Walliams and McMillan among Audio Production Awards nominees

David Walliams, representing HarperCollins, and Roy McMillan, for Penguin Random House, are among the nominees competing for the title of Audio Performer of the Year at the Audio Production Awards (APAs). 

In the category of Audio Performer of the Year, Walliams – who, in addition to recording the audiobooks for his own titles, has narrated audiobooks such as Judith Kerr's final book The Curse of the School Rabbit (HarperCollins) – will be up against two other performers from HarperCollins' stables. Appearing in the same category for the publisher are Bernard Mensah, a graduate of the London-based East 15 Acting School, who was cast in the audiobook production of Luan Goldie's debut novel Nightingale Point (HarperCollins), and actor Carl Prekopp, who narrated Bridget Collins' love story The Binding (HarperCollins).

Joining them on the six-strong shortlist are: McMillan, a director, writer, actor and audiobook producer for PRH, who also manages PRH's in-house studio and took home the title of Best Audiobook/ Readings Producer at 2015's awards; actress Weruche Opia, narrator of My Sister, the Serial Killer (WF Howes); and James Robinson for Almost Tangible, an online platform for audio dramas that recorded a production of Macbeth using binaural sound techniques.

Battling it out for Best Audiobook/ Readings Producer meanwhile are Richard Hughes for PRH, Chris Thompson for Heavy Entertainment, Jeremy Osborne for Sweet Talk Productions, Joanna Green for Greenlit Productions, Neil Gardner for Ladbroke Audio and Simon Richardson for BBX. Hughes, a freelance sound editor, was involved in the launch of PRH Audio and Ministry of Stories' first ever audio collection of 35 short stories, written and recorded by children aged between 8 and 12, that last year published as an audiobook CD entitled The World was an Avocado. Richardson was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2019, having produced a range of "Book of the Week" and "Book at Bedtime" programming for the BBC, as well as the 10-part drama adaptation of Candice Carty-Williams’ Queenie (Orion) for Radio 1xtra.

Hana Walker-Brown, currently an executive producer at Audible, received three nominations in categories of Best Factual Producer, Best Entertainment Producer and Best Podcast Producer.

The APAs comprise 20 categories in total, with nominees showcasing a breadth of UK production talent, including audio production companies, in- house producers and freelance producers of radio, podcasts and audiobooks. 

The winners of the awards, sponsored by Audible, will be presented at a Gala event on Thursday 28th November, hosted by TV and radio presenter Tommy Sandhu at the BFI Southbank.