Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards: Shortlists Announced

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) is delighted to announce the shortlists for its 29th annual awards, to be presented on Monday 14 February 2022 at the Royal College of Physicians in central London.

The Writers’ Guild Awards 2019 © copyright Matt Writtle

The ceremony, sponsored by ALCS, will honour two years of British writing talent, following the cancellation of last year’s awards due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WGGB President Sandi Toksvig OBE said: “What a fitting day to celebrate the cream of British writers – who have kept us entertained on page, stage, screen and across the airwaves, through such dark times.

“Our creative industries play such an important role, as do all those who work within them and we hope our awards ceremony on Valentine’s Day will send this message – you matter, we care, and thank you for your words, which have lifted us all up over these past two years.”

The shortlist in 15 categories follows (in addition, a special award for outstanding contribution to writing is presented at the ceremony every year):

Best Long Form TV Drama

Adult Material by Lucy Kirkwood

I Hate Suzie by Lucy Prebble

It’s A Sin by Russell T Davies

Best Short Form TV Drama

BBW by Yolande Mercy

Elizabeth is Missing by Andrea Gibb

Time by Jimmy McGovern

Best Long Running TV Series

Doctors, Series 21, Episode 81, ‘The Joe Pasquale Problem’ by Stephen Keyworth

Holby City, Series 21, Episode 50, ‘Kintsugi’ by Martin Jameson

River City, Series 21, Episode 28 by Jillian Mannion

Best TV Situation Comedy

Feel Good by Mae Martin and Joe Hampson

Frayed by Sarah Kendall

This Way Up, Series 2, Episode 4 by Aisling Bea

Best Children’s TV Episode

Aardman’s The Epic Adventures of Morph: Chas Air by Tim Bain

My Mum Tracy Beaker: I Want My Mum Back by Emma Reeves

Paddington & The Love Day Cards by Hannah George

Best Radio Drama

Body Horror by Lucy Catherine

The Half Widow by Avin Shah

The Tenderness of Boys by Oliver Emanuel

Best Radio Comedy

From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast by Steve Coogan, Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons

Olga Koch: Fight by Olga Koch and Charlie Dinkin

The Kurupt FM Podkast, Series 2 by Asim Chaudhry, Hugo Chegwin, Allan Mustafa and Steve Stamp

Best Writing in a Video Game

Amnesia: Rebirth by Ian Thomas

Overboard! by Jon Ingold

Röki by Emma Beeby, Sam Dickinson, Tom Jones, Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou and Danny Salfield Wadeson

Best Screenplay

I Care a Lot by J Blakeson

Sorry We Missed You by Paul Laverty

The Personal History of David Copperfield by Simon Blackwell and Armando Iannucci

Best First Screenplay

His House by Remi Weekes

Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell

Rocks by Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson

Best Play

Once Upon a Bridge by Sonya Kelly

Shook by Samuel Bailey

The Syrian Baker by Kevin Dyer

Best Play for Young Audiences

Germ Free Adolescent by Natalie Mitchell

Heavy Weather by Lizzie Nunnery

Whatever Happened to the Jaggy Nettles? by Martin Travers

Best Musical Theatre Bookwriting

Black Love by Chinonyerem Odimba

The Prince and the Pauper by Chinonyerem Odimba

Ride by Freya Catrin Smith and Jack Williams

Best First Novel

A Strange and Brilliant Light by Eli Lee

The Lip by Charlie Carroll

The Manningtree Witches by A K Blakemore

Best Online Comedy                                                                                                                    

How to be Maggie: With Maggie P by Kate-Lois Elliott

Remember getting the period talk at school #Menopause by Hannah George, Taylor Glenn and Catie Wilkins

Where Did It Come From? Series 1, Episode 2, ‘The Hat’ by Ralph Jones and Vyvyan Almond