whistledown
Lucy Hunt – Wisebuddah
Ned Carter Miles – Just Radio
Richard Power – 7digital
Ben Stones – BBC Radio Pop Hub Station Sound
Gordon Lundy – Absolute Radio
Best Station Sound Producer:
Liam Hadley – BBC Radio 1
Muna Ahmed – Prison Radio Association
Oliver Claxton – BBC Popular Music Hub
Rob Green – Audio Always
Best Sound Designer:
Adam Fowler – Overtone Productions
Alisdair McGregor – Holy Mountain
Arthur Hagues – Prison Radio Association
Axel Kacoutié – The Guardian
David Chiltern – Almost Tangible
Mark Pittam – TBI Media
Grassroots Production Award:
Prison Radio Association
Podium.me
Amaliah Ltd
Carousel
Radio Wanno – HMP Wandsworth
Sue Clark Productions
Audio Performer of the Year:
Bernard Mensah – HarperCollins Publishers
Carl Prekopp – HarperCollins Publishers
David Walliams – HarperCollins Publishers
James Robinson – Almost Tangible
Roy McMillan – Penguin Random House
Weruche Opia – W F Howes
Anushka Asthana – The Guardian
Cathy FitzGerald – White Stiletto Productions
Elis James and John Robins – Audio Always Best Presenter – Speech
Justin Dealey – BBC Three Counties
Roisin Hastie and Ben Mundy – BBC Newsbeat
Rose Kudabayeva – BlokMedia
Best Presenter – Music:
Huw Stephens – Folded Wing
Jamie Cullum – Folded Wing
Mark Radcliffe – 7digital
Matthew Bannister – Folk on Foot
Snoochie Shy – TBI Media
Trevor Nelson – Somethin’ Else
New Voice Award:
Audrey Gillan – Falling Tree Productions
Becca Bryers – BBC
Dame Kelly Holmes – 7digital
Jacob Rosales – BlokMedia
Mo Ayoub – Reprezent Radio
Shahlaa Tahira – Freelance/Pulse 88
Production Company of the Year:
Audio Always
Fresh Air
Prison Radio Association
Chalk and Blade
TBI Media
Whistledown
Tickets go on sale from Wednesday, October 30 for the gala night on Thursday, November 28 at the BFI Southbank, starting at 6pm, and with the awards beginning at 7:30pm. Tickets can be booked here.
