View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

David Frost honoured by Broadcasting Press Guild

By Paul McNally

Sir David Frost has won the outstanding achievement prize at this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild awards, judged by journalists who write about television and radio.

The veteran political journalist, whose famous interviews with former US president Richard Nixon were turned into a film last year, will accept the Harvey Lee award for outstanding achievement later today at a ceremony in London.

The BPG judges said the Frost/Nixon film “served as a reminder just how much he has brought to the television business”.

They praised Frost for combining entertainment and hard-hitting exposés in his 45-year career as a presenter and interviewer, and for his role as one of the founders of London Weekend Television and TV-am.

Frost, who celebrates his 70th birthday next month, currently presents a weekly current affairs programme on Al-Jazeera English.

The BBC dominated this year’s BPG awards, winning 12 of the 15 prizes, including a win for the corporation’s business editor Robert Peston, who was named best TV performer in a non-acting role.

In a year dominated by the economy, there was also an award for former BBC economics editor Evan Davis, whose debut on Radio 4’s flagship Today programme won him the prize for radio presenter of the year.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The innovation award went to the BBC iPlayer, which the judges said was “a breakthrough service that has brought online catch-up TV to a mass audience”.

The Broadcasting Press Guild awards are voted by a group of more than 100 journalists who specialise in writing about television, radio and the media in general.

They include media correspondents, reviewers and feature writers from newspapers, broadcasters and the trade press, including Press Gazette.

The awards, which are sponsored by CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting, will be presented at a lunch in London this afternoon.

Best single drama
Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley (Great Meadow Productions for BBC Four)

Best drama series
The Devil’s Whore (Company Pictures/Power Corp for Channel 4)

Best single documentary
Arena: The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector (BBC Productions/Vixpix for BBC Two)

Best documentary series
The American Future: A History by Simon Schama (Oxford Fim and Television for BBC Two)

Best comedy/entertainment
Outnumbered (Hat Trick Productions for BBC One)

Best factual entertainment
The Apprentice (TalkbackThames for BBC One)

Best multichannel programme
Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley (Great Meadow Productions for BBC Four)

Best actor
Kenneth Branagh (Wallender for BBC One)

Best actress
Andrea Riseborough (Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley for BBC Four and The Devil’s Whore for Channel 4)

Best TV performer in a non-acting role
Robert Peston (BBC News)

Writer’s award
Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (Outnumbered, Hat Trick Productions for BBC One)

Radio broadcaster of the year
Evan Davis (The Today Programme and The Bottom Line, BBC News for BBC Radio 4)

Radio programme of the year
The Radcliffe & Maconie Show (Smooth Operations for BBC Radio 2)

Innovation award
BBC iPlayer (BBC Future Media & Technology)

Harvey Lee award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting
Sir David Frost (Journalist, satirist, TV presenter, co-founder of London Weekend Television and TV-am)

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network