Asian Media Awards 2026 Finalists

JOURNALISM:

Manchester Metropolitan University Journalist of the Year

Ashna Hurynag – Correspondent, ITN ITV News & Good Morning Britain

Sejal Karia – Correspondent, ITN ITV News

Haroon Siddique – Legal Affairs Correspondent, The Guardian

Hanisha Sethi – Reporter and Correspondent

Piriyanga Thirunimalan – Senior Reporter, The Daily Mail

Jabeen Waheed – Journalist & Reporter

Best Investigation

Exposed: China’s Spycam Porn
BBC Eye

Married at First Sight Investigation
Noor Nanji for BBC Panorama

Murder of Norwegian Student Martine Vik Magnussen
Piriyanga Thirunimalan for The Daily Mail

Stolen Lives: Who Gave Our Children HIV?
Ghazal Abbasi for BBC Eye & BBC World Service

The Truth About Asylum Hotels
Rahil Sheikh for BBC Panorama

Undercover In Britain’s Immigration Black Market
Shanti Das and Balagopal Balakrishnan for The Times

Regional Journalist of the Year

Anil Kumar Bharath – Journalist, BBC Yorkshire

Raj Kaur Bilkhu – Broadcast Journalist

Kumail Jaffer – Local Democracy Reporter, My London

Ravneet Nandra – Reporter, ITV Central

Rajiv Popat – Broadcast Journalist, ITV Central

Sharuna Sagar – Senior Journalist, BBC Look North

Outstanding Young Journalist

Aakifah Gani – Journalist & Reporter

Sarika Gandhi – Journalist, ITV News

Amrit Singh Mann – Journalist, Sky News

Aminah Rahman – Broadcaster & Presenter

Jasmine Sandhar – Journalist, BBC Newsbeat

Sports Journalist of the Year

Um-E-Aymen Babar – Sports Journalist, Sky Sports

Ayisha Gulati – Football Reporter, Hayters TV & FourFourTwo

Amar Mehta – News Editor, Sky Sports

Aatif Nawaz – Journalist and Broadcaster

Aadam Patel – Correspondent, BBC Sport

Naz Premji – Sports Broadcaster, BBC Sport, BBC 5Live & The Premier League

Kal Sajad – Boxing Journalist, BBC Sport

Report of the Year

60 Years of South Asian Broadcasting at the BBC: What’s Changed?
Anil Kumar Bharath for BBC Yorkshire

Air India Crash, Sole Survivor Interview
Navtej Johal for BBC Midlands

Sky News Investigates UK’s Immigration System
Lisa Holland & Amrit Singh Mann for Sky News

Stories of Colour
Sharuna Sagar for BBC Look North

Two Women Who Survived Abuse by Convicted Sex Offender
Sabah Choudhry for 5 News

RADIO:

Radio Presenter of the Year

Nadia Ali

Rena Annobil

Farzana Baduel

Raj Ghai

Hawa Kassam

Aaron Paul

Best Radio Show

Amir Suleman’s South Asian Community Show
BBC Various

Asian Network Trending
BBC Asian Network

Brasco on Brekkie
Lyca Radio

RadioWalli’s Rollercoaster
Lyca Radio

The Ameet Channa Show
Sunrise Radio

The Breakfast Show with Paul Shah
Sunrise Radio

The Vallisa Show
BBC Asian Network

Radio Station of the Year

ACR Asian Community Radio

Asian Star Radio

Lyca Radio

Panjab Radio

Sunrise Radio

Sunrise Radio Yorkshire

TV:

Best TV Character

Riz Ahmed as Shah Latif in Bait

Chris Bisson as Jai Sharma in Emmerdale

Tanisha Gorey as Asha Alahan in Coronation Street

Nabhaan Rizwan as Noa in Film Club

Rakhee Thakrar as Bel Richmond in Karen Pirie

Aaron Thiara as Ravi Gulati in EastEnders

Best Programme / Show

Bait
Left Handed Films for Prime Video

Saving Mum: Our Family Secret
Dancing Ledge Productions/StoryTell-Her Studios for Channel 4

Shabaz Asks: Are Billionaires Bad?
Hello Mary for BBC Three

The Rise of the Mixy
Ox-Boy Films

Vengeance Murder on the Heath
Halcyon Heart Films for Channel 4

MARKETING & PR:

Creative Media Award

Asian Women Run
Minreet Kaur for Asian Women Run CIC

Commonwealth Symphony
Rekesh Chauhan BEM for The Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust

Elephant Atta: From Home to Community
PR UK for Elephant Atta

Listen to Your Aunties Campaign
GottaBe! Marketing for DKMS UK

No Shame, Just Stories of Survival
Anisha Vasani Creates for The Fashion Brunch for International Women’s Day 2026

Media Agency of the Year

Curzon PR

Here&Now365

PR By Naz

PR UK

LIVE PRODUCTIONS:

Best Stage Production

A Thousand Splendid Suns
By Ursula Rani Sarma Based on the book by Khaled Hosseini; Originally co-produced by Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse and Leeds Playhouse

Camdenwalla
Writer & Director, Jonny Khan, Associate Director & Producer Sam Edmunds.

Frankie Goes to Bollywood
Directed by: Pravesh Kumar, Associate Director: Ameet Chana Rifco Theatre Company & BEAM Hertford

I Dream of Theresa May
Written by Vivek Nityananda, Directed by Natasha Kathi-Chandra. Tara Theatre.

Jerk Off
Written and Performed by Nadia P Manzoor

Period Parrrty
By Gayathiri Kamalakanthan, Directed by Gitika Buttoo. Kali theatre and Soho Theatre.

Planet Omar
Adapted by Asif Khan and directed Sameena Hussain. Based on the by Zanib Mian. A Production by Leeds Playhouse, in association with the Unicorn Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Sweetmeats
Written by Karim Khan, Director by Natasha Kathi-Chandra. Tara Theatre

Outstanding Stage Performance

Amar Chadha-Patel as AK in Foal

Asif Khan as multiple characters in Porn Play

Nadia P Manzoor as multiple characters in Jerk Off

Ambika Mod as Ani in Porn Play

Rehan Sheikh as Liaquat in Sweetmeats

Mitesh Soni as Dennis in The Play That Goes Wrong

Sonya Venugopal as Surinder in Surinderella

Best Live Event

Arijit Singh Live at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
PR UK & TCO Group

Bradford City Mela
Royale Festivals CIC

Indian Army at the Palace Live
Historic Royal Palaces & Rifco Arts

Leeds Road Festival
The Leap

Sabri Sisters Live
Qawwali World

PRINT & ONLINE:

Best Blog / Website

A Rosie World

BizAsia Live

DESIblitz

Luxurist Magazine

Best Podcast

Beard Before Wicket
Nubaid Haroon, Moeen Ali & Adil Rashid for No Ratings Studios

The Dad Project
Naroop Jhooti

The Shizzio Show
Shizzio

The Story Isn’t Over: History From The Margins
Amar Singh for Ramblings of a Sikh

Tommy’s Brownload
Tommy Sandhu, Kej & Sach for Fresh Naan Productions

SPECIAL AWARDS:

Best Video Channel

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony

Best Newcomer

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony

Diversity In Media Award

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony

The Sophiya Haque Services to British Television, Film & Theatre Award

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony

Media Personality of the Year

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony

Outstanding Contribution to Media Award

Winner to be announced at the AMA ceremony


This year’s Asian Media Awards return to the the Manchester Deansgate on Friday October 30.

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