British Podcast Awards marks 10th anniversary with expanded categories

The British Podcast Awards will celebrate a major milestone this year as it marks ten years.

The UK’s biggest celebration of podcasting excellence, talent and originality returns to indigo at The O2 on Thursday, 1 October for what organisers describe as a landmark edition of the awards.

The 10th anniversary follows a record-breaking ceremony last year, underlining the growing cultural and commercial impact of podcasts across the UK.

Last year’s event was the largest to date, with a record number of entries submitted across categories, a sell-out audience and more than 85,000 listeners taking part in the Listeners’ Choice Award.

Organisers say the figures demonstrate how podcasting has become firmly embedded in British culture, attracting audiences that rival more traditional media.

Building on that momentum, this year’s awards will see 33 categories, including two new additions designed to reflect how the sector continues to evolve.

The Amplifier category will recognise podcasts with exceptional reach, influence and cultural impact, open to shows achieving more than 300,000 downloads per episode.

A new Food and Drink category will celebrate podcasts that put food culture, cooking and drink at the heart of their storytelling.

The British Podcast Awards will also introduce an updated judging structure aimed at strengthening peer led assessment across the industry.

For the first time, all past finalists will be invited to nominate one person from their team to join the longlist judging panel for their category.

They will work alongside main stage judges and lead judges, creating a broader and more inclusive judging process that reflects the diversity of experience across podcasting.

Those interested in taking part in judging are able to self-nominate through an online application, as organisers look to involve a wider range of voices from across the sector, including independent producers and on-air talent.

Support for smaller organisations remains a key focus, with the awards continuing to offer discounted entry fees for freelancers, charities and small production companies, which make up the majority of the UK podcasting industry.

The partnership with the Podcasting Seriously Fund, which provides entry fee support for independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio producers, will also contnue.

Organisers say the tenth anniversary awards will not only celebrate the best podcasts of the year, but also reflect on a decade of rapid growth, creativity and innovation that has helped shape podcasting into one of the UK’s most dynamic media sectors.

BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS – 2026 CATEGORIES

GENRES
ARTS & CULTURE
BUSINESS
COMEDY
DOCUMENTARY
EDUCATION
ENTERTAINMENT
FACTUAL
FICTION
NEW:FOOD & DRINK
HEALTH & WELLBEING
HISTORY
IMPACT
KIDS
LIFESTYLE
NEWS, POLITICS & CURRENT AFFAIRS
PARENTING
SEX & RELATIONSHIPS
SPORT
TRUE CRIME
WELSH LANGUAGE