The BBC tops this year’s awards longlist with 19 nominations across its channels and on iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with eight, Sky Documentaries with five, Netflix with three, Prime Video, ITV, National Geographic and Mubi with two, and one each for Disney+ TNT Sports, and RTE.

The Grierson Trust has a strong commitment to improving inclusivity within the documentary and factual television genres and asks entrants include information on the diversity of directors, the wider production team and on-screen themes. This year’s nominations include entries made by 35 female directors, including all the films nominated for Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic category, and 42 male directors (some productions are co-directed).

Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of the Grierson Trust said: “This year’s Grierson Award nominations showcase the incredible talent of documentary filmmakers from a wide range of backgrounds. I’m especially pleased to see the growing number of female directors recognised, given how long this has been a challenge for our industry. The rise in documentaries directed by women reflects the efforts of commissioners, production companies and others who are working to redress the balance and support female creative talent. These nominations also highlight the continuing strength and appeal of observational documentaries, at a time when many in the industry have been questioning their role and relevance within an evolving television landscape.”

London and Glasgow-based Rogan Productions has three nominations: one for The Search for Nicola Bulley in the Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic category and two for Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks (BBC) which is nominated in the Channel 4 Best Popular Culture Documentary category, with Rose Ayling-Ellis also up for Best Documentary Presenter.

Five production companies have two nominations each: Acme for The Trouble With Mr Doodle (theatrical release) and Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire (BBC), Curious Films for Boyzone: No Matter What (Sky Documentaries) and Shoot to Kill: Terror on the Tube (Channel 4), Fee Fi Foe for Apollo 13: Survival (Netflix) and This Is Endometriosis in the Best Documentary Short category, Firecrest Films for Murder Trial: Girl in the River and Poppy Jay in the Best Documentary category for Young, British and Anti-Abortion (BBC), and Lightbox for The Trouble With Mr Doodle (theatrical release) and What They Found (BBC).

Four documentaries have been nominated in multiple categories: Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park for Best Crime and Justice Documentary, and Netflix Best Documentary Series; No Other Land for the Broadcast International Best Single Documentary – International, and Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary; Small Town, Big Riot – Episode 2 for the Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary and Best Documentary Presenter, and Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks for the Channel 4 Best Popular Culture Documentary as well as Best Documentary Presenter.

The nominations for Best Presenter reflect the rise of diverse talent within UK broadcasting:

• Blindboy Boatclub for Blindboy: The Land of Slaves & Scholars
• Mobeen Azhar for Small Town, Big Riot
• Poppy Jay for Young, British and Anti-Abortion
• Rose Ayling-Ellis for Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks

The two new categories for this year’s awards reflect one of the fastest growing documentary genres and recognise successful returning series. Nominations for the Best Crime and Justice Documentary award span UK and international subjects including the 7/7 attacks, how an innocent man spent 17 years in jail in one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice, institutional racism and police misconduct following the murder of two sisters, and the crackdown on reproductive rights in the US.

The Best Returning Documentary Series award celebrates the strength and importance of returning documentary formats to broadcasters, streamers and producers in today’s competitive television landscape. The nominations cover subjects including cutting edge surgery, police investigations, and the ethics of capital punishment.

The All3Media Best Student Documentary category includes three nominations for the National Film and Television School, alongside one for the University of Manchester.

Tickets for the Ceremony

The 2025 awards ceremony takes place on 18th November at Roundhouse, the iconic music and arts venue in Camden, London. Tickets are now on sale.