Host announced for NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence

John Pienaar will host the NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence this year.

The long-standing journalist, broadcaster and presenter, whose career spans three decades, will lead the ceremony on Friday, 22 March.

News UK is the headline sponsor for the event, which will take place at The Royal College of Physicians at Regent’s Park.

Previously the BBC’s deputy political editor and chief political correspondent at BBC Radio 5 Live, John now hosts the drive-time slot on Times Radio.

The show deals with issues of the day in Westminster and beyond.

John said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be involved in recognising achievement by young talent starting their careers with the industry’s best training body – of which I’m one of the proud alumni!”

He studied for his NCTJ qualification at Highbury College and started his career as a trainee at the South London Press before moving on to roles at Press Association, The Independent and The Guardian.

John Pienaar hosting the NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence in 2016 at
The Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Hampshire.

There were a record-breaking 699 entries received for the NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence this year, with 56 shortlisted across a number of different categories and ten more in the running for their outstanding performance in their Diploma in Journalism and NQJ assessments.

Joanne Forbes, NCTJ chief executive, said: “We can’t wait to celebrate the talent and dedication of the amazing students and trainee journalists at our annual awards ceremony.

“With John at the helm, it promises to be a really enjoyable event.”

This is the second time John has hosted the NCTJ’s Awards for Excellence ceremony, with the first in 2016 at Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

View the full shortlist here.