The BBC picked up four awards, with Netflix winning three awards, and Channel 4 and Sky Documentaries both winning two awards. ITV, National Geographic, Olympics.com and S4C each won in one category.

This year’s award winners span forensic investigations into the Grenfell disaster, the conflict in Gaza, the brutality of the US justice system and the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church of England. Alongside these are an uplifting tale of the power of sport to unite a community in Afghanistan, a moving examination of climate change through the lens of an unlikely relationship between a man and a stork, and a heartwarming and humorous look at overcoming obstacles to intimacy. Other winning films examine the huge emotional and personal challenges of a leading surgeon’s extraordinary job, and an intimate and moving portrait of wartime Britain through the eyes of those who lived through it as children.

Among the winning documentaries, six were directed by women, eight by men, and two by female-male co-directing teams.

The 2026 BBC Grierson Trustees’ Award was presented to Anna Godas, CEO and co-founder of documentary film company Dogwoof, in recognition of the important role she has played for more than 20 years in securing financial backing for multiple critically acclaimed documentaries which have played to audiences worldwide.

Tom McDonald, Chair of the Grierson Trust says: “This year’s Grierson Awards highlight the continued power of documentaries to investigate injustice, reflect the world around us and explore issues with a fresh eye. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of John Grierson first coining the word “documentary,” the talented filmmakers we celebrate this evening are a testament to the creativity, ingenuity and determination that – despite a challenging landscape – proves that the genre continues to innovate and is still in rude health.”