The ceremony for the 2026 awards takes place on 10 November

Curious Films, Rogan Productions and Passion Pictures are the leading indies in the Grierson Awards shortlist, with three nominations apiece.

The BBC has emerged as the top-nominated broadcasters with 19 nods across its channels and iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with nine, Netflix with eight, Sky Documentaries with five, Disney+/National Geographic with four and Apple TV with two.

Curious projects appear twice in the best documentary presenter category for Christine Flack (Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth) and Hannah Fry (AI Confidential with Hannah Fry), as the indie also scored a nod for Confessions of a Brain Surgeon in in the best science and natural history category.

London and Glasgow-based Rogan’s Grenfell: Uncovered secured two nominations for best single documentary – domestic and best history categories, while The Secret of Me will face up against Confessions of a Brain Surgeon in best science and natural history.

Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks earned Passion a nomination in the best arts and music documentary category, while See No Evil is nominated for best documentary series and Wild London will compete for best science and natural history gong.

A further five indies secured two nods each, including Candour Productions (The Dunblane Tapes), and Zandland *Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War and Inside Gooning: The Internet’s Porn Epidemic). Associated Press, BBC Current Affairs and Tripod Media, Amplify Pictures, Treat Media, Something Fierce Productions’ also landed nods for their projects.

At 31, the number of female directors in this year’s shortlist is shy of last year’s record 35, with the number of male directors nominated standing at 39, with some productions co-directed.

Tom McDonald, chair of the Grierson Trust, said: “This year’s Grierson Award nominations showcase powerful films and series which span so many topics. From forensic investigations into corporate wrongdoing and the power of big tech and AI to change our lives – for better or worse – to documenting the impact of war and civil unrest on ordinary people, and how the natural world is changing around us.”

The ceremony for the 2026 awards, which are in partnership with All3Media, takes place on 10 November at the Roundhouse in Camden, London