Bridget Christie and Olga Koch are among the performers in the Finals of the 2022 BBC Audio Drama Awards. 

A wide selection of programme categories includes a new adaptation of Jungle Book, original drama such as Life is a Radio in the Dark and comedy including Olga Koch: OK Computer and Drop the Dead Panda. Technical excellence is showcased in programmes such as U.ME: the Musical and best podcast contenders include Passenger List.

The date for the awards ceremony is now Friday 25 March in the Radio Theatre, BBC Broadcasting House. At this stage, the BBC is still working to Covid precautions and therefore hopes to be able to welcome a limited audience, with priority given to the finalists. The situation will be kept under review and further invitations extended should this be possible.

The BBC Audio Drama Awards recognise the hard work, creativity and dedication of professionals across the sector, from actors to writers, producers, and sound designers. The awards showcase diverse artistic endeavours, a wide range of formats, tackling an array of themes, and spanning both on air and online productions. As the biggest commissioner of audio drama globally, the BBC is proud to celebrate the achievements of the sector.

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the awards highlighting the best and brightest in the field. For a second year running, programme-makers have worked in challenging conditions, refining their approach to remote recording in order to continue providing the delight and escapism that audio drama offers to listeners in their millions.

Best Actor

Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls

• Edmund Davies, The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles, director Pauline Harris, BBC Audio Drama North
• Simon Russell Beale, Folk, director Sue Roberts, BBC Audio Drama North
• Giles Terera, The Meaning of Zong, director Tom Morris, Jonx Productions

Best Actress

• Juliet Aubrey, Dead Weather, director Nicolas Jackson, Afonica
• Jasmine Hyde, Little Blue Lines, director Gemma Jenkins, BBC Audio Drama London
• Amanda Lawrence, Folk, director Sue Roberts, BBC Audio Drama North

Best Supporting Performance

• Paul Chahidi, Rodgers and Hart and Hammerstein, director Abigail le Fleming, BBC Audio Drama London
• Claire Price, Dead Weather, director Nicolas Jackson, Afonica
• Joanne Whalley, Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls, director Rosalind Ayres, Jarvis & Ayres Productions

The Marc Beeby Award for Best Debut Performance

• Ray Castleton, Cornerstone, director Gemma Jenkins, BBC Audio Drama London
• Saran Morgan, Release, director John Norton, BBC Cymru Wales
• Jacoba Williams, Precious Little Thing, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, Feral

Best Original Single Drama

• Dead Weather by Hattie Naylor, producer Nicolas Jackson, Afonica
• Life is a Radio in the Dark by Will Eno, producer Sally Avens, BBC Audio Drama London
• You & Me by Dan Rebellato, producers Polly Thomas and Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions

Best Adaptation

Jungle Book

• Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, adapted by Ayeesha Menon, producers Nadir Khan & Ayeesha Menon, Goldhawk Productions
• Mr Waring of the BBC, adapted from various sources by Freddie Phillips, producer Gemma Jenkins, BBC Audio Drama London
• The Rainbow by DH Lawrence, adapted by Linda Marshall Griffiths, producer Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

Best Original Series or Serial

• Life Lines by Al Smith, producer Sally Avens, BBC Audio Drama London
• London Particular by Nick Perry, producer Sasha Yevtushenko, BBC Audio Drama London
• The System by Ben Lewis, producer Kirsty Williams, BBC Scotland

Best Scripted Comedy (Longform)

• Bridget Christie: Mortal by Bridget Christie, producer Carl Cooper, BBC Studios
• God Squad by Jack Chisnall and Barney Fishwick, producer David Tyler, Pozzitive
• Olga Koch: OK Computer by Olga Koch, Charlie Dinkin and Rajiv Karia, producer Benjamin Sutton, BBC Studios

Best Scripted Comedy (Sketch Show)

• Drop the Dead Panda by Evelyn Mok, Ken Cheng, Amille Jampa-Ngoen, Vivian Xie, Joanne Lao, Bruce Tang, producer Sam Michell, BBC Studios
• Gemma Arrowsmith: Emergency Broadcast by Gemma Arrowsmith, producer Victoria Lloyd, BBC Studios
• Sound Heap by John-Luke Roberts, with Cariad Lloyd, Charlie George, Deborah Frances-White, Gareth Gwynn, Katherine Parkinson, Katy Brand, Ken Cheng, Kieran Hodgson, Paddy Gervers, Ruth Bratt, Saima Ferdows, Sooz Kempner, Amy Gledhill & Chris Cantrill, Tom Allen, Tom Neenan and Toussaint Douglass, producer Ed Morrish, Lead Mojo

Best Use of Sound

• Creation of the Birds, composed and produced by Sami El-Enany, Falling Tree
• The Meaning of Zong, sound by Jon Nicholls, Jonquil Panting, Giles Terera, producer Jonquil Panting, Jonx Productions
• U.ME: the Musical, sound by Steve Levine, producers Lewis Borg-Cardona and Steve Levine, Magnum Opus Broadcasting

Best European Drama

• Down, By Law by Mila Čuljak, producer Katja Šimunić, HRT Croatian Radio
• The Lion by Martin Algus, adapted by Andres Noormets, producer Andres Noormets, ERR Estonian Public Broadcasting
• Nutshell by Ian McEwan, adapted by Eva Blechová, producer Klará Novotná, CZR Czech Radio

Best Podcast or Online Audio Drama

• Blis-ta by Sonya Hale, producer Mimi Findlay, Clean Break
• The Cipher by Brett Neichin and Janina Matthewson, producers John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn, Goldhawk Productions
• Passenger List Series 2 by John Scott Dryden., Lauren Shipman, Meghan Fitzmartin, Janina Matthewson, Sarah Lotz, Mark Henry Phillips, producers John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn, Goldhawk Productions

IMISON AWARD 2022

• The Chronicles of Wild Willow by Harvey Badger, Angus Maxwell and Christian Powlesland, producer Shouting is Funny for Spotify
• The Lemonade Lads by Faebian Averies, producer James Robinson, BBC Cymru Wales for BBC Radio 4
• Welcome to Medpatch by Kev Core, producer Gary Brown, BBC Audio Drama North for BBC Radio 4
• Yellow Lips by Katie Redford, producer Tracey Neale, BBC Audio Drama London for BBC Radio 4

TINNISWOOD AWARD 2022

• Blis-ta by Sonya Hale, producer Mimi Findlay, Clean Break for Spotify
• Life is a Radio in the Dark by Will Eno, producer Sally Avens, BBC Audio Drama London for BBC Radio 3
• The Piper by Vickie Donoghue and Natalie Mitchell, producers Kate Rowland and Russell Finch, Somethin’ Else for BBC Sounds

The categories are judged by a team of industry experts including actors Julie Hesmondhalgh, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Adrian Scarborough, writers Ming Ho and Avin Shah and theatre critic Susannah Clapp. In its 11-year history, the BBC Audio Drama Awards has presented trophies to an array of talents including David Threlfall, Vicky McClure, Danny Sapani, Dame Sian Phillips, Susan Wokoma, Sir Tom Stoppard, Sir Ian McKellen, Neil Gaiman, Monica Dolan, Alexei Sayle and The Archers.

The BBC Audio Drama Awards 2022 cover audio dramas first broadcast in English in the UK between 1 October 2020 and 31 October 2021 or first uploaded/published/released for free listening online in the UK during the same period. Productions may be entered from anywhere in the world subject to these criteria. In addition, the Best European Audio Drama welcomes dramas in languages other than English.

Entries were welcome from all makers of audio drama, and were not restricted to BBC broadcasts. Each programme producer could enter up to four categories (one entry only per category). The audio drama had to be submitted exactly as broadcast or uploaded. There was no entry fee.