By Doug Wills, chair of London Press Club
What a news year it has been. ANOTHER new Prime Minister, an England football team that gave us hopes in the World Cup, the hottest temperature which sparked talk of AI Armageddon.
But some things remain the same… as in the quality of journalism including exclusives from the trusted British media brands.
We did have some new judges of the London Press Club annual awards in the team of media icons who had the task of judging the best of the best. And this year we have a new category of Photographer of the Year.
Today we announce the shortlists for the London Press Club annual awards.
The London Press Club Awards 2025 at Stationers’ Hall.
The winners will be announced at the Awards Lunch on Wednesday 21 October at Stationers’ Hall, near St Paul’s Cathedral.
Book your place HERE now.
Chair of the awards judging panel is Pete Clifton, former Editor in Chief of PA Media. He said: “The judges were hugely impressed by the high quality of the journalism across all the categories. There were tremendous scoops to consider, some very familiar names and stacks of up and coming talent. All topped, of course, by the Media Title of the Year.
“The awards lunch will once again be a fantastic celebration of all that is good in our proud industry.”
Tickets for the awards lunch are now available (all prices include VAT @20%). Prices have been frozen for the third year running.
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Table of 10: £2000 if booked before Sept 30, £2500 thereafter
- Individual: £250 if booked before Sept 30, £300 thereafter
- Press Club Member: £225 if booked before Sept 30, £250 thereafter (maximum two tickets per member)
- To book, email info@londonpressclub.co.uk.
THE SHORTLISTS:
PRESS MEDIA TITLE OF THE YEAR
- Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday
- Sun/Sun on Sunday
- Daily Telegraph/Sunday Telegraph
- The i Paper
- The Independent
- Times/Sunday Times
- The Economist
JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Fiona Hamilton, The Times
Fiona Hamilton repeatedly exposes injustice and failures by key institutions with her rigorous reporting and investigations.
Michael Hamilton, The Sun
Michael Hamilton broke the news that Soham killer Ian Huntley had been attacked in jail just two hours after it had happened. The story led the news for weeks as Hamilton followed up with further exclusives.
Mark Hookham, Mail on Sunday
Mark Hookham broke a series of major exclusives on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein which contributed to his exile from the Royal family.
Gabriel Pogrund, Sunday Times
Gabriel Pogrund consistently sets the agenda for others to follow with reporting that holds to account those in positions of power. An investigation into the web of secret payments from George Cottrell that supported Nigel Farage’s return to politics dominated headlines.
Gordon Rayner, The Telegraph
Gordon Rayner’s exclusive revealing how a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump was one of the biggest stories of the year, which continues to reverberate today.
POLITICAL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Patrick Maguire, The Times
As chief political commentator of The Times, Patrick Maguire followed with masterly authority and insight the fall of Keir Starmer and the rise of Andy Burnham.
Duncan Robinson, The Economist
As Bagehot columnist, Duncan Robinson has shown a high degree of wit and imagination, as well as a sense of fun, in his coverage of British politics.
Steven Swinford, The Times
The political editor of The Times, Steven Swinford has covered the British political canvas with exemplary judgment and authority.
Caroline Wheeler, The i Paper
Formerly political editor of The Sunday Times and now in the same post at The i Paper, Caroline Wheeler has repeatedly managed to squeeze exclusive news out of the inner sanctums of the Labour government during its past year of leadership turmoil.
BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR
Anna Botting, Sky News
Anna Botting is one of Sky News’s most accomplished and authoritative anchors, bringing calm and clarity to the biggest stories over three decades and now presenting The Wrap.
Lyse Doucet, BBC News
Lyse is shortlisted for her consistent enterprising and excellent reporting from Iran and Afghanistan.
Rohit Kachroo, ITV News
Rohit delivered a striking investigation revealing that a member of a neo-Nazi group had worked at Buckingham Palace
Matt Frei, C4 News
Matt Frei brings professionalism and clarity to his role presenting Channel 4 News at 7.
BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Ashley Armstrong, Financial Times
The FT’s chief UK business correspondent, Ashley Armstrong, has broken a stream of exclusive stories and interviews across different sectors.
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Telegraph
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard manages to cover the difficult and always changing world economy with authority and aplomb.
Oliver Gill, Sunday Times
Oliver Gill produced Sunday exclusives across a remarkable variety of sectors in the last year, from steel to automotive to hospitality to leisure to housebuilding, setting the week’s company news agenda.
Anna Isaac, The Guardian
Anna Isaac produced one of this year’s most arresting and important stories, that Nigel Farage had not declared a £5m gift from billionaire Christopher Harborne. The story ran and ran, prompting a parliamentary inquiry that is still ongoing.
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Jane Barlow, PA Media
Jane Barlow is a multiple-award winning photographer: Royal Photographer of the Year at the Picture Editors’ Guild, Sports Photographer of the Year in Scotland, and in 2023 the first photographer ever named Journalist of the Year.
Phil Noble, Reuters
On 19 February, with news breaking that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been arrested – the first arrest of a royal in almost four hundred years – nobody knew where he was being held. Phil Noble worked it out. His picture led front pages across the world.
Michael Regan, Getty Images
With Getty since 2009, working almost exclusively in football – Premier League, UEFA, FIFA. Michael Regan says the game is saturated with pictures and standing out has never been harder. He responds with his broader view of football.
SHOWBUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Decca Aitkenhead, The Times/Sunday Times
In a celebrity interview with Phil Collins, the rock star revealed to Decca Aitkenhead that he had spent five months in hospital. The piece was widely followed at home and abroad.
Tom Bryant, Daily Mirror
Impactful exclusives included the axing of Scott Mills as a BBC Radio 2 presenter.
Clemmie Moodie, The Sun
String of scoops from Clemmie Moodie went beyond the Beckham clan including her investigation into Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews.
Noor Nanji, BBC
Noor Nanji for her breathtaking reporting for Panorama on allegations of rape on Channel 4’s Married at First Sight UK.
SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Um-E-Aymen Babar, Sky Sports and Observer
Um-E-Aymen Babar’s reporting brings a fresh perspective on stories and goes into different fields, such as Afghan women sports.
Tumaini Carayol, The Guardian
Tumaini Carayol impressed the judges with both his news and columns report on the ever changing and complex world of tennis.
David Ornstein, The Athletic
David Ornstein’s coverage of football news is enterprising and in breaking stories that rival media channels often have to follow.
Martyn Zeigler, The Times
Martyn Zeigler’s story on FIFA President Ginanni Infantino’s unprecedented plans to create a new commercial entity was groundbreaking with coverage in the world’s media going beyond the sports page.
PODCAST OF THE YEAR
Electoral Dysfunction, Sky News
This smart, female-led podcast stands out for its considered, wise and witty approach. The show has packed a punch on big stories such as the Mandelson-Epstein scandal.
Iran: The Latest, The Telegraph
A tour de force which has been covering the twists and turns of the Iran war since it began. The ambition was to create a daily record of the conflict and co-hosts Venetia Rainey and Roland Oliphant have delivered.
The Daily T, The Telegraph
A strong, daily podcast that feels rooted in the heart of the newsroom and is expertly helmed by co-hosts Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley.
The Rachman Review, Financial Times
Chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman hosts this serious, geo-political podcast which has an expansive worldview and heavy-hitting guestlist.
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
BBC Panorama, ‘Undercover in the Police’
Undercover filming at Charing Cross police station exposed evidence of racism and misogyny among officers.
Bloomberg News, Mandelson and Epstein
The Bloomberg team uncovered emails revealing the extent of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein; hours later, he was dismissed as US ambassador.
Gordon Rayner, The Telegraph
Gordon Rayner exposed a leaked BBC memo questioning Panorama’s edit of a Donald Trump speech.
Martyn Ziegler, The Times, ‘FIFA’
Martyn Ziegler exposed Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell private investors a stake in a new company handling FIFA’s competitions, including the World Cup; the proposal was subsequently withdrawn.
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Noah Eastwood, The Telegraph
He has broken new ground reporting from the intersection of traditional personal finance issues, politics and consumer affairs.
Arthur Parashar, Daily Mail
A fantastic storyteller, he writes with sophistication, flair and humanity to deliver agenda-setting exclusives.
Jordana Seal, Daily Mail
Her five-month investigation into Catholic sect Opus Dei showed talent, determination and nerves of steel.
Mimi Yates, Daily Mail
Mimi is an investigative multimedia journalist working at the intersection of social media and public-interest reporting.
