Asian Media Awards 2021: Nominations list

The shortlist of the final nominees for the 9th ceremony of the Asian Media Awards have been announced.

The shortlist recognises the work of journalists, writers, broadcasters and bloggers from across the UK.

It also highlights the contribution of media professionals in the creative and marketing industry.

Winners will be announced at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday 29th October. The event, the first for two years, will be held in accordance with government restrictions at the time.

BizAsia has once again been shortlisted for ‘Best Website’ award.

Journalist of the Year
• Anushka Asthana – Deputy Political Editor, ITV News
• Rishma Dosani – Assistant Entertainment Editor, Metro UK
• Rohit Kachroo – Global Security Editor, ITV News
• Secunder Kermani – Pakistan & Afghanistan Correspondent, BBC News
• Rahil Shiekh – Journalist, BBC Panorama
• Nalini Sivathasan – Broadcast Journalist, BBC Asian Network
• Darshna Soni – Home Affairs Correspondent, Channel 4 News

Best Investigation
• Covid Critical: One Doctor’s Story
Filmed & directed by Dr Saleyha Ahsan for Channel 4 Dispatches
• India’s Forgotten People
Directed & Hosted by Deana Uppal; Produced by DKU Media; Co Produced by Richard Blanshard & Edited by Miranda Watts
• Libya’s ‘Game of Drones’
Investigated by Benjamin Strick; Nader Ibrahim; Leone Hadavi and Manisha Ganguly for BBC News Africa
• Nearly 1,500 Allegations of Sexual Misconduct by Police Officers
Reported by Yasminara Khan; Produced by Sean Clare; Camera by Jonathan Callery & Tony Mewse for BBC Newsnight
• The Plight of Overseas Students During Lockdown
Reported by Anja Popp; Produced by Shaheen Sattar for ITN Channel 4 News

Regional Journalist of the Year
• Yasmin Bodalbhai – Reporter & Presenter, ITV Central
• Pamela Gupta – Freelance Reporter
• Navtej Johal – Journalist, BBC East Midlands
• Charanpreet Khaira – Reporter, ITV Wales
• Nazia Mogra – Producer & Presenter, BBC North West
• Monika Plaha – Reporter & Presenter, BBC Look North
• Rajiv Popat – Reporter & Presenter, ITV Central
• Gurdip Thandi – Local Democracy Reporter, Birmingham Mail/Birmingham Live

Outstanding Young Journalist
• Naina Bhardwaj – Reporter, Daily Record
• Alyshea Chand – Digital News Producer, ITN Productions
• Andrew Misra – Journalist, ITV Tyne Tees & ITV Border
• Meera Navlakha – Freelance Writer
• Renuka Odedra – Freelance Journalist
• Jeevan Ravindran – Freelance Journalist
• Megan Samrai – Reporter, Berkshire Live
• Aisha Zahid – News Reporter, Sky News

Sports Journalist of the Year
• Vaishali Bhardwaj – Reporter & Presenter
• Sachin Nakrani – Writer & Editor, Guardian Sport
• Aaron Paul – Reporter, Commentator & Presenter, BBC Radio 5 Live Sport
• Kal Sajad – Broadcast Journalist, BBC Sport
• Miriam Walker-Khan – Freelance Sports Journalist

Report of the Year
• BAME Sexual Abuse: ‘Failures’ of Victims to be Investigated
Reported by Yasminara Khan; Produced by Hannah Barnes; Camera & Edited by Keith Morris for BBC Newsnight
• More Cultural Support Needed in Mental Health for South Asians
Aisha Zahid for Sky News
• Music Boosts Memories for Ethnic Minority Dementia Patients
Shabnam Mahmood for BBC News
• Muslim Female Councillor
Rahila Bano for BBC Asian Network & BBC News
• Orphanage Scandal
Yasmin Khatun Dewan for TRT World
• Quarantine In Hotels
Gaggan Sabherwal for BBC News and BBC World Service
• Youngest Covid Victim in the UK
Darshna Soni for Channel 4 News

Radio Presenter of the Year
• Anushka Arora
• Raj Baddhan
• Ankur Desai
• Raj Ghai
• DJ Haashim
• Noreen Khan

Best Radio Show
• Bobby Friction – BBC Asian Network
• Breakfast with Gillie & Vallisa Chauhan – Lyca Radio
• Breakfast with Harpz Kaur – BBC Asian Network
• The Official Turn Up – Asian FX
• Sonia Dutta – Sunrise Radio
• The Bee & Brekky Show – Asian FX

Radio Station of the Year
• Asian FX
• BBC Asian Network
• Lyca Radio
• Sunrise Radio

Best TV Character
• Jaz Deol as Kheerat Panesar in Eastenders
• Kulvinder Ghir as Cyril in Still Open All Hours
• Shelley King as Yasmeen Metcalfe in Coronation Street
• Nikesh Patel as Tom Kapoor in Starstruck
• Paige Sandhu as Meena Jutla in Emmerdale

Best Programme / Show
• Being British Bangladeshi
BBC Three
• My God, I’m Queer
Behind The Facade Films for Channel 4
• The Wedding Guru
Yeti Television for BBC Wales
• We are Lady Parts
Working Title Films for Channel 4

Best Publication / Website
• BizAsia
• Burnt Roti
• DesiBlitz
• Eastern Eye

Best Blog
• Fresh and Fearless
• Halal Food Travel Guy
• Harnaam Kaur
• NotYourWife

Best Podcast
• Brown Girls Do It Too
• Expulsion@50
• It’s Preeti Personal
• No Country for Young Women
• Red Hot Chilli Writers
• The Shabby and Man Podcast

Creative Media Award
• ‘Football and Me’
The Football Association
• ‘Get In Cambridge’
University of Cambridge
• Same Voices Unite: West End Stars Raise Awareness for India Covid Relief
Irvine Iqbal
• #StrongerRoots : Every Strand Tells A Story
Ethnic Reach for Vatika UK
• #TakeTheVaccine : Vaccine Hesitancy Campaign for Ethnic Minority Communities
Media Hive

Media Agency of the Year
• Alliance Advertising
• Ethnic Reach
• House of Advertising
• Media Hive

Best Stage Production
• Full English
• Jabala and the Jinn
• Misfits
• May Queen
• Nartan Online Series 2020
• Tickbox

AMA Best Newcomer
• 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