This year’s awards form the centrepiece of the Trust’s year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of John Grierson first coining the term ‘documentary’ when discussing filmmaking, and take place on 10th November at the Roundhouse, London.

The centenary is also shared with Sir David Attenborough, who celebrated his 100th year in May. To honour his outstanding contribution to broadcasting and to natural history documentaries in particular, the Trust has decided that this year's Best Science and Natural History Documentary award will be presented as the Sir David Attenborough Award for Best Science and Natural History Documentary.

The longlist spans 15 programme categories, reflecting the best documentary singles and series launched across broadcasters, streamers and online, as well as theatrical releases, alongside the Best Documentary Presenter award.

The BBC again tops this year’s awards longlist with 32 entries across its channels and on iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with 19, Netflix with 17, Sky Documentaries with seven, National Geographic with six, Apple TV+, ITV and The Guardian with three each, Disney+ with two, and HBO Max, Prime Video, Channel 5, and Discovery with one each.

London and Glasgow-based Rogan Productions is the production company with the highest number of entries on the longlist, with documentaries in five categories: The Secret of Me in the Broadcast International Best Single Documentary – International and Sir David Attenborough Best Science and Natural History Documentary, Grenfell: Uncovered in the Best History Documentary and ENVY Best Single Documentary – Domestic, and Boombox: Beats and Betrayal, for the Best Crime and Justice Documentary Series categories.

Eleven standout single documentaries and series are recognised across two categories on the longlist:

• 2000 Meters to Andriivka: Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary and Broadcast International Best Single Documentary - International
• Come See Me in the Good Light: Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary and Broadcast International Best Single Documentary - International
• Grenfell: Uncovered: Best History Documentary and ENVY Best Single Documentary - Domestic
• Hostage: Best History Documentary and Netflix Best Documentary Series
• Molly vs THE MACHINES: Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary and ENVY Best Single Documentary - Domestic
• Queen of Chess: Best History Documentary and Best Sports Documentary
• Songs from the Hole: Bleeding Fingers Music Best Arts and Music Documentary and Broadcast International Best Single Documentary - International
• Storyville – The Darkest Web: Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary and Best Crime and Justice Documentary
• The Dunblane Tapes: Best History Documentary and History and ENVY Best Single Documentary - Domestic
• The Mother of All Cons: Best Crime and Justice Documentary and Netflix Best Documentary Series
• The Secret of Me: Sir David Attenborough Best Science and Natural History Documentary and Broadcast International Best Single Documentary - International

The Trust has refreshed the categories this year, with the addition of Best Digital Documentary and the return of two awards: Channel 4 Best Constructed and Formatted Documentary Series, and Most Entertaining Documentary.

The Best Digital Documentary category investigates subjects from sex trafficking to cyber-scammers, the ‘manosphere’, and the gangs controlling mobile phone thefts, through to the pro-democracy uprising in Nepal and how to ‘super skill’ our minds and bodies.

The Channel 4 Best Constructed and Formatted Documentary Series covers home makeovers, the transformative power of sport, an inside look at the work of Michelin inspectors and the recreation of a murder trial, alongside innovative new formats exploring virginity and intimacy issues, bridging the divide between strangers, and couples therapy.

The Most Entertaining Documentary entries include one of Britains’ best loved actors trying to run a Caravan Park, legends of popular music in concert, a football team owned by two Hollywood stars, a celebrity travelogue travel, and a comedian immersing himself in wrestling and MAGA politics.

The longlist for Best Documentary Presenter recognises a mix of UK and international newcomers and established stars, covering subjects including travel, wildlife, technology and masculinity, together with a first-time presenter exploring the events leading to her daughter Caroline’s tragic death.

• Francis Bourgeois for *Mission to Space with Francis Bourgeois *
• Christine Flack for Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth
• Hannah Fry for AI Confidential with Hannah Fry
• Chris Hemsworth for Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember
• Amol Rajan for Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges
• Louis Theroux for Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere
• Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson for Sam and Ade Go Birding
• Hamza Yassin for Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles

The All3Media Best Student Documentary category includes four entries from the National Film and Television School, alongside three entries from UWE Bristol and one from the London College of Communication (University of the Arts, London).

Sylvia Bednarz, Managing Director of the Grierson Trust said: “As the documentary sector continues to face a challenging landscape, it is hugely encouraging to see the originality and calibre of this year’s Grierson Awards longlist. With an exceptional 511 entries, the breadth and quality of submissions this year has been remarkable, showcasing the extraordinary creativity of documentary makers across the industry. We’re particularly pleased that more than 40% of the longlisted titles are directed by women, underlining the importance of supporting and trusting female directors to tell stories with authority and vision."

Tom McDonald, Chair of the Grierson Trust, added: “This longlist shows that, despite the challenges facing the industry across the globe, documentary storytelling is vibrant and vital. Many of the longlisted films and series reflect some of the most pressing stories and issues of our time from the impact of AI and technology on our lives; to stories of incarceration, of war, of civil unrest as well as films which reflect the joys of life and love in these most complex of times. Congratulations to all of the nominees.”

The longlisted films will now go on to be judged by category juries who will decide the four nominations and winner in each.