NCTJ secures expert industry judges for 2026 Awards for Excellence

Expert industry judges have been secured for the NCTJ’s 2026 Awards for Excellence, the deadline for which is just days away.  

All entries for the awards categories must be submitted by 12 November at 11.59pm.  

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to an awards ceremony and celebration lunch in spring 2027, with the details released in due course.   

Sarah Rix, NCTJ head of marketing and communications, said: “We’re delighted to have such an impressive panel of journalists and editors judging this year’s Awards for Excellence. Their experience across different areas of the industry brings real value to the awards and reflects the importance of recognising emerging talent. 

“The awards are a fantastic opportunity for students and recently-qualified journalists to showcase their work and gain recognition. With the deadline fast approaching, I’d encourage anyone eligible to put their work forward.” 

The journalists judging this year’s entries hail from across the industry, including Sky, BBC, The Independent, Mark Allen Group, The Guardian, BMJ, Press Association, CNBC, Reach, Newsquest, CNN, The Sun and the Financial Times.  

The list includes Mark Waldron, editor in chief at Iconic Media; Shamaan Freeman-Powell, Midlands correspondent at Sky News; and David Malingha, London deputy bureau chief at Bloomberg. 

Judge and Sky Sports News presenter Dharmesh Sheth said he is “looking forward to seeing some inspirational work” on social media.  

Free to enter, the annual awards recognise the achievements of talented NCTJ students and recently-qualified journalists with promising journalism careers ahead of them. 

Award categories are open for exceptional journalism in news, sports, features, podcast, data, video and more.  

Click here to find out more about the NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence, see the eligibility requirements and enter.