The Grierson Trust has announced the longlist for the 2025 British Documentary Awards in association with All3Media. The list spans 14 programme categories, reflecting the best documentary singles and series launched across broadcasters, streamers, and online platforms, as well as theatrical releases, alongside the Best Documentary Presenter award.
The BBC leads this year’s awards longlist with 31 entries across its channels and on iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with 17, Netflix with 16, Sky Documentaries with 10, Disney+ with five, Prime Video with four, ITV with three, and two entries each for Channel 5, Apple TV+, Discovery+, National Geographic, and Mubi.
Two production companies have four entries featured on the longlist. Leeds-based Candour Productions is represented by "Groomed: A National Scandal" (Channel 4) in both the Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic and Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary categories, "The Essex Millionaire Murders" (ITV) for Best Crime and Justice Documentary, and "Cause of Death" (Channel 5) in the Best Returning Documentary Series category. London and Glasgow-based Rogan Productions has been longlisted for "Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks" (BBC) and "The Rise & Fall of Michelle Mone" (BBC) in the Channel 4 Best Popular Culture Documentary category, as well as "Rose Ayling-Ellis" for Best Documentary Presenter, and "The Search for Nicola Bulley" (BBC) for Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic. Production companies with three entries each include Acme, Amos Pictures, Fee Fie Foe, Lightbox, and Minnow Films.
Two new categories for this year’s awards reflect one of the fastest-growing documentary genres and recognise successful returning series. Shortlisted entries for the Best Crime and Justice Documentary award cover UK and international subjects such as the 7/7 attacks, the story of an innocent man who spent 17 years in jail in one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice, the Metropolitan Police’s treatment of murder victims, child abuse and social media, and one of South Africa’s worst mass killers. The Best Returning Documentary Series award celebrates the strength and importance of returning documentary formats to broadcasters, streamers, and producers in today’s competitive television landscape. The longlist covers topics including cutting-edge surgery, police investigations, Formula 1, and decluttering your life.
Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of the Grierson Trust, commented on the longlist, stating: “At a time where many freelancers are struggling, this year’s Griersons longlist highlights the incredible creativity of so many talented documentary filmmakers. The breadth and quality of entries are as strong as ever. From powerful explorations of contemporary history, to uplifting personal stories and beautifully filmed natural history, the films and series featured in this year’s longlist all demonstrate the power of factual filmmaking to inspire, educate and entertain," commented.
Twelve standout documentaries and series have been longlisted in two categories. These include "Apollo 13: Survival," nominated for both Best History Documentary and Best Science and Natural History Documentary. "Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park" appears in the Best Crime and Justice Documentary and Netflix Best Documentary Series categories. "Black Box Diaries" is listed for Broadcast International Best Single Documentary – International and Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary. The sports documentary "Flintoff" features in Best Sports Documentary and Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic, while "Four Kings" is nominated in Best Sports Documentary and Best History Documentary. "Groomed: A National Scandal" is recognized in both Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic and Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary. "Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa," "No Other Land," and "One to One: John & Yoko" each appear in both Broadcast International Best Single Documentary – International and Sky Documentaries Best Cinema Documentary categories. Additionally, "Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks" is longlisted for Best Documentary Presenter and Channel 4 Best Popular Culture Documentary. "Shoot To Kill: Terror On the Tube" features in Best Crime and Justice Documentary and Netflix Best Documentary Series, and "Small Town, Big Riot" is nominated for both Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary and Best Documentary Presenter.
The Best Documentary Presenter category recognises a mix of well-known names alongside newcomers, covering issues such as crime and justice, mental health, and international affairs. Presenters include Poppy Jay for "Young, British and Anti-Abortion," Rose Ayling-Ellis for "Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks," Blindboy Boatclub for "Blindboy: The Land of Slaves & Scholars," Stacey Dooley for "Stacey Dooley: Rape on Trial," Bruce Parry for "Tribe with Bruce Parry," Chris Packham for "Inside Our Minds," Mobeen Azhar for "Small Town, Big Riot," Louis Theroux for "Louis Theroux: The Settlers," and Matt and Emma Willis for "Swiped: The School that Banned Smartphones."
Meanwhile, the All3Media Best Student Documentary category includes four entries from the National Film and Television School, alongside two entries from the University of Manchester, and one entry each from University College London and the University of Westminster.
The longlisted films will now be judged by category juries, who will decide the four nominations and winner in each category. Also, the 2025 awards ceremony will take place on 18th November at Roundhouse, the iconic music and arts venue in Camden, London. Tickets will go on sale in September.
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