Bill Nighy Crowned Best Host as British Podcast Awards Celebrate a Decade of Audio Storytelling

Bill Nighy has added another string to his bow, with the veteran actor taking home the prize for best host at the British Podcast Awards. The 76-year-old was recognised for his work on Ill-Advised, a series in which he offers wry guidance to listeners and reflects on subjects ranging from music to literature. The win places him ahead of a competitive field that included documentary maker Louis Theroux, comedian Katherine Ryan and singer Lily Allen.

Organisers described Ill-Advised as an "irresistibly endearing series", praising the warmth and wit that Nighy brings to the role of an unconventional agony uncle. The show is billed as being aimed at "people who don't get out much and can't handle it when they do" — a premise that appears to have struck a chord with both listeners and judges. For an actor best known for films such as Love Actually, Living and the Underworld franchise, the award marks a notable reinvention in the audio medium.

The accolade is not Nighy's first recognition for the podcast. Earlier in the year, Ill-Advised was named podcast of the year at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, underlining its critical appeal. That earlier honour was overseen by an organisation representing journalists who cover broadcasting, suggesting the series has resonated with professional critics as well as the general public.

The British Podcast Awards ceremony, now in its tenth year, took place on Thursday and handed out honours across a diverse range of categories. The event has grown into a significant fixture in the audio calendar, reflecting the continued expansion of podcasting as a format for entertainment, journalism and specialist interest programming.

Pete Wicks enjoyed a strong night, collecting two awards for Man Made — best interview podcast and best health & wellbeing podcast. The series sees Wicks attempt to "unpack modern masculinity", a subject that has attracted increasing attention in public debate. His double success highlights how podcasts are increasingly being used to explore personal and social themes that might struggle to find a home in more traditional broadcast schedules.

Sean Bean also emerged as a double winner, though in an unexpected guise. The actor's birdwatching series Get Birding won best lifestyle podcast and best video innovation. The pairing of a well-known dramatic actor with a hobby traditionally associated with quiet patience illustrates the eclectic nature of the podcasting landscape, where celebrity names are increasingly attached to niche pursuits.

The night's most prestigious prize — podcast of the year — went to Hold or Fold, a series about problem gambling produced by the Prison Radio Association. The show also won best factual podcast, a rare double that cements its reputation as a piece of socially important audio. The Prison Radio Association is known for working with people in custody to produce broadcasting, and the recognition for Hold or Fold reflects a broader trend of podcasts addressing addiction, rehabilitation and criminal justice with nuance and sensitivity.

Fans had their say through the Listeners' Choice award, which went to Hard Launch with Dan & Phil. The series is hosted by the YouTube veterans Dan Howell and Phil Lester, whose long-standing online following has translated smoothly into the podcast world. Their win demonstrates the porous boundary between social media creators and audio producers, as well as the loyalty such personalities can command across platforms.

Elsewhere, Alan Carr and Lee Peart were honoured with the best food & drink podcast award for Bottoms Up!, their comedy and wine series. The win places the pair alongside a growing number of comedians who have found a natural home in podcasting, where informal conversation and personality-driven formats thrive.

The BBC enjoyed a strong showing across several categories. Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story, produced by BBC Audio Wales and West of England, took best arts & culture podcast. The House at Number 48 won best history podcast for BBC Long Form Audio, while SEND in the Spotlight picked up best impact podcast for BBC Audio. The BBC World Service was named best network or publisher. The haul suggests that established broadcasters continue to compete effectively in a sector once dominated by independent creators.

Other notable winners included The Intelligence, from The Economist, which won best daily podcast, and The Birth Keepers, from The Guardian, which took best documentary podcast. The Wargame, a collaboration between Sky News and Tortoise, won best news, politics & current affairs podcast. In fiction, Project Bläckfisk from Cipher Atlas Productions was victorious, while Coining It from Free Turn earned best true crime podcast. Georgie Styles was named rising star.

The breadth of the winners' list — spanning Welsh language output, parenting, education, sex and relationships, and even a specialist award for The Dementia Perspective — highlights how podcasting has matured into a medium capable of serving highly specific audiences. Hanes Mawr Cymru, from Terrier Productions, won best Welsh language podcast, reflecting the format's role in supporting minority-language content.

The ceremony also served as a reminder of the podcasting community's recent history. Related coverage pointed to The Traitors: Uncloaked winning at the 2025 awards, and to Dr Clare Bailey Mosley accepting an honour in 2024 following the death of her husband, broadcaster Michael Mosley. Such moments have given the awards an emotional dimension beyond mere celebration of output.

For Nighy, the victory represents a fresh chapter in a career that has spanned stage, screen and now the intimate world of audio. His success, alongside that of actors such as Sean Bean, suggests that established performers are increasingly viewing podcasts not as a sideline but as a genuine creative outlet — one that allows for a direct and unmediated relationship with an audience. As the British Podcast Awards enters its second decade, the 2026 winners illustrate an industry that is confident, diverse and still expanding its reach.