Kent Press & Broadcast Awards results
We received 142 entries to the Kent Press & Broadcast Awards 2026. After considering each individual entry, the panel of judges met to decide the finalists. The results were announced at a ceremony on Friday, 3 July.
Kent Broadcast Journalist of the Year, sponsored by Le Shuttle
Winner – Joe Coshan, ITV News Meridian
Highly commended – Ollie Leader, KMTV
Finalists
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Claire Starr, BBC South East
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Sofia Akin, BBC South East
Kent Broadcast Presenter of the Year, sponsored by CPL Films
Winner – Ellie Crisell, BBC South East
Highly commended – Casey Dale, BBC Radio Kent
Finalists
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Matt Teale, ITV News Meridian
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Nicola Everett, kmfm / KentOnline Podcast
Kent Design(er) of the Year, sponsored by Ashford Designer Outlet
Winner – Rhodri Andrews, KMTV
Highly commended – Harry Twyman, CommunityAd magazines
Finalists
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Anna Hamer, BBC South East
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Wed IN Kent
Kent Feature Journalist of the Year (Broadcast), sponsored by Shepherd Neame
Winner – Tony Green, ITV News Meridian
Highly commended – Ben Moore, BBC South East
Finalists
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Claudia Sermbezis, BBC South East
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Kristin Hawthorne, KMTV
Kent Feature Journalist of the Year (Print & Online), sponsored by GSE Group
Winner – Brad Harper, KentOnline
Highly commended – Chris de Coulon Berthoud, Bygone Kent
Finalists
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Chris Britcher, KentOnline
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Joe Crossley, KentOnline / Sittingbourne News / Sheerness Times Guardian
Kent Investigation of the Year, sponsored by Panattoni
Winner – Robert Boddy, KentOnline / Kent Messenger
Highly commended – Alex Bish and Ben Moore, BBC South East
Finalists
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Max Chesson, KentOnline
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Sean Axtell, KentOnline / Kentish Gazette
Kent Magazine of the Year, sponsored by Visit Kent
Winner – Brightside Publishing
Highly commended – ’cene Magazine
Finalists
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Bygone Kent
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Wed IN Kent
Kent Making it Happen Award, sponsored by Gallagher Group
Winner – Rob Bailey, KMTV / University of Kent
Highly commended – David Croft, BBC South East
Finalists
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Chris de Coulon Berthoud, Kent Current / Local Authority
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Francesca Dorsa Zamagna, Kent Current / Local Authority
Kent New Journalist of the Year
Winner – Alex Keir, KentOnline
Highly commended – Maisy Walker, KMTV
Finalists
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Emily Sinclair, BBC Radio Kent / BBC South East / KMTV
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Henry Luck, KMTV
Kent News Website of the Year, sponsored by Port of Dover
Winner – BBC Kent
Highly commended – KentOnline
Finalists
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Local Authority
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The Isle of Thanet News
Kent Newspaper of the Year, sponsored by Southern Water
Winner - Kentish Gazette
Highly commended – East Kent Mercury
Finalists
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Folkestone & Hythe Express
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Kentish Gazette
Kent Print & Online Journalist of the Year, sponsored by Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
Winner – Brad Harper, KentOnline
Highly commended – Millie Bowles, KentOnline
Finalists
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Alex Langridge, KentOnline
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Daniel Esson, KentOnline
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Max Chesson, KentOnline
Kent Programme of the Year
Winner – BBC South East Today – The week without water
Highly commended – ITV News Meridian – Meningitis outbreak
Finalists
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BBC Radio Kent Breakfast Show
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Kent Politics Podcast, KM
Kent Story of the Year, sponsored by Stagecoach South East
Winner – Matt Leclere and Elli Hodgson, KentOnline
Highly commended – Ed Jennings, Local Authority
Finalists
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Hedi Mehrez, Kent Live
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Joe Crossley, KentOnline / Sittingbourne News / Sheerness Times Guardian
The Neil Bell Kent Sports Journalist of the Year, supported by Kent Cricket
Winner – Andrew Pate, ITV News Meridian
Highly commended – Finn Macdiarmid, KMTV
Finalists
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Henry Luck, KMTV
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Mark Doig, Kent Sports News
Kent Voices Award, sponsored by Vattenfall
Winner – News Nuggets, KMTV
Highly commended – Rhys Griffiths, Folkestone Dispatch
Finalists
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Elli Hodgson, KentOnline
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Hedi Mehrez, Kent Live
Golden Pen
Kathy Bailes, The Isle of Thanet News
Golden Microphone
Ollie Leader and Daniel Esson