What are the BIAA’s
The Behear Independent Audio Awards 2025 or BIAA’s
The Behear Indie Audio Awards, should we call them the BIAA’s, who doesn’t love a good beer, right? Are our chance to celebrate everything that is good and wholesome about the Audio industry.
We want to create something that celebrates the creatives within the industry as a whole and not just the large corporations or those that monopolise the distribution and sales of audio content. It’s you the multitude of independent creators who make magic happen on a daily basis with the audio creations they produce, that we want to celebrate.
We at Behear know how hard it is to get your content noticed and heard, while at the same time managing to monetise it in a meaningful way. So, we want you to know that people are here to listen to your content and support your growth. We are all in this together.
We have twisted the arms of some great judges who all work in the industry and are keen to support and help ther awards bring some much-needed recognition to the Indie audio industry
Award Categories
We will be running the following award categories
• Best Male Voiceover (VO)
• Best Female Voiceover (VO)
• Best Ensemble Cast
• Best Audio Drama
• Best Dramatised Audiobook
• Best Audio for SFX and Music
• Best Audio Company / Individual
• Best Startup Audio Company/Individual
• Best Podcast Promoting Full Audio Experiences
• Best Audio Script
For each category there will be a description of what we want from you once you have registered.
We are not interested in how well you or your project has done commercially so don’t worry about the fact that you don’t have a massive social media following or you or your project has thousands of followers are reviews.
We are interested in your talent, drive, ingenuity and passion for the industry and the art. Together we will all help to raise the profile of our amazing industry.
The awards are open now and we will close the submissions at Midnight on the 30th of September. Judging will take place during October and November. All Nominees and Winners will be contacted in December and awards will be announced by the 1st of January.
Each category will have a Bronze, Silver and Gold award along with a short list of nominees.
The best Audio Script winner will have the opportunity to work with the team of judges to create a full Audio Drama as a prize.
The only Rule we really have for entry is that all entries:
MUST BE IN ENGLISH
Prizes
Yes there will be prizes!
- A Trophy
- A certificate of achievement.
Every shortlisted, nominated and winning entry will get a certificate. With the winners receiving a Trophy.
Best Audio Script Winner
The best Audio script winner will receive the chance to create a fully produced dramatised audio version of their entry created by the team at Behear and the sponsors, fully funded by the awards team, approx. value: £10,000.
Our judges will be…
Andrew Mark Sewell
Produce & Director
Andrew Mark Sewell is a multi-award-winning radio drama producer/director and former BBC Creative Director. Co-founder of B7 Media and Audioteria.com, he is known for audio dramas including Dan Dare, Blake’s 7, I, Robot, and The Martian Chronicles. Recent work includes Unsinkable and Theatre of the Damned. He also produces indie films and is in pre-production on Kill Everything.
Colin Sinclair
Behear Co-Founder
Colin is co-founder of Behear, an award-winning audio production company focused on immersive, inclusive audio and fair profit sharing. An award-nominated producer and director, he has performed lead roles in major theatres and written his own sci-fi/fantasy novel. Colin is passionate about storytelling and audio innovation.
Helen Quigley
Creative Audio Producer
Helen is a freelance audio producer and co-founder of Audioteria, with credits across Audible, BBC Radio 4, and Wondery+. Her work includes The Space Race, Barred, Mahabharata Now, and Unsinkable. She also runs Soundliness, a boutique podcast company, and produces for B7 Media and Fresh Air Production.
Jason Haigh-Ellery
Producer
Jason is an Olivier Award-winning producer and founder of Big Finish, the world’s largest independent audio drama company. He has produced over 3,000 titles including Doctor Who, The Avengers, and Stargate. His credits span West End theatre, television for BBC and Netflix, and films starring Joan Collins and Timothy Spall.
John Parr
Singer-Songwriter
John Parr is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter with two U.S. No.1 hits including St Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion). He has written music for over 15 Hollywood films and artists such as Meat Loaf, Tom Jones, and Roger Daltrey. John also writes, directs and produces films, with recent titles including Unconquered and A Pack of Five, both award-winning festival entries.
Kevin Davids
Actor
Kevin is a versatile actor with roles in Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Bay, The Responder, and I’m With Stupid. His work spans TV, radio, and stage. A former Paralympic fencer, he won gold in 1984 and bronze in 1992. Kevin remains passionate about acting and supporting new talent.
Laura Castle
Radio DJ and Actor
Laura is the Breakfast Show Presenter on YorkMix Radio and an actor, with credits including Happy Valley (BBC One) and the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Pantomime. Passionate about voice work and performance, she’s proud to join the Behear Awards judging panel.
Mark Estdale
Casting Voice Director
Mark Estdale is a leading voice and casting director for video games and founder of OMUK. With over 30 years in the industry, he’s helped shape how game dialogue is recorded, focusing on performance, flow and immersing actors in the game world.
Mary Jane Wells
Actor, Writer, and Producer
Mary Jane Wells is a writer, actor, narrator and award-winning audio producer. She is known for acting roles in The Newsroom, Dr Strange, and the Kennedy Center play Heroine. Her work gives voice to underrepresented stories, often rooted in lived experience. She also serves as a keynote speaker. www.maryjanewells.org
Meghan Parkinson
Writer, Director, and Actor
Megan is a writer, director, and actor from West Yorkshire. She starred in Game of Thrones and Ackley Bridge, and her feature film Any Minute Now is in post-production. Megan is also the author of the Melodramatic novel series and works as a casting director, tutor, and full-time mum.
Samantha Norbury
Narrator and Voice Actor
Samantha Norbury is an audiobook narrator and voice actor, and the founder of the #HumanVoicesOnly movement. With a lifelong background in acting, she brings books to life for major publishers and indie authors, creating immersive, heartfelt performances that connect deeply with listeners.
Our BIAA Awards Sponsors
Authors Republic
Authors Republic is a global audiobook production and distribution platform. Their studio connects authors and publishers with professional narrators to create high-quality audiobooks at accessible rates.
With distribution to over 50 retailers, libraries, and streaming platforms, they offer the widest reach for self-published authors worldwide.
Big Finish
Big Finish has produced over 3,000 audio dramas since 1998, working with global brands like BBC Studios, ITV, and MGM.
Known for its Doctor Who series and spin-offs, the company has featured more than 7,000 actors, including some of the UK’s most recognisable names.
B7 Media
B7 Media is an award-winning UK production company with international credits across radio, film, television, and digital platforms.
Their work includes content for BBC Radio 4, Audible, Sky, UKTV, and the Syfy Channel.
Audioteria
Audioteria is a streaming platform dedicated to independent audio drama, enhanced audiobooks, and archive content.
Created by B7 Media, it gives indie producers a fair alternative to high-fee distributors and shares profits directly to support future audio projects.
YorkMix
YorkMix is York’s leading digital news and entertainment platform. Launched in 2012, the site receives over 500,000 monthly visitors.
YorkMix Radio followed in 2021 and has surpassed 4 million streams to date.
OM
OM is a world leader in casting and recording for video games. Since 1996, they’ve worked on over 1,000 productions, from AAA titles to indie prototypes.
Their services include voice, MOCAP, and performance capture, supporting clients with directing, casting, and industry advocacy.