About the Sandford St Martin Awards
The Sandford St Martin Awards are the UK’s most prestigious broadcast awards for radio, TV and online programmes and content that explore religious, spiritual or ethical themes.
Established in 1978, they are the only awards in the UK that specifically seek out the best content that supports religious literacy across communities or promotes a better understanding of how people identify or define their place in the world, and that welcome entries about any and all faiths – or none.
Every year we receive hundreds of entries from producers and content makers working in news, current affairs, factual, the arts, music, drama and comedy – as well as from teams producing specifically ‘religious’ commissions. What they have in common is their commitment to excellence and their willingness to engage with what people believe.
To be eligible for the Awards, entries must be broadcast content made by a UK or ROI based broadcasting organisation or production house, and have been first publicly broadcast, screened or published to a UK or ROI audience during the previous calendar year.
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The Sandford St Martin 2027 Awards will open for entries in November.
2026 Award winners and shortlisted programmes
On the evening of 16 June 2026 broadcasters, journalists, content-makers and representatives from the UK’s many different faith communities gathered at Lambeth Palace in London to celebrate the best broadcasting about religion, ethics or spirituality. As the Trust’s Chair, Dr Tony Stoller, noted in his closing words for this year’s awards ceremony:
“These are difficult times for public service broadcasting. As audiences continue to migrate to global streaming and digital platforms, the pressures on funding, regulation and relevance are growing. And the debate around BBC Charter renewal and the prospect of further cuts there, come at the very moment broadcasters are also confronting the transformative impact of AI.
How then, do we protect public service content of the kind we’ve celebrated this evening. We must do that by making clear to those in government, regulations and executive management of broadcasting that religious literacy is not just a ‘nice to have’. In a world where so many conflicts and public debates are shaped by religion or belief, religious literacy is essential to understanding the society we live in.”
You can find out more about our most recent winners and finalists and see photos and highlights from the 2026 awards ceremony here. Or check out our social media using #sandford2026
Awards archive
After more than forty-five years in the business, the Sandford St Martin Trust holds a unique record of recognising and celebrating the best broadcasting about religion, ethics and morality from across the UK. Our winners include some of the best programmes broadcast in the UK and come from all different genres – as well as “traditional” religious programming.
If you’re looking for inspiration, visit our archive or watch past winners Jimmy McGovern, Lenny Henry, Stormzy, Neil MacGregor, Joan Bakewell, or Lyse Doucet receive their awards.