New Voice Awards - winners announced

The TV Foundation and the Edinburgh TV Festival have announced the winners of the New Voice Awards 2022.

The awards recognise the best undiscovered creatives and the companies who do the most to support them.

In a first for the Awards, a newly introduced category of Best Social Series was voted for by the public. Munya Chawawa, took the prize for his hugely popular, BAFTA nominated YouTube series, Race Around Britain, co-produced by Expectation and Chawawa’s production company, Munz Made It.

Best Web Series went to Stevo theMadMan for his StevotheDadMan Show and Channel 4 scored a double for their On the Edge anthology film, Cradled, as Chloe Wicks received the Victor Adebodun Debut Director Award and Nessah Muthy took home the Best Debut Writer supported by Big Deal Films. Former Premier League footballer turned presenter, Micah Richards, won the Best Debut Presenter Award for his moving documentary, Micah Richards: Tackling Racism from Buzz16 for Sky Documentaries and the Future Presenter Award went to Jameel Shariff.

In the All3Media New Script Award categories, there were wins for Freya Judd for Comedy script ‘God Squad’ and Jenny Takahashi Stark for Drama script ‘Weirdly Normal’. A special commendation went to Laith Elzubaidi for the drama script ‘An Impossible Homecoming’.

ITV won the Best Broadcaster for New Talent Award supported by The Farm and Wall of Productions received the Best Company for New Talent Award, with Bad Wolf getting a Special Commendation in this category. The Best Agency for New Talent went to InterTalent with Gritty Talent getting a Special Commendation.

Campbell Glennie, MD of the Edinburgh TV Festival and TV Foundation said; “The New Voice Awards provide a vital platform to rising stars, helping to launch careers and give recognition to new, undiscovered creative talent from all backgrounds. We also celebrate the companies doing right by those who want to make their voices heard and are invested in their future. We don’t believe in velvet ropes, black tie or VIP areas, this night is for everyone. This year, we’ve had more entries than ever before, and we are delighted to be back in person, in a bigger venue and we have been blown away by the talent here tonight.”

Full list of winners and nominees.

The Victor Adebodun Debut Director Award

The Debut Director Award is named in honour of the late Victor Adebodun. Victor was an alumnus of the Festival’s Ones to Watch Scheme and presented the 2018 Debut Director Award. Victor was a talented director, creative leader and managing director of Purple Geko, an award-winning production company.

This award is for directors who have received their first broadcast credit in 2021.

Lindsay Konieczny, Sudden Death: My Sister’s Silent Killer, BBC One & BBC 3 (Linear TX)
Ziyaad Desai, Bad Influencer: The Great Insta Con, BBC1 & BBC3
Louis Paxton, Ladybaby, BBC Three
Ashley Walters, Boys, Sky Arts
Poppy Begum, Queens of Rap, Channel 4
Chloe Wicks, On The Edge: Cradled, Channel 4
Theo Krekis, On The Edge: Superdad, Channel 4
Emily Turner, 24 Hours in Police Custody – The Horror House, Channel 4

Debut Writer supported by Big Deal Films

For writers who have received their first broadcast credit in 2021.

Julia Cranney, EastEnders, BBC One
Linda Duncan McLaughlin, River City, BBC Scotland
Jerome Holder, Boys, Sky Arts
Bolu Babalola, Big Age, Channel 4
Nessah Muthy, On The Edge: Cradled, Channel 4
David Ajao, The Big Breakfast, Channel 4

Debut Presenter

For presenters who have received their first broadcast credit in 2021.

Tylor Cartin, Tricked Out Tractors, BBC One Northern Ireland
Charlie Craggs, Transitioning Teens, BBC Three
Micah Richards, Micah Richards: Tackling Racism, Sky Documentaries
Zeze Millz, Unapologetic, Channel 4
Stuart Douglas, Phil & Kirstie’s Love It or List It, Channel 4’s Black To Front
Tayo Oguntonade, The Great House Giveaway, Channel 4

Future Presenter

Awarded to an aspiring presenter with strong potential.

Sophie Ward
Charlotte Cropper
Salina Zaher
Jameel Shariff
Charley Marlowe
Kate Whitaker

ALL3Media New Script Award – Drama

Awarded to a TV drama script by an unproduced, unrepresented writer.

Saskia Livingstone
Kenesha Asiedu
Suzy Cripps
Hannah Kelso
Rayn Epremian
David Cheung
MJ Warren
Abir Mohammad
Laith Elzubaidi – Special Commendation
Jenny Takahashi Stark

ALL3Media New Script Award – Comedy

Awarded to a TV comedy script by an unproduced, unrepresented writer.

Hanna Tatschl
Benjamin Salmon
Stella Ajayi
Simon Kay
Freya Judd
Tom Lynas
Scarlett Kefford
Olympia Christofinis

Best Social Series:

Julie’s Top 5
The Zeze Millz Show
Secret Sauce
Does the Shoe Fit
Celebrity Rebrand
Race Around Britain
Blue Therapy
We Do That with Nella Rose and Harry Pinero
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing with Patricia Bright

Best Web Series

Boss Babes – Cassie Smyth
Betsy & Bella (are cousins) – Annabella Forbes & Bettine Mackenzie,
Sessions – Jack Harris
Life In ADHD – A Comedy From The Neurodiverse Universe – Lorelei Mathias & Tristan Alice Nieto
StevoTheDadMan Show – Stevo TheMadMan,

Best Broadcaster for New Talent Supported by The Farm