ARIA Awards 2025 Nominees List: Full Categories & Finalists

The Radio Academy has officially unveiled the nominees for the 2025 Audio & Radio Industry Awards (ARIAS), spotlighting the pinnacle of audio and radio excellence in the United Kingdom. The forthcoming ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the newly selected venue, Leicester Square’s ODEON Luxe.

ARIA Awards 2025 – Complete Nominees List Across All Categories

The announcement event was hosted by talkSPORT’s Natalie Sawyer and Jim White at News UK, featuring appearances from notable figures such as Romesh Ranganathan, last year’s host, and previous winners Scott Mills and National Prison Radio’s Lady Unchained. Together, they revealed the 169 nominees contending across 21 distinct categories.

Table of Contents

Introduction of ‘Audio Brand of the Year’

In a move reflecting the dynamic evolution of the audio industry, the ARIAS has introduced a new category: ‘Audio Brand of the Year’. Nominees in this inaugural category include:

Apple Music Radio
BBC Sounds
Goalhanger Podcasts
Rayo – Bauer Media Audio UK
Tortoise Media
Yoto

This addition underscores the ARIAS’ commitment to recognizing innovative contributions within the audio landscape.

Statement from The Radio Academy

Aradhna Tayal Leach, Managing Director of The Radio Academy, expressed her enthusiasm:

“Each nominee showcases the exceptional storytelling, innovative teams, and diverse work that the UK proudly offers, impacting deep within local communities and making waves globally. The ARIAS is always one of the year’s highlights, and I’m excited to join my peers in celebrating the very best of UK audio and radio.”

Ticket Availability

Tickets for the ARIAS ceremony are available for purchase at radioacademy.org starting Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Attendees can anticipate an evening dedicated to honoring excellence in audio and radio.

Comprehensive List of Nominees

Below is the detailed list of nominees across all categories for the 2025 ARIAS:

Best Commercial Partnership Award

Dead River – Audio Always for Pogust Goodhead
Empowering Young Lives – KISS and KFC
Fun Kids Teacher of the Year with Collection Pot – Fun Kids
Hold or Fold with GambleAware – Prison Radio Association
The Mid.Point: Sweaty Betty Special – Spiritland Productions
Scottish Island Adventures – The Big Light

Best Event Coverage Award

BBC Proms 2024 – BBC Radio 3
Coldplay go Orange for Luton – BBC Three Counties Radio
Coverage of the Paralympics – RNIB Connect Radio
Forest are Magic – Forest Focus
Isle of Man TT Races: The TT Podcast – Audio Always
Magic Celebrates Diwali – Magic Radio
Radio 1’s Pedal Power for Red Nose Day – BBC Radio 1
Superscoreboard at EURO 2024 – Clyde 1
Sycamore Gap: One Year On – National Trust

Best Drama or Fiction Award

1984 – Audible
Central Intelligence – Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4
Life & Time – BBC Radio 4
The Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Poirot Mystery – Audible
One Hundred and Fifty Days – BBC Audio Scotland for BBC Radio 4
Ruthie Henshall Sees Dead People – Magic Radio
The Skies Are Watching – Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4
UNSINKABLE – Datura Studios and North Atlantic Ridge in association with B7 Media and AudioMarvels
Zeroes – BBC Studios Audio for Audible

Best Comedy Award (Show or Presenter)

Christmas Dinner with Kurupt FM – Prison Radio Association
Green Wing: Resuscitated – Audible
Help I Sexted My Boss – Audio Always
IM1: 60 Years and Counting, Sadly… – Manx Radio
Mark Steel’s in Town – BBC Radio 4
The Menagerie – Radio M29
The Skewer – Unusual Productions for BBC Radio 4
Time of The Week – DLT Entertainment for BBC Radio 4
Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake – Sony Music Entertainment

Best Factual Series Award (continued)

Grenfell: Building a Tower – BBC Studios Audio for BBC Sounds
Hard to Read – Reduced Listening for BBC Sounds
Lives Less Ordinary – BBC World Service
Manhunt: The Waltham Forest Killer – BBC Studios Audio for BBC Sounds
Ukraine War Diaries – Sky News StoryCast
Whose Reality Is It Anyway? – Tortoise Media

Best Health or Wellbeing Show

All The Small Things – BBC Radio 4
Ellie & Anna Have Issues – BBC Radio 1
Fertility Foundations – Fertility Help Hub
Full Disclosure with James O’Brien: Mental Health Specials – Global
James and Clair’s 2.0 – BBC Radio Scotland
Open Mind with Frankie Bridge – Spirit Studios for Boots
Open Up – BBC Asian Network
The Therapy Crouch – Stak
What’s The Craic? – U105

Best New Podcast

A Very British Cult – BBC Studios for BBC Sounds
Blossoms: Pubcast – Made in Manchester for Global Player
Call Jonathan Pie – Boffola Pictures & Audio Always
Daughter of a Cult – Novel for Global
The Footballer’s Football Podcast – BBC Radio 5 Live
Hooked on Freddie – Blanchard House
Human Error – Tortoise Media
Meltdown – Folding Pocket
Terribly Famous – Wondery

Best Music Breakfast Show

Ben Burrell at Breakfast – Absolute Radio Classic Rock
The Boogie & Arlene Breakfast Show – Forth 1
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show – Virgin Radio
Dean McCullough & Vicky Hawkesworth – BBC Radio 1
Fleur East’s Hits Radio Breakfast – Hits Radio
Greg James – The Radio 1 Breakfast Show – BBC Radio 1
KISS Breakfast with Jordan & Perri – KISS
Sam & Danni at Breakfast – Capital South Wales
Zoe Ball Breakfast Show – BBC Radio 2

Best Music Entertainment Show

Arielle Free – BBC Radio 1
BBC Introducing Rock – BBC Radio 1
Jamz Supernova on 6Music – BBC Radio 6 Music
Jazz FM Breakfast with Nigel Williams – Jazz FM
Jordan & Perri’s Friday Night Hits – KISS
Munya and Filly – BBC Sounds
Rickie, Melvin and Charlie – BBC Radio 1
Tom Ravenscroft – BBC Radio 6 Music
The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show – BBC Radio 2

Best Podcast

A Very British Cult – BBC Studios for BBC Sounds
Call Jonathan Pie – Boffola Pictures & Audio Always
Daughter of a Cult – Novel for Global
Hooked on Freddie – Blanchard House
Meltdown – Folding Pocket
Terribly Famous – Wondery
The Skewer – Unusual Productions for BBC Radio 4
Ukraine War Diaries – Sky News StoryCast
Whose Reality Is It Anyway? – Tortoise Media

Best Presenter

Anita Rani – BBC Radio 4
Clive Anderson – BBC Radio 4
Dan Walker – Classic FM
Edith Bowman – BBC Radio Scotland
Greg James – BBC Radio 1
James O’Brien – LBC
Lauren Laverne – BBC Radio 6 Music
Rylan Clark – BBC Radio 2
Vick Hope – BBC Radio 1

Best Speech Presenter

Amol Rajan – BBC Radio 4
Emma Barnett – BBC Radio 4
James O’Brien – LBC
Nicky Campbell – BBC Radio 5 Live
Sheila Fogarty – LBC
Stephen Nolan – BBC Radio 5 Live
Tom Swarbrick – LBC

Best Specialist Music Show

BBC Introducing with Gemma Bradley – BBC Radio Ulster
Cerys Matthews – BBC Radio 6 Music
Craig Charles: The Trunk of Funk – BBC Radio 6 Music
Jamz Supernova – BBC Radio 6 Music
Jools Holland – BBC Radio 2
Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation – BBC Radio 2