Congratulations to the winners of the Press Awards for 2020
The Press Awards 2020 celebrate a remarkable year of brilliant journalism in the midst of a catastrophic global pandemic.
Newsrooms emptied almost overnight as the coronavirus produced national lockdown – and journalists rose to the challenge, inventing new ways of working at a critical time for the nation. A decade of change was compressed into a week.
Despite this disruption, the press continued to do its job: representing the interests of readers, holding power to account, and telling the story of the human impact of the virus. As fake news online put lives at risk, the press, with its high editorial standards, presented news that could be trusted.
In addition, the titles competing for this year’s awards reported so much more – telling powerful stories across the whole spectrum of content in a wide range of styles to suit their readers. All of those different voices are part of the rich diversity of the British press and are equally valued and respected by these awards. These are the industry’s awards – with judges drawn from every title assessing their peers to ensure that excellence is recognised in all areas, whether broadsheet or tabloid, in print or online. The Press Awards thanks those judges for devoting their time to this important task. The Awards also thanks the journalists who have submitted their work in this historic year.
The awards recognise coverage about diversity – and also reflect the determination of the industry to tackle this challenge. There is a Special Award for the Journalism Diversity Fund, which is funded by the industry and is celebrating 15 years of success, during which time it has granted more than 400 bursaries to help journalists enter the industry.
The Awards also thanks the sponsors for their commitment to supporting high quality journalism. Many thanks to Camelot, a supporter since 2001, Facebook Journalism Project, Google, Amazon, Luther Pendragon, Springer Nature, Newsworks, The Careers Office, DialAFlight, the Cecil King Memorial Foundation, the Journalists’ Charity, and the British Journalism Review.
With thanks to our supporters
Special Awards
SUPPORTED BY THE CECIL KING MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
Highly Commended:
Sarah Newey, The Telegraph
A promising young journalist with wonderful observational skills. Great writing brings her reporting to life, with a stand-out piece from the Amazon.
Highly Commended:
Gabrielle Donnelly, Daily Mail
An excellent portfolio of entries which display charm and fun in abundance.
Highly Commended:
Charlotte Edwardes, The Times
Clever, witty and always a pleasure to read, Edwardes provides the punch by challenging her subjects and teasing out great lines from political figures.
Highly Commended:
Tech and Science Daily, Evening Standard
Slick, informative and accessible. Boasting a commendable reach in a growing market, this snappy podcast immediately appeals by distilling the latest updates into must-know information.
Highly Commended:
Stories of our times, The Times and The Sunday Times
A powerful storytelling tool which excels by taking listeners beyond the headlines while also delivering hard-hitting journalism.
SPONSORED BY SPRINGER NATURE
Highly Commended:
Clive Cookson, Financial Times
Astute and authoritative writing pulls together the international sweep of the pandemic and the scientific response. Excellent reporting on the medical symptoms of Covid which confounded doctors.
Highly Commended:
Clemmie Moodie, The Sun
A strong trio of submissions, including an impressive early scoop on This Morning’s Ruth and Eamonn.
SPONSORED BY FACEBOOK JOURNALISM PROJECT
Highly Commended:
Tom Worville, The Athletic UK
Worville’s work elevates the fact ‘n’ figure analyses of sporting events and takes the concept to a sublime level. Refreshing insights to be relished by football fans.
Highly Commended:
Tim Harford, Financial Times
Harford’s eye-popping investigations into the seemingly dull world of statistics are masterful, giving the reader a chance of comprehending the Covid-19 crisis as our lives changed forever. If you read it, you will never forget it.
SPONSORED BY LUTHER PENDRAGON
Highly Commended:
John Arlidge, The Sunday Times Magazine
Arlidge’s perseverance paid off to tell an incredible story of the former Nissan CEO who escaped house arrest and stowed away on a private jet. Just one part of an outstanding portfolio, with unmissable interviews from Sharon White and James Dyson.
Highly Commended:
Priya Elan, The Guardian
Commanding writing that holds power to account, with reportage from racism in the Italian fashion industry to an astute opinion piece on Dominic Cummings’ style as a political distraction. Smart yet utterly accessible, Elan shows that fashion journalism is more than just garments.
Highly Commended:
Matthew Sweet, 1843 Magazine
Offering fascinating insight into the cultural and political significance of fashion, Street’s writing is expertly researched. A rare treat to see fashion history given such weight when informing discussion of contemporary trends.
SPONSORED BY AMAZON
Highly Commended:
Leslie Hook, Financial Times
Original and forward-looking journalism told with clarity and deeply researched. Hook’s piece on the role of deforestation and climate change in causing the next pandemic is a gripping and vital investigation.
More from Dylan Martinez:
Highly Commended:
Hollie Adams, Bloomberg
Adams’s imagination and determination shines through in her selection. A different spin on the same subjects makes her images unique and pleasantly refreshing. The Dominic Cummings photo summed up such a huge moment in political and Covid coverage.
More from Bradley Ormesher:
Highly Commended:
Carl Recine, Reuters
Recine’s selection encapsulates the last year’s lockdown news through sport photography, including a powerful representation of footballers taking the knee.
More from Morten Morland:
Highly Commended:
Matt Pritchett, The Telegraph
An endless talent to see the humour in some of the most difficult topics. Each cartoon delivers real charm on a consistent basis.
SPONSORED BY DIALAFLIGHT
Highly Commended:
Joshua Hunt, 1843 Magazine
Through a series of painstakingly crafted interviews and a forensic eye for detail, Hunt recorded a journal of life inside the cruise ship which saw passengers trapped on the coast of Japan in the earliest days of the Covid crisis. A terrifying and compelling account.
Highly Commended:
Tom Robbins, Financial Times
Robbins struck an excellent balance in a challenging year for travel journalism. His pieces on the future of the post-Brexit chalet holiday and a Kent safari were both evocative and escapist.
Highly Commended:
Nicolas Pelham, 1843 Magazine
Pelham’s first-person piece about being held captive in Iran, and what the experience taught him about the country, was exquisite. Like the very best foreign correspondence, it told a story that helps readers understand a faraway place with subtlety and deftness.
Highly Commended:
Laura Donnelly, The Telegraph
An impressive series of exclusives. Forensic data journalism that has clearly pinpointed errors which led to a huge human toll and exposed critical failings in the government’s handling of the pandemic.
Highly Commended:
Simon Akam, 1843 Magazine
Powerful reporting which brings out the impact of the pandemic on NHS staff, while also shedding light on structural challenges. Beautifully written, often harrowing and, above all, human.
Highly Commended:
Andy Bull, The Guardian
The revelation that modern-day rugby stars were already suffering from dementia was heartbreakingly told and opened a wound in the sport that may take a long time to heal. Sensitive yet powerful interviews, which also included an important exploration of the lost generation of black cricketers.
Highly Commended:
George Parker, Financial Times
Parker has been a must-read journalist in 2020, from his rich and forensic long reads on Cummings and Covid to his revelations on the turmoil in No 10 and Whitehall. Insightful journalism.
Highly Commended:
Steven Swinford, The Times
One of the best carriers of political exclusives in Westminster. At the forefront of Covid reporting, Swinford’s stories about new lockdowns and exam fiascos are of urgent and national importance.
Highly Commended:
Tim Shipman, The Sunday Times
Shipman’s style and sourcing is top notch. Packed with weapons-grade insight and anecdotes, his extended pieces are the gold standard in terms of assessing the weekly drama of Westminster.
Highly Commended:
Tom McTague, The Atlantic
McTague’s long-read features are beyond comparison. These are the pieces to look to when making broader sense of an issue – and his writing is a dream to read.
Highly Commended:
Oliver Harvey, The Sun
With a blend of undercover reporting, in-depth research and vivid tabloid writing, Harvey takes the reader with him on his journalistic journeys, be it sailing alongside a migrant dinghy in the Channel or exposing organ-traffickers in the Far East.
Highly Commended:
Christina Lamb, The Sunday Times
Lamb demonstrates extraordinary depth and range throughout her writing. She covered Sophie Wessex’s royal trip to South Sudan with humanity and compassion, and wrote an uplifting feature on a Shrewsbury hotel that took in the homeless during the pandemic.
Highly Commended:
Dave Lee, Financial Times
Probing work on the ethics of Big Tech. From an investigation into Amazon reviewers to a beautifully written interview with the Uber CEO, Lee provided a diverse submission of detailed and compelling reporting.
Highly Commended:
The Guardian
From enormous coverage inspired by the BLM movement to the disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on ethnic minority communities, the Guardian shows the importance of having journalists from diverse backgrounds, which pays dividends in reporting.
SPONSORED BY THE CAREERS OFFICE
Highly Commended:
Barnie Choudhury, Eastern Eye
Choudhury has been consistent in producing high-impact journalism on topics from institutional racism to the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on south Asian and black communities.
Highly Commended:
Camilla Long, The Sunday Times
Spiky, funny and devastatingly accurate, Long’s television reviews are not only enjoyable to read, but give a genuine insight into the programme itself.
Highly Commended:
Oliver Holt, The Mail on Sunday
Adept at harnessing the emotional power and pull of sport to get important issues talked about – often articulating important truths on topics many find difficult to discuss. Holt’s column on Alzheimer’s Disease was deeply personal and affecting.
Highly Commended:
Marina Hyde, The Guardian
Superbly written and wickedly irreverent, these columns on our political leaders during the pandemic have far greater impact than the most learned editorial. From Rashford to Cummings, Hyde captures the mood of the nation with her usual panache.
Highly Commended:
Stephen Wright, Daily Mail
New angles on long-running stories included an explosive series on Prince Andrew/Virginia Roberts, as well as a ground-breaking podcast series on the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry.
SPONSORED BY FACEBOOK JOURNALISM PROJECT
Highly Commended:
Data and Digital Storytelling Team, The Times and The Sunday Times
A standout use of data in storytelling. Accompanied by beautiful and thought-provoking visualisations, the team’s original work has offered rigorous reporting on topics that readers genuinely care about.
Highly Commended:
Spectator Data Hub, The Spectator
Both interactive and accessible, the Spectator’s Covid-19 Data Hub stands out as an incredibly useful resource. Directly giving the public access to raw figures, so readers can test theories and are empowered to find things out for themselves.
Highly Commended:
Bloomberg Green
The Climate Data Dash is sobering yet engaging and the reporting sharp and fresh. Bringing the empirical tone of financial and business news to climate coverage will encourage new perspectives and hopefully inspire solutions.
Highly Commended:
The Guardian’s Daily Edition App
An inventive way of synthesising the best of digital and print journalism, curation and design. Cleverly packaged and a great way to engage returning readers.
Highly Commended:
Megxit, The Sun
A cracking exclusive on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s move to Canada, exposing seismic fissures within the royal family. A global tale with human dimensions and of vast constitutional significance.
Highly Commended:
£335m Victoria Beckham gets taxpayer to pay staff’s wages, by Katie Hind of The Mail on Sunday
This global story had the gasp factor that all good scoops must have and resulted in a public U-turn from the embarrassed Brand Beckham.
Highly Commended:
SAS war crimes, The Sunday Times
Part of a painstaking four-year investigation into suspected war crimes by British special forces in Afghanistan, the Insight team’s harrowing evidence held the highest powers to account.
Highly Commended:
Cummings broke lockdown rules, Daily Mirror
Revealed: Dominic Cummings breaks lockdown, The Guardian
A joint investigation which put a powerful player under the spotlight and exposed the inner workings of the Johnson regime. A brilliant story.
Highly Commended:
Sir Bobby Charlton, by Jeremy Wilson, The Telegraph
Wilson’s disclosure of Sir Bobby Charlton’s dementia diagnosis shone a devastating light on football’s handing of the health crisis. It also provided much impetus to the paper’s Tackle Football’s Dementia Scandal campaign.
Highly Commended:
Bloomberg
Intimate access to, and understanding of, Brexit negotiations and details, coupled with superb graphics. Bloomberg’s team were able to scoop rivals in arguably the most overcrowded and hotly contested field in British financial journalism – the Brexit deal.
Highly Commended:
The Rich List, The Sunday Times
Nimbly updated to give a snapshot of the chaos being wreaked by Covid on the nation’s wealth, the Rich List continues to be a hugely significant social document of our times.
Highly Commended:
Femail, Daily Mail
Absolutely on the pulse, fiercely opinionated and daring to go where others wouldn’t, Femail delivers must-read content which empowers its readers.
Highly Commended:
YOU, The Mail on Sunday
YOU offers an aspirational buffet of feel-good features and lifestyle along with a great balance of interviews and investigations. A class act.
Highly Commended:
Young, British and Black, The Guardian
A front page that showed commitment to a story, and the people in the story, with design flair.
SPONSORED BY NEWSWORKS
Highly Commended:
Mail Force, Daily Mail
This is a campaign that made a real difference in helping save lives during a massive news story. Its readers fully bought into the concept and the amount raised was extraordinary.
SUPPORTED BY THE BRITISH JOURNALISM REVIEW
Runner-up:
The Excluded – disruptive pupils campaign, Evening Standard
David Cohen’s investigation into the permanent exclusion of disruptive pupils from schools revealed that the true rate was double what the government announced, sparking a vigorous Standard campaign challenging the Department for Education’s methods of dealing with persistently disruptive young people. While reporting how pupil referral units are poor value for money and have become recruiting centres for gangs, the campaign secured £1.2million funding for a unique pilot programme in London and offered eight secondary schools grants of £150,000 over three years – a great step forward for society.
SPONSORED BY GOOGLE NEWS INITIATIVE
Highly Commended:
FT.com
This website serves up just what its audience requires. Its investigations, such as that into Wirecard, were meticulous and expertly executed. Little wonder that this was another record-breaking year for it.
SPONSORED BY CAMELOT
Highly Commended:
The Mail on Sunday
A highly successful package of exclusives, campaigns and hard-hitting stories. Its Sunday package is still at the top of its game, offering something for all.
SPONSORED BY CAMELOT
Highly Commended:
Daily Mirror
A brilliant campaigning newspaper which broke the biggest political scoop of the year, as well as delivering change on those issues it has raised on behalf of its readers.
List of winners
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