British Audio Awards launched to celebrate audiobooks and audio drama

The Bookseller and The Stage have announced the launch of the British Audio Awards, also known as the Speakies, a new annual ceremony recognising achievement in audiobooks and audio drama.

Set to debut in November 2025, the awards will cover a wide range of categories including fiction, memoir, children’s titles and genre-specific audiobook honours, as well as original and adapted audio drama. There will also be awards for individual and ensemble performances, new voices, and production work.

The awards are described as a collaborative effort between the two publications, both of which run established ceremonies in their respective industries, such as the British Book Awards and The Stage Debut Awards. The British Audio Awards aim to serve as a meeting point for sectors that have increasingly overlapped as audio continues to grow in popularity.

Entries are open from 7 June to 7 July. A shortlist will be revealed in September ahead of the inaugural ceremony on 24 November.