Nigel Farage, Post Office drama and Ken Bruce win at TV and radio awards

Nigel Farage has won a news presenter prize for his GB News show at the 2024 Tric (Television and Radio Industries Club) Awards.

The leader of Reform UK, who is standing to become an MP in Clacton, began hosting a programme on the channel in 2021 and triumphed over other presenters.

He beat GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes, Times Radio host Matt Chorley and ITV’s Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter Susanna Reid at the ceremony at Grosvenor House on Tuesday.

GB News Breakfast, which is hosted by former This Morning presenter Holmes and Isabel Webster, won the news gong and the channel’s Camilla Tominey interviewing ex-ITV News presenter Alastair Stewart about his diagnosis of early onset vascular dementia picked up interview of the year.

As Nigel Farage was given the honour on stage, there were shouts of “boo” from the audience, and he said: “It’s like the crowd at a wrestling event, I noticed much less hostility than last year.”

Mr Farage picked up the same gong last year.

The former Ukip party leader, who came third on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! last year, appeared to step down from GB News while announcing he would be campaigning for the General Election.

At a press conference in early June, he said he was “reluctant” to try to become an MP as he had “enjoyed GB News”. There are Farage programmes scheduled on the channel for July 8, following the UK going to the polls.

Hosted by Tric president and radio DJ Roman Kemp, the awards are voted for by the public.

Also picking up a prize was ITV’s Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which covered the turmoil faced by subpostmasters who were wrongfully prosecuted by the Post Office, for drama.

Its accompanying documentary Mr Bates Vs The Post Office – The Real Story,  was named for the factual award

Other winners included Dame Maureen Lipman, who won soap actor of the year for Coronation Street, which also picked up best soap,

The entertainment award went to the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, while game show was won by The Chase and its presenter Bradley Walsh picked up the TV personality gong. The BBC’s coverage of the coronation was named best live event.

Former Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce won both radio personality and radio show awards.

During the event, Tric appointed presenters Angellica Bell and Angie Greaves as vice-presidents, taking over from Ainsley Harriott and Jon Culshaw, and Pixie Lott performed.

Both TV chef and presenter Harriott and comedian Culshaw have been awarded honorary vice president roles.