The British Podcast Awards today unveils the 2025 shortlists for the Spotlight Award and Specialist Award, celebrating the most influential and original voices in UK podcasting. Alongside the judge-led categories, the current Top 10 podcasts in the fan-voted Listeners’ Choice Award have also been revealed, offering a first look at this year’s most loved shows by the public.

Hosted by comedian and podcaster Maisie Adam, the awards will take place on Thursday 2nd October 2025 at Indigo at The O2, London.

The Spotlight Award recognises podcasts commanding larger audiences, generating over 100,000 listens per episode in 30 days and helping to drive podcasting into the mainstream. 

The Specialist Award honours exceptional independent podcasts reaching niche audiences of less than 5,000 listens per episode in 30 days, and from underrepresented voices. 

2025 Shortlist for the Spotlight Award

• Elis James and John Robins – Audio Always

• Miss Me? – Persephonica for BBC Sounds

• Stalked – BBC Studios Audio

• The News Agents – Global

• The Traitors: Uncloaked – Platform Media for BBC

• Titanic: Ship of Dreams – Noiser

• Today in Focus – The Guardian

• Yoto Daily – Yoto

2025 Shortlist for the Specialist Award 

• Life After Prison – Prison Radio Association

• My Life with Dementia – by Arlie Adlington for Dementia UK

• On the Side of Humanity – Amnesty International

• RadioTherapy – Teenage Cancer Trust

• Sing it Pink – Aunt Nell

• Still Parents Podcast – The Lily Mae Foundation

• The Guernsey Deportees – OG Podcasts

Listeners’ Choice Award: Current Top 10 Revealed
Thousands of podcast fans have already cast their votes in the 2025 Listeners’ Choice Award, the only British Podcast Award category decided entirely by the public. While the race remains wide open, today’s Top 10 leaderboard offers an early look at who’s capturing listeners’ hearts.

Current Top 10 Podcasts (in alphabetical order):

• After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal - History Hit
• Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society - History Hit
• British Scandal - Wondery
• Elis James and John Robins - BBC 
• Staying Relevant - Staying Relevant Productions
• The Dr Louise Newson Podcast - Newson Health Group
• The Running Channel Podcast - The Running Channel
• The Socially Distant Sports Bar - Wondery
• Uncanny - BBC
• Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris 

Voting remains open until 23:59 on 8th September and listeners can back their favourite show at britishpodcastawards.com/voting. To ensure your vote counts, don’t forget to verify it via email.

The final six Listeners' Choice nominees will be announced on 11th September, with voting reopening briefly for the final round before the overall winner is revealed during the British Podcast Awards ceremony.

These three categories are part of a broader list of over 200 nominees across 26 awards, reflecting the diversity and energy of UK podcasting. Nominees across other categories this year include: David Tennant, Louis Theroux, Lily Allen & Miquita Oliver, Angela Hartnett & Nick Grimshaw, and The News Agents team.

Tickets for the ceremony are available now at britishpodcastawards.com/tickets