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It’s Neville v Stelling v BBC on broadcast awards

Gary Neville: has tackled football punditry for Sky Sports with all the energy he displayed when playing full back for England, and has made the top six in the SJA's Sports Broadcaster of the Year voting
Gary Neville: has tackled football punditry for Sky Sports with all the energy he displayed when playing full back for England, and has made the top six in the SJA’s Sports Broadcaster of the Year voting

The SJA’s Sports Broadcasting Awards have pitched some of the biggest names in on-screen sports presentation against one another, with five-time Sports Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Stelling in the final shortlist alongside relative newcomer to the commentary box, Gary Neville, the former Manchester United and England defender who has quickly made a big impression as a Sky pundit, against Clare Balding, the BBC and Channel 4 sports anchor at the Olympics, Paralympics and racing.

The SJA’s 800-strong membership voted for their Sports Broadcaster, TV Sports Programme and Radio Sports Programme of the year, with the results of the polls to be announced at the British Sports Journalism Awards dinner to be staged at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Central London on Monday, March 25.

The shortlists for the photography categories and the sports writing and cartoon categories were announced earlier this week (click here for the photography shortlists, and for links to some of the stunning pictures that are among the entries, and click here for the sports writing shortlists).

As might be expected in an Olympic year, in the broadcasting categories, the BBC has dominated the voting, with seven of its television or radio programmes in the reckoning for the Oscars of British sports broadcasting.

The broadcast award shortlists, in alphabetical order, are…

SJA Broadcaster of the Year
Clare Balding (BBC/Channel 4)
Jon Champion (ESPN)
John Inverdale (BBC)
Gary Neville (Sky Sports)
Mark Pougatch (BBC)
Jeff Stelling (Sky Sports)

SJA Television Sports Programme
Olympic Games – BBC Sport
Football’s Slave Trade – Sky Sports News
Paralympic Games – Channel 4
Ryder Cup – Sky Sports
Soccer Saturday – Sky Sports
The Race That Shocked The World – BBC4

SJA Radio Sports Programme
Drug Peddlers: Cycling’s Dirty Truth – BBC 5 Live
Olympic Games – BBC 5 Live
Press Pass – Talk Sport
Ryder Cup – BBC 5 Live
Test Match Special – BBC
We Need To Talk About Kevin – BBC 5 Live


Make sure you don’t miss out on the gala celebration of the best of British sports journalism by booking your ticket – or even a table – for the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards on Monday March 25 at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent Garden.

The event begins at 6pm, with a champagne reception and opportunity to view an exhibition of many of the leading entries in the photography categories, prior to a three-course dinner followed by the presentation of the awards.

There are special ticket discounts available to paid-up SJA members. But hurry – tickets are already selling fast.

Click here for a booking form, or contact our event organisers, Start2Finish, on 020 8916 2492 or by email to martin@s2fevents.co.uk for more details.


JOIN THE SJA and benefit from a recognised press card, priority entry to key events and significant discounts and members’ offers on a range of activities