Grierson Awards

{{Short description|British annual documentary film awards}} {{distinguish|Dr. George Grierson Award}} {{use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox award | name = The Grierson Awards | subheader = <!-- or | current_awards = --> | image = | image_size = <!-- or | image_upright = --> | alt = | caption = | awarded_for = Innovative and exciting [[Documentary film|documentary]] and factual filmmaking | sponsor = The Grierson Trust | date = {{start date|2023|11|09|df=y}} | location = <!-- or | venue = or | site = --> | country = United Kingdom | presenter = | eligibility = | post-nominals = | ribbon = | obverse = | reverse = | host = <!-- or | hosts = --> | former name = | preshow_host = | acts = | campaign = | motto = | clasps = | reward = | year = {{start date and age|1972}} | year2 = | holder_label = | holder = <!-- or | winner = or | winners = --> | most_awards = <!-- or | most_wins = --> | most_nominations = | award1_type = | award1_winner = | award2_type = | award2_winner = | award3_type = | award3_winner = | award4_type = | award4_winner = | award5_type = | award5_winner = | award6_type = | award6_winner = | award7_type = | award7_winner = | award8_type = | award8_winner = | website = {{URL|griersontrust.org/grierson-awards}} | coverage = | network = <!-- or | network_list = --> | runtime = | viewership = <!-- or | ratings = --> | producer = | director = | image2 = | image2_size = <!-- or | image_upright2 --> | alt2 = | caption2 = | precedence_label = | individual = | higher = | same = | lower = | related = | previous = | main = | next = }}

'''Grierson: The British Documentary Awards''', commonly known as '''The Grierson Awards''', are awards bestowed by The Grierson Trust to recognise innovative and exciting [[documentary film]]s, in honour of the pioneering Scottish documentary filmmaker [[John Grierson]].

The inaugural award was given in 1972 and since then the awards have become an annual fixture. In 2000, The Grierson Trust forged a link with the [[UK Film Council]] in order to expand and add prestige to the awards.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=MacGregor |first=James |date=16 November 2001 |title=Film Council Grierson Documentary Awards |url=http://www.netribution.co.uk/news/northern_exposure/92/8.html}}</ref> The awards have grown in stature and recognition over the years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/nov/27/mondaymediasection8|title=Reel life changes | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Roger | last=Graef | date=27 November 2006 | access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref>

==Awards trophy== The awards trophy is in the form of a bust of John Grierson. Sculpted posthumously by [[Ivor Roberts-Jones]], it was struck in a limited edition of 10, with three copies held by the Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 November 2001 |title=The Trust |url=http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/trust.htm#history |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011101232935/http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/trust.htm#history |archive-date=1 November 2001 }}</ref>

Originally, the trophy was given to the award winner for one year before being returned and presented to the next recipient.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=27 December 2001 |title=Awards |url=http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/awards.htm |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011227195846/http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/awards.htm |archive-date=27 December 2001 }}</ref>

==John Grierson== {{main|John Grierson}}

John Grierson was a leading documentary filmmaker, and he has also been attributed to have coined the name "documentary".<ref name="RFL">{{Cite book |last1=Curthoys |first1=Ann |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JE6YM8jcRucC&dq=john+grierson+documentary+1926&pg=PA151 |title=Connected Worlds: History in Transnational Perspective |last2=Lake |first2=Marilyn |date=1 March 2006 |publisher=ANU E Press |isbn=978-1-920942-45-8}}</ref> He was born in Scotland in 1898. Grierson was the founder of a new movement of documentary film in the 1930s. He started the [[Empire Marketing Board]] Film Unit, and in 1933 the [[GPO Film Unit]], gathering together such diverse and exciting talents as [[Humphrey Jennings]], [[Paul Rotha]] and [[Alberto Cavalcanti]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britmovie.co.uk/directors/John-Grierson|title=John Grierson Biography|access-date=30 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225094115/http://www.britmovie.co.uk/directors/John-Grierson|archive-date=25 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> His ground-breaking work on the Scottish herring fleet, ''[[Drifters (1929 film)|Drifters]]'', had its premiere in 1929 alongside the first British showing of [[Sergei Eisenstein]]'s ''[[Battleship Potemkin]]''. In 1936, he produced the celebrated ''[[Night Mail]]'', directed by [[Harry Watt (director)|Harry Watt]] with script by [[W.H. Auden]] and score by [[Benjamin Britten]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.griersontrust.org/john_grierson.htm|title=John Grierson CBE|access-date=23 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513230017/http://www.griersontrust.org/john_grierson.htm|archive-date=13 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Grierson Trust== Founded as the Grierson Memorial Trust in 1972, shortly after the death of John Grierson, the Grierson Trust is a registered UK charity that exists to celebrate the best factual and documentary filmmaking from both the UK and globally. The trust also nurtures factual TV talent via training and mentoring schemes. Since its inception it has had nine chairs:<ref>{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://griersontrust.org/about-us |access-date=10 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref> * '''1972 – ?:''' [[Basil Wright]] * '''? – 1987:''' [[Edgar Anstey]] * '''1989 – 2000:''' John Chittock * '''2000 – 2002:''' Larry Chrisfield * '''2002 – 2006:''' [[Edward Mirzoeff]] * '''2006 – 2008:''' [[Jenny Barraclough]] * '''2008 – 2010:''' Murray Weston * '''2010 – 2013:''' [[Dawn Airey]] * '''2013 – Present:''' [[Lorraine Heggessey]] In 2022, to mark its fiftieth anniversary, the Trust published its 50 must-see documentaries since its inception in 1972.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Emily |date=6 October 2022 |title=The best documentaries of the past 50 years |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/best-documentaries-to-watch-50-years-i-am-not-your-negro-for-sama-grierson-trust-1896126 |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=inews.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 October 2022 |title=The Power of the Doc |url=https://griersontrust.org/about-us/news/the-power-of-the-doc |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref>

==Judging== As of 2023, the Grierson Awards employ a two-stage judging process, with each individual entry reviewed by a minimum of three members of the Trust.

A long list of eight nominees for each category is drawn up; then the contenders are judged by five-person juries, drawn from documentary makers, broadcasters and subject experts. The jurors then decide on the final four shortlisted nominations, and subsequently the winner for each category.

The judges look for evidence of quality, integrity, creativity, originality and overall excellence. They also consider the steps taken by producers to ensure the best diversity and inclusion practices, as this is considered key to the integrity and quality of any documentary. Since 2020, entrants to all but the Best Student Documentary category have been required to provide a statement on diversity and inclusion.

The Grierson Trustees' Award and Grierson Hero of the Year Award are honorary and not selected by the jury process.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Judging Process |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/judging-process |access-date=10 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref>

==2000–2025 winners==

=== 2025 winners === All entries to the 2025 Grierson Awards must have had their first UK screening between June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Entries open for the 2025 Grierson Awards, in association with All3Media |url=https://griersontrust.org/ |access-date=2026-04-07 |website=griersontrust.org}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by [[Rachel Parris]]: 18 November 2025 at [[Roundhouse (venue)|The Roundhouse]], London.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Entries open for the 2025 Grierson Awards, in association with All3Media |url=https://griersontrust.org/ |access-date=2026-04-07 |website=griersontrust.org}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Single Documentary – Domestic ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Single Documentary – International ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Witches'' (Mubi) dir. Elizabeth Sankey | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''No Other Land'' (Channel 4) dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Life and Death in Gaza'' (BBC) dir. Natasha Cox, Lara El Gibaly, Haya Al Badarneh, and Sarah Keeling |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Arts Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Returning Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Sports Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other:'' dir. Jacob Perlmutter, and Manon Ouimet | * '''Winner —''' ''Life and Death Row'' (BBC) | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Unbreakable: England 2003'' (TNT Sports) dir. Chris Hay |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Science and Natural History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Crime and Justice Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Zelenky Story – Episode 1'' (BBC) dir. Michael Waldman | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Britain's Nuclear Bomb Scandal: Our Story'' (BBC) dir. Simon Rawles | * '''Winner —''' ''Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park – Episode 1'' (Sky) dir. Alex Thomas |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Popular Culture Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Cinema Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Series |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Grand Theft Hamlet'' (Mubi) dir. Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Mediha:'' dir. Hasan Oswald and Mediha Alhamad | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park'' (Netflix) dir. Alex Thomas |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Student Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Short ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Welcome Home Freckles:'' dir. Huiju Park | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Chernobyl: My Promised Land'' (Sky Documentaries) dir. Mark Dominic Devlin | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Blindboy Boatclub: The Land of Slaves & Scholars'' (RTÉ) |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Grierson Trustees' Award''' |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' Rupert Houseman |} ===2024 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries broadcast or available to stream in the UK between 1 June 2023 and 31 May 2024. {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by [[Kerry Godliman]]: 7 November 2024 at [[Roundhouse (venue)|The Roundhouse]], London.<ref name="Awards 2024">{{cite web |title=Past Awards - 2024 |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2024/ |publisher=The Grierson Trust |access-date=7 November 2024}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Single Documentary – Domestic ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Single Documentary – International ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Me and the voice in My Head'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Tommy Forbes and Tom Green | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''My Name is Happy'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Ayşe Toprak and Nick Read | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[20 Days in Mariupol]]'': ([[Associated Press]], [[Frontline (American TV program)|PBS Frontline]]). dir. [[Mstyslav Chernov]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Arts Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Music Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Sports Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Yellow Door: '90s Lo-fi Film Club'': ([[Netflix]]). dir. Lee Hyukrae | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Milli Vanilli (film)|Milli Vanilli]]'': ([[Paramount+]]) dir. [[Luke Korem]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Mighty Penguins]]'': dir. Louis Myles and Ahmed Twaij |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Natural History or Environmental Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Stamped from the Beginning (film)|Stamped from the Beginning]],'' ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Roger Ross Williams]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Carol Jennings#The Jennings vs Alzheimer's|The Jennings vs Alzheimer's]]'' ([[BBC]]). dir. Niamh Kennedy | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Silverback'' ([[BBC]]). dir. Miles Blayden-Ryall |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Popular Culture Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Cinema Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Series |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Big Zuu Goes to Mecca'' ([[BBC]]). dir. Adnan Ahmed | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[20 Days in Mariupol]]'': ([[Associated Press]], [[Frontline (American TV program)|PBS Frontline]]). dir. [[Mstyslav Chernov]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' The Push: Murder on the Cliff ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Anna Hall |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Student Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Short ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Waiter, the Scientist and Jenny'': ([[National Film and Television School|NFTS]]). dir. Joe Snelling | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Ted & Noel'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Julia Alcamo | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Joe Tracini]]'' for ''Me and the Voice in My Head'' ([[Channel 4]]) |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Grierson Trustees' Award''' |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Stacey Dooley]] |}

===2023 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries broadcast or available to stream in the UK between 1 June 2022 and 31 May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC wins in six categories at 2023 Grierson Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/bbc-wins-at-2023-grierson-awards |access-date=10 November 2023 |publisher=BBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2023 |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2023#winners |access-date=10 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC wins in six categories at 2023 Grierson Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/bbc-wins-at-2023-grierson-awards |access-date=19 November 2023 |publisher=BBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Grierson 2023: The British Documentary Awards | url=https://api.flotiq.com/image/0x0/_media-d3f329dc-1d5f-4412-9793-aea575e649fb.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111212651/https://api.flotiq.com/image/0x0/_media-d3f329dc-1d5f-4412-9793-aea575e649fb.pdf | archive-date=2023-11-11}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by [[Nish Kumar]]: 9 November 2023 at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London.<ref>{{Citation |title=Grierson 2023: The British Documentary Awards Live Stream {{!}} The Grierson Trust | date=10 November 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iLoDG6m8zA |access-date=10 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Single Documentary – International ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Single Documentary – Domestic ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[All That Breathes]]'': ([[HBO Documentary Films]]). dir. [[Shaunak Sen]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Lyra McKee|Lyra]]'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Alison Millar | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Retrograde (2022 American film)|Retrograde]]'': ([[National Geographic Documentary Films]]). dir. [[Matthew Heineman]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Arts Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Music Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Sports Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [["Sr."|"''Sr."'']]: ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Chris Smith (filmmaker)|Chris Smith]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Moonage Daydream (film)|Moonage Daydream]]'': dir. [[Brett Morgen]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Real Mo Farah]]'': ([[BBC]]). dir. Leo Burley |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Natural History Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland]],'' Episode 3: ([[BBC]]). dir. [[James Bluemel]] / Sian Mcilwaine | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Inside Our Autistic Minds,'' Episode 1: ([[BBC]]). dir. Joe Myerscough / Emma Jones | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Big Oil vs. the World,'' Episode 1: "Denial": ([[BBC]]). dir. Jane McMullen |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Entertaining Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Cinema Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Student Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Pepsi, Where's My Jet?]]'' Episode 1: The Kid from Seattle: ([[Netflix]]). dir. Andrew Renzi | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[All That Breathes]]:'' dir. [[Shaunak Sen]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''With Woman'': ([[National Film and Television School|NFTS]]). dir. Mia Harvey |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Constructed Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Short |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Monster Factory]]'': ([[Apple TV+]]). dir. Galen Summer / Naiti Gámez | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland]]'': ([[BBC]]). dir. [[James Bluemel]] / Sian Mcilwaine | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Lady of the Gobi'': (''[[The Guardian]]''). dir. Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Trustees' Award ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Hero of the Year Award |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[Hannah Fry]] for ''Making Sense of Cancer with Hannah Fry'': ([[BBC]]) | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' Anna Hall | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' Deaf & Disabled People in TV (DDPTV) |}

===2022 winners (50th anniversary awards)=== The eligibility window was for documentaries broadcast or available to stream in the UK between 1 June 2021 and 31 May 2022.<ref name="grierson-short2022">{{cite web |title=The Grierson Trust - Shortlist 2022 |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/the-grierson-awards/shortlist/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731072950/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/the-grierson-awards/shortlist/ |archive-date=31 July 2022 |access-date=31 July 2022 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Grierson 2022: The British Documentary Awards | url=https://griersontrust.org/assets/files/awards/programmes/Grierson-2022-The-British-Documentary-Awards-programme.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107090709/https://griersontrust.org/assets/files/awards/programmes/Grierson-2022-The-British-Documentary-Awards-programme.pdf | archive-date=2022-11-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC wins in five categories at 2022 Grierson Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/bbc-wins-at-grierson-awards |access-date=19 November 2023 |publisher=BBC |language=en}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by '''[[Rosie Jones (comedian)|Rosie Jones]] and [[AJ Odudu]]''': 10 November 2023 at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London.<ref>{{Citation |title=Grierson 2022: The British Documentary Awards Live Stream {{!}} The Grierson Trust | date=11 November 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOoFP7CAmk0 |access-date=10 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Single Documentary – International ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Single Documentary – Domestic ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Reason I Jump#Documentary|The Reason I Jump]]'': ([[Disney+]]). dir. [[Jerry Rothwell]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Grenfell Tower fire|Grenfell]]: The Untold Story'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. James Newton | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[Exposure (British TV series)|''Exposure'']] ''-'' Afghanistan: No Country for Women: ([[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]). dir. Karim Shah. Reporter: [[Ramita Navai]]. |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Arts Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Music Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Sports Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''SALT by [[Selina Thompson]]'': ([[BBC]]). dir. Alison Ramsay | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Jeen-Yuhs]]'': ''A Kanye Trilogy'', "Act I: VISION": ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Coodie & Chike]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Citizen Ashe]]'': ([[BBC]]). dir. Rex Miller / [[Sam Pollard (filmmaker)|Sam Pollard]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Natural History Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Missing Children'': ([[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]). dir. Tanya Stephan ** '''Highly commended —''' ''Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11:'' ([[Sky Documentaries]]). dir. [[David Belton]] / Bjorn Johnson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''A Year in the Ice: The Arctic Drift:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Ashley Morris | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Green Planet (TV series)|The Green Planet]],'' Episode 1: "Tropical Worlds": ([[BBC]]). dir. [[Mike Gunton]] ** '''Highly commended —''' ''My Garden of a Thousand Bees:'' ([[Sky Nature]]). dir. David Allen |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Entertaining Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Cinema Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Student Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Twas the Fight Before Christmas'': ([[Apple TV+]]). dir. Becky Read | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)|Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)]]'': dir. Ahmir '[[Questlove]]' Thompson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Ten by Ten'': dir. Jami L. Bennett ** '''Highly commended —''' ''Daughters of the Sea'': ([[London College of Communication]]). dir. Laura Esteban |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Constructed Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Short |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''We Are Black and British'': ([[BBC]]). dir. Ryan Samuda | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Jeen-Yuhs]]'': ''A Kanye Trilogy'': ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Coodie & Chike]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Three Songs for Benazir]]'': ([[Netflix]]). dir. Elizabeth Mirzaei / Gulistan Mirzaei ** '''Highly commended —''' ''[[Freedom Swimmer]]'': dir. Olivia Martin McGuire |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Trustees' Award ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Hero of the Year Award |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winners —''' Jamie MacDonald & Jamie O'Leary for ''[[Blind Ambition (2021 documentary)|Blind Ambition]]'': ([[BBC]]) | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Roger Graef|Roger Graef OBE]] ([[posthumous award]]) | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' Clare Richards (Documentary director and founder of We Are Doc Women) |}

===2021 winners=== After the previous years online only ceremony, this year marked a return to an in-person event.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 June 2022 |title=The Grierson Trust – Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2021/winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623105944/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2021/winners/ |archive-date=23 June 2022 |access-date=19 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2022 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2021/nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701023803/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2021/nominations/ |archive-date=1 July 2022 |access-date=19 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2021 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2021 |access-date=19 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref> The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021. Best Cinema Documentary was not awarded for the first time since 2003, but two new categories were introduced, Best Sports Documentary and Hero of the Year, whilst the award for Best Arts and Music Documentary was split into two separate awards.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by '''[[Patrick Kielty]]''': 10 November 2021 at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London.<ref>{{Citation |title=Grierson 2021: The British Documentary Awards Live Stream {{!}} The Grierson Trust | date=11 November 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKhzH5B-t8w&list=PLOhXWxx6GrlidkGG209t17ffe0tAr_gu4&index=3 |access-date=19 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Single Documentary – International ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Single Documentary – Domestic ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Collective: Unravelling a Scandal]]'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[Alexander Nanau]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet]]'' ([[Netflix]]). dir. Jonnie Hughes, [[Alastair Fothergill]] & [[Keith Scholey]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville]]''" ''[[Welcome to Chechnya|Welcome to Chechnya: The Gay Purge]]'' (BBC Four). dir. David France ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Undercover in the Schools that Chain Boys'' ([[BBC Arabic]]). dir. Jessica Kelly. Reporter. Fath Al-Rahman Al-Hamdani |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Arts Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Music Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Sports Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Painter and the Thief]]'' ([[Sky Arts]]). dir. Benjamin Ree | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell]].'' (Netflix). dir. [[The Malloys|Emmett Malloy]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Athlete A]]:'' (Netflix). dir. [[Bonni Cohen]] / Jon Shenk |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best History Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Natural History Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Once Upon a Time in Iraq]]:'' Episode 2 "Insurgency" ([[BBC Two]]). dir. James Bluemel | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville:]]'' ''Locked In - Breaking the Silence.'' (BBC Four). dir. Xavier Alford ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[The Surgeon's Cut]]:'' Episode 1. (Netflix). dir. Lucy Blakstad, Stephen Cooter, James Newton & Sophie Robinson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[My Octopus Teacher]]:'' (Netflix). dir. Pippa Ehrlich / James Reed |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Entertaining Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Cinema Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Student Documentary |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Mole: Undercover in North Korea]]'' (BBC Four). dir. [[Mads Brügger]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * ''Not awarded'' | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Tease:'' ([[National Film and Television School|NFTS]]). dir. Jessica Brady |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Constructed Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Series ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Best Documentary Short |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The School That Tried to End Racism:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Rachel Dupuy & David Harris | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Once Upon a Time in Iraq]]:'' Episode 2 "Insurgency" ([[BBC Two]]). dir. James Bluemel | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[A Love Song for Latasha]]:'' (Netflix). dir. Sophia Nahli Allison |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Trustees' Award ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |Grierson Hero of the Year Award |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[Yinka Bokinni]] for ''Damilola: The Boy Next Door'' (Channel 4) ** '''Highly Commended —''' Dr. [[Chris van Tulleken|Chris]] & [[Xand van Tulleken|Xand Van Tulleken]] for ''Surviving the Virus: My Brother & Me'' ([[BBC One]]) | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Tabitha Jackson]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' Serena Kennedy |}

===2020 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Grierson Documentary Awards: the winners in full |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/2020-grierson-documentary-awards-winners-full |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |date=13 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 2022 |title=Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2020/2020-nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401065216/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2020/2020-nominations/ |archive-date=1 April 2022 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2020 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2020 |access-date=19 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Sara Pascoe]]: 10 November 2020. Virtual / online ceremony due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Citation |title=The Grierson Awards 2020 {{!}} The British Documentary Awards {{!}} Tune in 12 November 7pm | date=13 November 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S570YonuvG4 |access-date=18 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Single Documentary – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Single Documentary – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Suicidal: In Our Own Words.'' ([[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]]). dir. Rachel Harvie ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''The Family Secret:'' (Channel 4). dir. Anna Hall / [[Brian Woods (filmmaker)|Brian Woods]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Crip Camp]]'' ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Nicole Newnham]] / [[James LeBrecht|Jim LeBrecht]] ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein]].'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Ursula Macfarlane]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Jade Goody|Jade:]] The Reality Star Who Changed Britain'' - Episode 1. ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Robert Coldstream ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Crip Camp]]'' ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Nicole Newnham]] / [[James LeBrecht|Jim LeBrecht]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Constructed Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts or Music Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Jade Goody|Jade:]] The Reality Star Who Changed Britain'' - Episode 1. ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Robert Coldstream | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes:'' (Channel 4). dir. Benjamin Leigh ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Long Lost Family (British TV series)|Long Lost Family]]:'' ([[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]). dir. Sally Benton, Clare Bradbury & Susie Attwood | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Show Me the Picture: The Story of [[Jim Marshall (photographer)|Jim Marshall]].'' dir. Alfred George Bailey ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Terms and Conditions: A UK Drill Story.'' ([[YouTube Originals]]). dir. Brian Hill |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Miss Curvy:'' ([[National Film and Television School|NFTS]]). dir. Ghada Eldemellawy ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Inside a Marriage:'' (NFTS). dir. Ben Cheetham | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan]]:'' "Zimbabwe" (BBC Two). dir. Chris Cottam | * '''Winner —''' ''War in the Blood'' (BBC Two). dir. Arthur Cary |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[For Sama]]:'' dir. [[Waad Al-Kateab|Waad al Kateab]] / [[Edward Watts (director)|Edward Watts]] ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Honeyland]]'': dir. [[Tamara Kotevska]] / [[Ljubomir Stefanov]] | * '''Winner —''' ''Undercover: Inside China's Digital Gulag.'' (ITV). dir. Robin Barnwell ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Undercover with the Clerics: Iraq's Secret Sex Trade'' ([[BBC News Arabic]]). dir. Patrick (Paddy) Wells | * '''Winner —''' [[Mobeen Azhar]] for ''Hometown: A Killing.'' ([[BBC Three]]) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Natural History Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Short''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Last Igloo:'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Christian Collerton | * '''Winner —''' ''Country Girl:'' dir. Ellen Evans | * '''Recipient —''' [[Asif Kapadia]] |}

===2019 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 June 2018 and 31 May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners announced |url=https://griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2019/winners-announced.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018200938/https://griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2019/winners-announced.html |archive-date=18 October 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2019/nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104064509/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2019/nominations/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2019 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2019 |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"

|+ Hosted by [[Robert Rinder|Rob Rinder]]: 14 November 2019 at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London. ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Single Documentary – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Single Documentary – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Stabbed: Britain's Knife Crime Crisis'' ([[BBC One]]). dir. Toby Trackman | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville]]'' - "The Trial of Ratko Mladic" ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[Henry Singer]] / Rob Miller ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Storyville'' - "Under the Wire" dir. Chris Martin | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Last Survivors'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Arthur Cary ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''A Dangerous Dynasty: House of [[Al-Assad family|Assad]].'' (BBC Two). dir. The Production Team |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Constructed Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts or Music Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Prison'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Paddy Wivell ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Leaving Neverland]]:'' (Channel 4). dir. [[Dan Reed (director)|Dan Reed]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[First Dates Hotel]]'': (Channel 4). dir. The Production Team | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Football Club: Artist in Residence''. (Channel 4). dir. Marcus Plowright |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Ravens'': dir. Karl Forchhammer | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Three Identical Strangers]]'': dir. Tim Wardle ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Bros: After the Screaming Stops]].'' (BBC Four). dir. David Soutar / Joe Pearlman | * '''Winner —''' ''The Parkinson's Drug Trial: A Miracle Cure?'' (BBC Two). dir. Jemima Harrison |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Minding the Gap]]:'' dir. [[Bing Liu (filmmaker)|Bing Liu]] ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.]]'' dir. Steve Loveridge | * '''Winner —''' ''Iraq: A State of Mind'' ([[BBC Arabic]]). dir. Namak Khoshnaw ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)#The Missing Princess|Panorama]]'': "Escape from Dubai: The Mystery of the Missing Princess" (BBC Two). dir. Jane McMullen | * '''Winner —''' [[Duwayne Brooks]] for ''Stabbed: Britain's Knife Crime Crisis'' (BBC One). |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Natural History Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Short''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Drowning in Plastic:'' (BBC One). dir. Tom Watt-Smith | * '''Winner —''' ''Zion'' (Netflix). dir. Floyd Russ | * '''Recipient —''' [[Dorothy Byrne]] |}

===2018 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018.'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners announced |url=https://griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2018/winners-announced.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018204043/https://griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2018/winners-announced.html |archive-date=18 October 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 June 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2018/nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613180239/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2018/nominations/ |archive-date=13 June 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2018 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2018 |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref>'''

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Susan Calman]]: 6 November 2018 at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London. ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Single Documentary – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Single Documentary – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Kingdom of Us]]'': dir. Lucy Cohen | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville]]:'' ''[[The Work (film)|The Work - Four Days to Redemption]]''. ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Jairus McLeary / Gethin Aldous ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Icarus (2017 film)|Icarus]]'': ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Bryan Fogel]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Murder of Stephen Lawrence|Stephen]]: The Murder that Changed a Nation -''"The Loss of Joy''.''" ([[BBC One]]). dir. James Rogan ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[A House Through Time]]'': Episode 2. ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Stuart Elliott |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Constructed Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts or Music Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Murder of Stephen Lawrence|Stephen]]: The Murder that Changed a Nation -'' "The Loss of Joy''.''" ([[BBC One]]). dir. James Rogan | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Benjamin Leigh | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Leonora Carrington]] - The Lost Surrealist:'' (BBC Four). dir. Teresa Griffiths |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Fake News Fairytale:'' dir. Kate Stonehill | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Celebrity Hunted]]'' - Episode 1: (Channel 4). dir. Production Team | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Chris Packham]]: Asperger's and Me''. (BBC Two). dir. Charlie Russell ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Natural World (TV series)|The Natural World]]: Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs:'' (BBC Two). dir. Mike Birkhead / Beth Jones |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Work (film)|The Work]]'': dir. Jairus McLeary / Gethin Aldous | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]]'': "Undercover - Britain's Immigration Secrets." (BBC One). dir. Joe Plomin. Undercover reporter: Callum Tulley ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''The Fight for Mosul'': (Channel 4). dir. Olivier Sarbil / [[James Jones (documentary maker)|James Jones]] | * '''Winner —''' [[Patrick Kielty]] for ''My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me'' (BBC One) ** '''Highly Commended —''' [[Professor Green]] for ''Working Class White Men'' (Channel 4) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Natural History Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Short''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Natural World (TV series)|The Natural World]]: [[H is for Hawk]]: A New Chapter'' (BBC Two). dir. Mike Birkhead, Beth Jones ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[Blue Planet II]]'': "One Ocean." (BBC One). dir. Production Team | * '''Winner —''' ''Landline:'' dir. Matt Houghton ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Circle'': dir. Jayisha Patel | * '''Recipient —''' [[Trevor McDonald|Sir Trevor McDonald]] |}

===2017 winners=== The award for Best Newcomer was replaced with an award for Best Documentary Short in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2017 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners announced |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2017/winners-announced.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113223344/http://www.griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2017/winners-announced.html |archive-date=13 November 2017 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2017/nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028101655/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2017/nominations/ |archive-date=28 October 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2017 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2017 |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Two wins five Grierson Awards, with BBC winning a total of seven |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/bbc-two-grierson |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Stephen Mangan]]: 5 November 2017 at '''the [[Mermaid Theatre]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Single Documentary – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Single Documentary – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Hillsborough (2014 film)|Hillsborough]]'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Daniel Gordon (film director)|Daniel Gordon]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Machines'': dir. Rahul Jain ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''Last Days of Solitary''; ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Dan Edge / Lauren Mucciolo | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[13th (film)|13th]]'' ([[Netflix]]). dir. [[Ava DuVernay]] ** '''Highly Commended —''' ''[[The Green Hollow|Aberfan: The Green Hollow]]'' (BBC Four). dir. [[Pip Broughton]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Constructed Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Exodus: Our Journey to Europe'' (BBC Two). dir. [[James Bluemel]], Jack MacInnes, Paul Glynn & Robin Barnwell | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Muslims Like Us]]'' (BBC Two). dir. Emma Findlay, David Foulkes, Zoe Hines, Lily Murray, Libby Overton & Will Rowson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Paula Rego, Secrets & Stories]]'' (BBC Two). dir. [[Nick Willing]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Acta Non Verba'': dir. Yvann Yagchi | * '''Winner —''' ''[[999: What's Your Emergency?]]'' - Nobody ever said, 'When I grow up I want to answer 999 calls.' ([[Channel 4|Channel Four]]). dir. James Incledon, Sam Barnes & Chris Rowe | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Forces of Nature (TV series)|Forces of Nature]] with [[Brian Cox (physicist)|Brian Cox]]:'' Episode 2 "Somewhere in Spacetime." ([[BBC One]]). dir. Stephen Cooter |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Current Affairs Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Weiner (film)|Weiner]]'': dir. Josh Kriegman / Elyse Steinberg | * '''Winner —''' ''Goodbye Aleppo'': ([[BBC Arabic]]). dir. Christine Garabedian | * '''Winner —''' [[Grayson Perry]] for ''[[Grayson Perry: All Man]]'' (Channel Four) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Natural History Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Short''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Wild Ireland]]:'' Episode 1 "The Edge of the World." (BBC Two). dir. John Murray / Cepa Giblin | * '''Winner —''' ''Fish Story'': dir. Charlie Lyne | * '''Recipient —''' [[Alastair Fothergill]] |}

===2016 winners=== This year saw the Best Science or Natural History Documentary award split into two separate categories and a new award for Best Constructed Documentary Series introduced.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Awards - 2016 |url=https://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2016 |access-date=18 November 2023 |publisher=The Grierson Trust}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 November 2016 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners announced |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2016/winners-announced.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111171705/http://www.griersontrust.org/about-us/news/2016/winners-announced.html |archive-date=11 November 2016 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2016/nominations/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105215252/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2016/nominations/ |archive-date=5 November 2021 |access-date=18 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 November 2016 |title=Award for Vicar of Dibley writer who showed the 'funny side of Parkinson's' |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37911073 |access-date=18 November 2023}}</ref> The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 May 2015 to 30 April 2016.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Jon Culshaw]]: 7 November 2016 at '''the [[Mermaid Theatre]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''How To Die: Simon's Choice''. ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Rowan Deacon]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[How to Change the World (film)|How to Change the World]]'': dir. [[Jerry Rothwell]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Attacking the Devil'': dir. Jacqui Morris / David Morris |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Constructed Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Murder Detectives: ''([[Channel 4]]). dir. [[David Nath|Dave Nath]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Real Marigold Hotel]]'' (BBC Two). dir. Tom Currie | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Amy]]'', dir. [[Asif Kapadia]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Women in Sink'': dir. [[Iris Zaki]] | * '''Winner —''' ''Secret Life of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds'': Episode 2. (Channel 4). dir. Teresa Watkins, Emily Lawson & Nicola Brown | * '''Winner —''' ''Oak Tree: Nature's Greatest Survivor''. ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Nic Stacey |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Current Affairs ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary Presenter |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Cartel Land]]'' dir. [[Matthew Heineman]] | * '''Winner —''' ''[[This World (TV series)|This World]]:'' "Outbreak - The Truth About Ebola." (BBC Two). dir. Dan Edge | * '''Winner —''' [[Paul Mayhew-Archer|Paul Mayhew Archer]] for ''[[Inside Out (2002 TV programme)|Inside Out]] South:'' "Parkinson's - The Funny Side." ([[BBC One]]) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Natural History Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Hunt: The Hardest Challenge''. (BBC One). dir. Huw Cordey | * '''Winner —''' ''Where You're Meant To Be'': dir. Paul Fegan | * '''Recipient —''' [[Louis Theroux]] |}

===2015 winners=== The Readers' Choice Award was dropped in this year. The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 May 2014 and 30 April 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=Channel 4 wins big at the Grierson Awards |url=https://rts.org.uk/article/channel-4-wins-big-grierson-awards |publisher=Royal Television Society |access-date=7 April 2022 |language=en |date=3 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2015/winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030235747/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2015/winners/ |archive-date=30 October 2021 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 November 2015 |title=The Grierson Trust - Nominations |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/the-grierson-awards-2015/nominations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102032037/http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/the-grierson-awards-2015/nominations |archive-date=2 November 2015 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=3 November 2015 |title=Gogglebox among TV documentary winners |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34710079 |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Gareth Malone]]: 2 November 2015 at '''the [[Mermaid Theatre]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Paedophile Hunter]]:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. [[Dan Reed (director)|Dan Reed]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Citizenfour]]'' dir. [[Laura Poitras]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Our World War (TV series)|Our World War: The First Day]].'' ([[BBC Three]]). dir. Bruce Goodison |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Romanians are Coming'' (Channel 4). dir. [[James Bluemel]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Lost Gold of the Highlands (Garnet's Gold)'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Ed Perkins | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[20,000 Days on Earth]]'', dir. [[Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science or Natural History Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Wolf, The Ship and the Little Green Bag'', dir. Kathryn MacCorgarry Gray | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Gogglebox]]:'' "Episode 6". (Channel 4). dir. Tina Alexander | * '''Winner —''' ''Curing Cancer'' (Channel 4). dir. [[Brian Woods (filmmaker)|Brian Woods]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Current Affairs ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Documentary Presenter of the Year |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Virunga (film)|Virunga]]'', dir. [[Orlando von Einsiedel]] | * '''Winner —''' ''Our War: Goodbye Afghanistan'', (BBC Three). dir. [[Rowan Deacon]] | * '''Winner —''' [[Grayson Perry]] for ''Who Are You?'' (Channel 4) |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Kim Longinotto]] |}

===2014 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries that had their first UK screening between 1 May 2013 and 30 April 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 January 2015 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Winners |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards-the-british-documentary-awards/winners.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106233327/http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards-the-british-documentary-awards/winners.html |archive-date=6 January 2015 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2014/the-grierson-awards-2014-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104060334/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2014/the-grierson-awards-2014-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 September 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Nominations |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards-the-british-documentary-awards/nominations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922045258/http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards-the-british-documentary-awards/nominations.html |archive-date=22 September 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Plunkett |first=John |date=4 November 2014 |title=Educating Yorkshire wins best documentary series at Grierson Awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/nov/04/educating-yorkshire-wins-best-documentary-grierson-awards-channel-4 |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Sue Perkins]]: 3 November 2014 at t'''he [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Murder of Arlene Fraser|The Murder Trial]]:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Nick Holt | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Dispatches (TV programme)|Dispatches]]:'' "Children on the Frontline." (Channel 4). dir. [[Anthony Wonke]] / [[Marcel Mettelsiefen]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Iraq War: Regime Change''. ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Paul Mitchell, [[Norma Percy]] & Charlie Smith |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Educating Yorkshire]]'' (Channel 4). dir. David Brindley / Grace Reynold | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Last Chance School'': (Channel 4). dir. Marc Williamson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Colin Davis]] in His Own Words'': (BBC Four). dir. [[John Bridcut]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science or Natural History Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Sing Your Heart Out'': dir. Peter Akar | * '''Winner —''' ''Our Gay Wedding: The Musical''. (Channel 4). dir. Claire Lewis, Louise Hooper & Ellen Hobson | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Particle Fever]]'': dir. [[Mark Levinson (film director)|Mark Levinson]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Current Affairs ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Documentary Presenter of the Year |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Cutie and the Boxer]]:'' dir. [[Zachary Heinzerling]] | * '''Winner —''' [[Dispatches (TV programme)|''Dispatches'']]'':'' "Hunted." (Channel 4). dir. Ben Steele | * '''Winner —''' [[Rupert Everett]] for ''Love for Sale with Rupert Everett:'' (Channel 4) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Readers' Choice Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' | style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Educating Yorkshire]]'' (Channel 4). dir. David Brindley / Grace Reynold | * '''Recipient —''' [[Alex Graham (producer)|Alex Graham]] | |}

===2013 winners=== This year saw the introduction of awards for Best Documentary on Current Affairs, Documentary Presenter of the Year and the Readers' Choice Award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2013 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2013.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016123516/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2013.html |archive-date=16 October 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2013/the-grierson-awards-2013-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104122309/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2013/the-grierson-awards-2013-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 July 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Nominations - 2013 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2013/nominations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715082518/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2013/nominations.html |archive-date=15 July 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 October 2013 |title=Jimmy Savile and 7/7 films up for new documentary award |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24351633 |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=5 November 2013 |title=BBC and Grayson Perry have successful night at Grierson Documentary awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/05/bbc-grayson-perry-grierson-documentary-awards |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Claudia Winkleman]]: 4 November 2013 at t'''he [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''7/7: One Day in London''. ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Ben Anthony | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Law of the Jungle:'' dir. Michael Christoffersen, Hans La Cour | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Secret History of Our Streets]]'': "Deptford High Street". (BBC Two). dir. [[Joseph Bullman]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Year The Town Hall Shrank'': ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[David Nath]] / James Newton | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''High Tech, Low Life:'' dir. Steve Maing | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Imagine (TV series)|Imagine...]] The Fatwa - Salman's Story.'' ([[BBC One]]). dir. [[Jill Nicholls]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science or Natural History Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Sodiq''. dir. Adeyemi Michael | * '''Winner —''' ''Nina Conti: A Ventriloquist's Story - Her Master's Voice''. (BBC Four). dir. [[Nina Conti]] | * '''Winner —''' ''How to Build a Bionic Man'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Tom Coveney |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Current Affairs ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Documentary Presenter of the Year |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The House I Live In (2012 film)|The House I Live In]]'' dir. [[Eugene Jarecki]] | * '''Winner —''' ''Syria: Across the Lines''. (Channel 4). dir. Olly Lambert | * '''Winner —''' [[Grayson Perry]] for ''[[All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry]]:'' (Channel 4) |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Readers' Choice Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' | style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Secret History of Our Streets]]'' (BBC Two). dir. [[Joseph Bullman]] | * '''Recipient —''' [[John Battsek]] | |}

===2012 winners=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Grayson Perry]]: 6 November 2012 at t'''he [[Empire, Leicester Square]], London.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2012 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2012.html |access-date=17 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016122537/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2012.html |archive-date=16 October 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2012/the-grierson-awards-2012-winners/ |access-date=17 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104075659/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2012/the-grierson-awards-2012-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Nominations – 2012 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2012/nominations.html |access-date=17 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714214708/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2012/nominations.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Grierson Awards 40 years on |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/grierson-awards-40-years |access-date=17 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |date=24 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref>'''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Plunkett |first=John |date=7 November 2012 |title=Channel 4's Gypsy Blood wins Grierson award |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/07/channel-4-gypsy-blood |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=7 November 2012 |title=Bobby Fischer documentary wins award |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-20240325 |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die]]'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Charlie Russell | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Hell and Back Again]]'' ([[More4]]). dir. [[Danfung Dennis]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Love of Books: A Sarajevo Story.'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Sam Hobkinson |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Arts Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Protecting Our Children]]'' (BBC Two). dir. Sacha Mirzoeff / Emma Burman | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Gypsy Blood]]'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Leo Maguire | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Jeremy Deller]]: Middle Class Hero - A [[The Culture Show|Culture Show]] Special.'' (BBC Two). dir. Jack Cocker |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Betrayal:'' dir. Karen Winther | * '''Winner —''' ''The Bengali Detective:'' dir. Phil Cox | * '''Winner —''' ''After Life: The Strange Science of Decay'' (BBC Four). dir. Fred Hepburn |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Bobby Fischer Against the World]]'': dir. [[Liz Garbus]] | * '''Recipient —''' [[Kevin Macdonald (director)|Kevin Macdonald]] | |}

===2011 winners=== This year saw the award for Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue split into two; one for domestic productions and one of international. The award for Best Drama Documentary was replaced by an award for Best Student Documentary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 October 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2011 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2011.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016122449/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2011.html |archive-date=16 October 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2011/the-grierson-awards-2011-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106134242/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2011/the-grierson-awards-2011-winners/ |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Nominations - 2011 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2011/nominations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213739/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2011/nominations.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Conlan |first=Tara |date=2 November 2011 |title=Grierson awards honour documentaries about cricket |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/nov/02/grierson-awards-documentaries-cricket |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Mariella Frostrup]]: 1 November 2011 at [[BFI Southbank]], London ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – Domestic''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue – International''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Between Life and Death'': ([[BBC One]]). dir. Nick Holt | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Secret Iraq: The Insurgency.'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Sam Collyns | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Fire in Babylon]]:'' dir. [[Stevan Riley]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Hugh's Fish Fight]]'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Will Anderson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[Storyville (television series)|''Storyville'']]'': Afghan Cricket Club - Out of the Ashes'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Timothy Albone / Lucy Martens | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire|Bird on a Wire]]:'' (BBC Four). dir. [[Tony Palmer (director)|Tony Palmer]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Student Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Science Documentary''' |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Caring for Calum'': dir. Lou McLoughlan | * '''Winner —''' ''Bodysnatchers of New York'': ([[More4]]). dir. [[Toby Dye]] | * '''Winner —''' ''The Joy of Stats'': (BBC Four). dir. Dan Hillman |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Cinema Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Trustees' Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Arbor (film)|The Arbor]]'': dir. [[Clio Barnard]] | * '''Recipient —''' [[John Pilger]] | |}

===2010 winners=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Sandi Toksvig]]: 2 November 2010 at [[BFI Southbank]], London.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2010 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2010.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810113501/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2010.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2010/the-grierson-awards-2010-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106044116/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2010/the-grierson-awards-2010-winners/ |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2014 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Nominations - 2010 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2010/nominations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620195018/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2010/nominations.html |archive-date=20 June 2014 |access-date=17 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Conlan |first=Tara |date=2 November 2010 |title=Banksy film wins prize |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/nov/02/banksy-grierson-award |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Moving to Mars (film)|Moving to Mars]]:'' ([[More4]]). dir. [[Mat Whitecross]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Requiem for Detroit:'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Julien Temple]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Force (2009 TV series)|The Force]]'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Patrick Forbes |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Sons of Cuba]]'': dir. Andrew Lang | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Arena (British TV series)|Arena]]: T.S. Eliot'' (BBC Two). dir. Adam Low | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Endgame (2009 film)|Endgame]]'': (Channel 4). dir. [[Pete Travis]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Exit Through the Gift Shop]]:'' dir. [[Banksy]] | * '''Winner —''' ''Race and Intelligence: Science's Last Taboo'' (Channel 4). dir. [[David Hickman (producer)|David Hickman]] | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Mugabe and the White African]]'', dir. Lucy Bailey / Andrew Thompson |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Penny Woolcock]] |}

===2009 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries first screened in the UK between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2009 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2009.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810110751/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2009.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2009/the-grierson-awards-2009-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106134309/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2009/the-grierson-awards-2009-winners/ |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Conlan |first=Tara |date=4 November 2009 |title=Norma Percy wins two Grierson awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/nov/04/norma-percy-grierson-awards |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Andrew Marr]]: 3 November 2009 at [[BFI Southbank]], London ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Afghan Star (film)|Afghan Star]]:'' ([[More4]]). dir. [[Havana Marking]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Thrilla in Manila]]'': (More4). dir. John Dower | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Iran and the West]]'': ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Dai Richards, Delphine Jaudeau & Paul Mitchell |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[Storyville (television series)|''Storyville'']]'': I'm Not Dead Yet'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Elizabeth Stopford | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Mona Lisa Curse]]'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Mandy Chang | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[House of Saddam]]'': (BBC Two). dir. Alex Holmes / Jim O'Hanlon |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Yes Men Fix the World]].'' dir. [[Andy Bichlbaum|Andy Bichibaum]] / [[Mike Bonanno|Mike Bonnano]] | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life]]'': ([[BBC One]]). dir. Sacha Mirzoeff | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Burma VJ]]'', dir. Anders Østergaard |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Norma Percy]] |}

===2008 winners=== The Trustees' Award was not bestowed this year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2008 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2008.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810105955/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2008.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2008/the-grierson-awards-2008-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106050544/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2008/the-grierson-awards-2008-winners/ |archive-date=6 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 November 2008 |title=Grierson British Documentary Awards 2008: Winners |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/21/grierson-awards-television |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Sue Perkins]] and [[Giles Coren]]: 20 November 2008 at the '''[[Royal Institution]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Lie of the Land:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. [[Molly Dineen]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''1983: The Brink of Apocalypse'' (Channel 4). dir. [[Henry Chancellor (author and filmmaker)|Henry Chancellor]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain]]'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Tom Giles / Fatima Salaria |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Here's Johnny (film)|Here's Johnny]]'', dir. '''Adam Lavis''', William Hood & Katrina Mansoor | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Here's Johnny (film)|Here's Johnny]]'', dir. Adam Lavis, William Hood & Katrina Mansoor | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Battle for Haditha]]:'' ([[More4]]). dir. [[Nick Broomfield]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Please Vote for Me]]'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[Weijun Chen]], [[Don Edkins]] & Mette Heide | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives]]'' (BBC Four). dir. Louise Lockwood | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Joy Division (2007 film)|Joy Division]]'', dir. [[Grant Gee]] |}

===2007 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries first screened in the UK between 1 May 2006 and 30 April 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2007 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2007.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810114544/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2007.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2007/the-grierson-awards-2007-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030235736/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2007/the-grierson-awards-2007-winners/ |archive-date=30 October 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tryhorn |first=Chris |date=26 November 2007 |title=Watson scoops top documentary awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/nov/26/television |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Nick Ross]]: 23 November 2007 at [[Savoy Place]], London ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Rain in My Heart'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Paul Watson (documentary filmmaker)|Paul Watson]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Hungary 1956]]: Our Revolution'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[Mark Kidel]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Anatomy of a Crime'' (BBC Two). dir. Steph Atkinson |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''No Man is an Island'', dir. Sonja Linden | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Imagine (TV series)|Imagine...]]'' Episode: "Who Cares About Art?" ([[BBC One]]). dir. Sam Hobkinson | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Consent:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Katie Bailiff |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Science Documentary ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Ray Gosling]]'' (BBC Four). dir. Amanda Reilly | * '''Winner —''' ''Monkeys, Rats and Me'' (BBC Two). dir. [[Adam Wishart]] | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Deep Water (2006 film)|Deep Water]]'', dir. [[Louise Osmond]] / [[Jerry Rothwell]] |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Paul Watson (documentary filmmaker)|Paul Watson]] |}

===2006 winners=== The award for Best Documentary Series was reinstated after being dropped the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2006 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2006.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810110248/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2006.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2006/the-grierson-awards-2006-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104055605/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2006/the-grierson-awards-2006-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Graef |first=Roger |date=27 November 2006 |title=Reel life changes |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/nov/27/mondaymediasection8 |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Rageh Omaar]]: 17 November 2006 at '''[[The Royal Geographical Society]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Asylum:'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir: Peter Gordon | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''How Vietnam Was Lost - [[Two Days in October]]:'' ([[BBC One]]). dir. [[Robert Kenner]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —'''''Russian Godfathers'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Patrick Forbes |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Disabled and Looking For Love'', ([[BBC Three]]). dir. Clare Richards | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Take That: For the Record|Take That: For The Record]]'' ([[ITV1]]). dir. David Notman-Watt | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Year London Blew Up'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Edmund Coulthard |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares]] -'' Episode:"Momma Cherri's" (Channel 4). dir. Christine Hall | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Natural World (TV series)|The Natural World]] -'' Episode: "The Queen of Trees" (BBC Two). dir. Victoria Stone / Mark Deeble | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Storyville (television series)|Storyville]]: [[Darwin's Nightmare]]'', dir. [[Hubert Sauper]] |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Mike Salisbury]] |}

===2005 winners=== This year saw the award for Best International Documentary and Best Cinema Documentary combined into a new Best International Cinema Documentary award. The Best Documentary Series award was replaced with a new award for Best Drama Documentary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2005 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2005.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810105509/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2005.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust – Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2005/the-grierson-awards-2005-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104071615/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2005/the-grierson-awards-2005-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Michael Portillo]]: 27 November 2005 at the '''[[Royal Institution]], London''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Drama Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Sisters in Law (film)|Sisters in Law]]'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. [[Kim Longinotto]] / [[Florence Ayisi]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Auschwitz: The Nazis and 'The Final Solution'|Auschwitz: The Nazis & The 'Final Solution']]'' - Episode 1 "Surprising Beginnings" ([[BBC Two]]). dir. [[Detlef Siebert]], [[Dominic Sutherland]] & [[Laurence Rees]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Cherished (film)|Cherished]]''. ([[BBC One]]). dir. [[Robin Shepperd|Robin Sheppard]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best International Cinema Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Send Me Somewhere Special:'' ([[BBC Three]]). dir. Darren Hercher | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[The South Bank Show|''The'' ''South Bank Show'']] - Episode: "[[Leaving Home, Coming Home: A Portrait of Robert Frank|Robert Frank]]" ([[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]). dir. [[Gerald Fox]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[My Architect]]''. dir. [[Nathaniel Kahn]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | * '''Winner —''' ''Bye Bye Happiness'' (BBC Three). dir. Oli Barry | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Natural World (TV series)|The Natural World]] -'' Episode: "Mississippi, Tales of the Last River Rat". (BBC Two). dir. Andrew Graham Brown | * '''Recipient —''' [[Nick Fraser]] |}

===2004 winners=== The eligibility window was for documentaries first screened in the UK between 1 May 2003 and 30 April 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 October 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/200000/the-grierson-awards-2004-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031123918/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/200000/the-grierson-awards-2004-winners/ |archive-date=31 October 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2004 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2004.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810114157/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2004.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |last2= |first2= |date=9 November 2004 |title=BBC scoops five documentary awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/nov/09/broadcasting.bbc2 |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 2004 |title=BBC dominates documentary awards |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3995047.stm |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Ian Hislop]]: 8 November 2004 at '''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg's]] London headquarters''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Terror in Moscow:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. [[Dan Reed (director)|Dan Reed]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Dunkirk: The Soldiers' Story''. ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Peter Gordon | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''National Trust''. ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Patrick Forbes |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best International Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off]]'' (Channel 4). dir. Patrick Collerton | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[George Orwell: A Life in Pictures]]'' (BBC Two). dir. Chris Durlacher | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''To Live is Better Than To Die'' (BBC Four [[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville]]). dir. [[Weijun Chen]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Prince, The Showgirl and Me''. (BBC Four). dir. Clare Beavan | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Horizon (British TV series)|Horizon]]'': "[[Cowan–Reines neutrino experiment|Project Poltergeist]]". (BBC Two). dir. [[David Sington]] | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Capturing the Friedmans|Capturing The Friedmans]]'', dir. [[Andrew Jarecki]] |- ! colspan="3" style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award |- | colspan="3" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Jonathan Gili]] (awarded posthumously) |}

===2003 winners=== New categories of Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World and Best Cinema Documentary were introduced this year. Also any entry which was substantially produced on photographic film was also considered for the Best Documentary on Film award. The Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed back to the Trustees' Award. All entries were required to have had a public screening or broadcast in the UK between 1 May 2002 and 30 April 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 October 2003 |title= Grierson frameset|url=http://www.signehoffos.clara.net:80/signehoffos/Grierson/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031001074113/http://www.signehoffos.clara.net:80/signehoffos/Grierson/ |archive-date=1 October 2003 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grierson Awards 2003 |url=http://www.signehoffos.clara.net/signehoffos/Grierson/Grierson_Awards_2003_win.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040407140251fw_/http://www.signehoffos.clara.net/signehoffos/Grierson/Grierson_Awards_2003_win.html |archive-date=7 April 2004 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 November 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2003/the-grierson-awards-2003-winners/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104060341/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2003/the-grierson-awards-2003-winners/ |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 October 2003 |title=Grierson 2003 Nominations |url=http://www.signehoffos.clara.net/signehoffos/Grierson/Grierson_Awards_2003_nom.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031001074113/http://www.signehoffos.clara.net:80/signehoffos/Grierson/ |archive-date=1 October 2003 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Byrne |first=Ciar |date=18 November 2003 |title=Oliver show scoops top documentary prize |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/18/broadcasting |access-date=17 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+ Hosted by [[Esther Rantzen|Ester Rantzen]]: 17 November 2003 at '''[[City Hall, London (Southwark)|City Hall]] on London's South Bank''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Crackhouse:'' ([[BBC Two]]). dir. Laurence Turnbull, Carl John & Martin Fuller | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Iranian Embassy siege|SAS Embassy Siege]]'': (BBC Two). dir. Bruce Goodison | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Last Peasants'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Angus Macqueen |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best International Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (film)|''Chavez, Inside the Coup'']] (BBC Four). dir. Donnacha Ó Briain / Kim Bartley | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Antoni Gaudí|Antoni Gaudi]], God's Architect'': ([[BBC Four]]). dir. Mandy Chang | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' [[The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (film)|''Chavez, Inside the Coup'']] (BBC Four). dir. Donnacha Ó Briain / Kim Bartley |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Cinema Documentary |- | * '''Winner —''[[Jamie's Kitchen]]": (Channel 4). dir. Sandi Scott | * '''Winner —''' ''DNA, The Future'': (Channel 4). dir. David Glover | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Biggie & Tupac]]'': dir. [[Nick Broomfield]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Best Documentary on Film ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |Trustees' Award ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''The Last Peasants'': ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Angus Macqueen * '''Winner —''' ''[[Prisoner of Paradise (2002 film)|Prisoner of Paradise]]'', dir. [[Malcolm Clarke (filmmaker)|Malcolm Clarke]] / Stuart Sender | * '''Recipient —''' [[Molly Dineen]] | |}

===2002 winners=== Once again the awards were expanded. New categories of Best Documentary on the Arts, Most Entertaining Documentary and International Documentary were added.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 December 2021 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2002/the-grierson-awards-2002-winners/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208004114/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2002/the-grierson-awards-2002-winners/ |archive-date=8 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 January 2003 |title=The John Grierson Trust |url=http://www.mv.u-net.com/grierson/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030125005842/http://www.mv.u-net.com/grierson/ |archive-date=25 January 2003 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref> The eligibility window was for documentaries first screened publicly between 1 May 2001 to 30 April 2002.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by [[Michael Palin]]: 12 November 2002 at [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]], London ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Kelly and her Sisters'' ([[ITV1]]). dir. Marilyn Gaunt | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Ceausescu]]: The King of Communism'' ([[BBC Four]]). dir. [[Ben Lewis (filmmaker)|Ben Lewis]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''The Trust:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Jenny Crowther / Jonathan Smith |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on the Arts''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best International Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Lift'' (Channel 4). dir. [[Marc Isaacs|Marc Isaccs]] * '''Winner —''' ''News Time: This is Palestine:'' (BBC Four ''[[Storyville (TV series)|Storyville]]''). dir. [[Azza El-Hassan]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Omnibus (British TV programme)|Omnibus]]: [[David Hockney]]'s Secret Knowledge'' (ITV1). dir. Randall Wright | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Southern Comfort (2001 film)|Southern Comfort]]'' (BBC Four). dir. [[Kate Davis (director)|Kate Davis]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Most Entertaining Documentary''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Lifetime Achievement Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" | |- | * '''Winner —''' ''[[Faking It (British TV series)|Faking It:]]'' "Burger Man to Chef" (Channel 4). dir. Jamie Simpson | * '''Recipient —''' [[Sir David Attenborough]] | |}

===2000 / 2001 winners=== In 2000, with support from the [[UK Film Council]] the awards were expanded to four categories and the Trustees' Award renamed to the '''Lifetime Achievement Award'''. The best documentary selected from these four category winners went on to win the overall '''Premier Grierson Award'''. The eligibility window was for documentaries first screened publicly between 1 January 2000 and 30 April 2001.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 April 2022 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2000-2001/the-grierson-awards-2000-2001-winners/#award1 |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419153158/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/2000-2001/the-grierson-awards-2000-2001-winners/#award1 |archive-date=19 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 August 2011 |title=The Grierson Trust :: Grierson 2000/2001 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2000-2001.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807100146/http://www.griersontrust.org/past-awards/grierson-2000-2001.html |archive-date=7 August 2011 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2003 |title=Winners |url=http://www.mv.u-net.com/grierson/winners.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030422162117/http://www.mv.u-net.com/grierson/winners.htm |archive-date=22 April 2003 |access-date=16 November 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Netribution > News > Industry Buzz > Grierson Awards Bafta |url=https://www.netribution.co.uk/news/industry_buzz/92/4.html |access-date=17 November 2023 |website=netribution.co.uk}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%" |+Hosted by [[David Frost|Sir David Frost]]: 14 November 2001 at [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]], London ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Premier Grierson Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Historical Documentary''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Correspondent:'' "Killers Don't Cry" ([[BBC]]). dir. Clifford Bestall | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Correspondent:'' "Killers Don't Cry": (BBC). dir. Clifford Bestall | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Britain at War in Colour:'' "Darkest Hour" ([[ITV1]]). dir. Lucy Carter / [[Stewart Binns]] |- ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%" |'''Best Documentary Series''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Best Newcomer Award''' ! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="33%" |'''Lifetime Achievement Award''' |- | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Indian Journeys'' (BBC). dir. [[Hugh Thomson (writer)|Hugh Thomson]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Winner —''' ''Fifteen:'' ([[Channel 4]]). dir. Daisy Asquith * '''Winner —''' ''The Alcohol Years'' (Channel 4). dir. [[Carol Morley]] | style="vertical-align:top" | * '''Recipient —''' [[Alan Whicker]] * '''Recipient —''' [[Desmond Wilcox]] (posthumously awarded) |}

==1972–1999 winners== From 1972 to 1999, there was a single award for '''Best British Documentary'''. In 1998 an honorary '''Trustees' Award''' was introduced.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 December 2001 |title=Winners |url=http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/winners.htm#90s |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011227190552/http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/dg40/griersontrust/winners.htm#90s |archive-date=27 December 2001 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 April 2022 |title=The Grierson Trust - Winners |url=https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/1971/1999/winners/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419182957/https://griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/past-awards/1971/1999/winners/ |archive-date=19 April 2022 }}</ref> The 1999 winners' ceremony was held at [[The Savoy Hotel]] in London on 23 March 2000 with [[Andrew Neil]] as guest speaker.<ref name=":4" />

===1990s=== * '''1999'':''''' ''Gulag: Enemy of the People'' (dir. Angus Macqueen / [[BBC Two]]) and '''Trustees' Award''' to [[David Munro (documentary filmmaker)|David Munro]] and Philip Donnallen * '''1998:''' ''Inside Story: Tongue Tied'' (dir. Olivia Lichtenstein / [[BBC One]]) and '''Trustees' Award''' to [[Michael Apted]] * '''1997:''' ''The System: The Nature of the Beast'' (dir. Peter Dale / [[BBC Two]]) * '''1996:''' ''Man and Animal'' (dir. [[Antony Thomas]] / [[Carlton Television|Carlton TV]]) * '''1995:''' ''Tripping with Zhirinovsky'' (dir. [[Paweł Pawlikowski]] / [[BBC]]) * '''1994:''' ''Beyond the Clouds'' (dir. Philip Agland / [[Channel 4]]) * '''1993:''' ''[[Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer]]'' (dir. [[Nick Broomfield]] / Lafayette Films) * '''1992:''' ''Children of Chernobyl'' (dir. Clive Gordon / [[Yorkshire Television]]) * '''1991:''' ''Absurdistan'' (dir. John Whiston / [[BBC]]) * '''1990:''' ''[[Four Hours in My Lai]]'' (dir. Kevin Sim / [[Yorkshire Television]])

===1980s=== * '''1989:''' ''Concerning Cancer'' (dir. [[John Morgan (British journalist)|John Morgan]] / [[Channel 4]]) * '''1988:''' ''[[Fourteen Days in May]]'' (dir. Paul Hamann / [[BBC]]) * '''1987:''' ''[[Handsworth Songs]]'' (dir. [[John Akomfrah]] / [[Black Audio Film Collective]]) * '''1986:''' ''From the Cradle to the Grave'' (dir. John Willis / [[Yorkshire Television]]) * '''1985:''' ''[[UK miners' strike (1984–85)|Miners]] Campaign Tapes'' (Platform Films / [[National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain)|National Union of Mineworkers]]) * '''1984:''' ''[[Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts|Framed Youth]]'' (London Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project / [[Greater London Arts Association|GLAA]]) * '''1983:''' ''Give Us This Day'' (dir. [[Phil Mulloy]] / [[Arts Council of Great Britain]]) * '''1981/1982:''' ''Rough Cut and Ready Dubbed'' (dir. Hasan Shah / [[British Film Institute|BFI]] & [[Greater London Arts Association|GLAA]]) * '''1980:''' ''Jozef'' (dir. Jerzy Kaszubowski / [[National Film and Television School|National Film School]]) and ''The Tom Machine'' (dir. Paul Bamborough / National Film School)

===1970s=== * '''1979:''' ''[[Fred Dibnah]]: Steeplejack'' (dir. Don Haworth / [[BBC Television]]) * '''1978:''' ''Begging the Ring'' (dir. [[Colin Gregg]] / [[Dartington Arts Society]]) * '''1977:''' ''[[Tom Phillips (artist)|Tom Phillips]]'' (dir. David Rowan / [[Arts Council of Great Britain]]) * '''1976:''' ''Devices and Desires'' (dir. [[Giles Foster]] / [[Ken McMullen (film director)|Ken McMullen Productions]]) * '''1975:''' ''Drive Carefully Darling'' (dir. [[John Krish]] / [[Department of Environment (United Kingdom)|Department of Environment]]) * '''1974:''' ''[[Butterfly Ball (film)|Butterfly Ball]]'' (dir. [[Lee Mishkin]] / [[Halas and Batchelor]]) * '''1973:''' ''Like Other People'' (dir. [[Paul Morrison (director)|Paul Morrison]] / [[Spastics Society|Spastics Society & Mental Health]]) * '''1972:''' ''The Wind in the Wires'' (dir. John Edwards / Buff Films / [[Rothmans International|Rothmans]]).<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 June 2009 |title=The other pilot |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News Magazine |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8080077.stm |access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref> - first year of bust as trophy. * '''1971:''' ''A Future for the Past'' (Peter Bradford / [[Civic Trust (England)|Civic Trust]]).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boon |first=Tim |date=10 October 2019 |title=Peter Bradford obituary |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/10/peter-bradford-obituary |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> - as winner of the [[British Federation of Film Societies|BFFS]] Short Film Award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2007 |title=The Grierson Awards - Awards 1971-1999 |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/1971_awards.htm |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928134247/http://www.griersontrust.org/1971_awards.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref>

==Grierson Award at the BFI London Film Festival== Since 2005 an award has been given to the best documentary shown at the annual [[British Film Institute|BFI]] [[BFI London Film Festival|London Film Festival]]. The awards from 2005 to 2016 were featured on the Trust's previous website,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2016 |title=The Grierson Trust - London Film Festival Grierson Award |url=http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/winners-of-the-grierson-bfi-london-film-festival/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113202504/http://www.griersontrust.org/grierson-awards/winners-of-the-grierson-bfi-london-film-festival/ |archive-date=13 November 2016 }}</ref> however it is unclear if the Trust has had any input into the selection of the winner since 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grierson Award |url=https://www.lff.org.uk/grierson-award.html |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=London Film Festival}}</ref> The winners are: * '''2005''': ''[[Workingman's Death]]'', dir. [[Michael Glawogger]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parkinson |first=David |date=30 April 2021 |title=Top 10 Award Winners at the London Film Festival |url=https://www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk/films/collections/cinema-paradisos-top-films/top-10-award-winners-at-the-london-film-festival |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=CinemaParadiso.co.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref> * '''2006''': ''[[Thin (film)|Thin]]'', dir. [[Lauren Greenfield]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 October 2006 |title='Thin' Is Winner Of The Times BFI London Film Festival Grierson Award - UK Broadcast News |url=https://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews/55907/thin_is_winner_of_the_times_bfi_london_film_festival_grierson_award |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=4rfv.co.uk}}</ref> * '''2007''': ''[[The Mosquito Problem and Other Stories]]'', dir. [[Andrey Paounov]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=GmbH |first=filmtank |title=The Mosquito Problem and other Stories - Filmtank |url=https://www.filmtank.de/en/productions/cinema/the-mosquito-problem-and-other-stories/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=filmtank.de |language=en-GB}}</ref> * '''2008''': ''[[Victoire Terminus]]'', dir. Florent de la Tullaye and Renaud Barret.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Grierson Trust |url=https://www.filmfestivals.com/company/the_grierson_trust |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=filmfestivals.com |language=en}}</ref> * '''2009''': ''[[Defamation (film)|Defamation]]'', dir. [[Yoav Shamir]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Sarah |date=28 October 2009 |title=A Prophet wins inaugural London Film Festival best film award |url=https://www.screendaily.com/a-prophet-wins-inaugural-london-film-festival-best-film-award/5007460.article |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Screen}}</ref> * '''2010''': ''[[Armadillo (2010 film)|Armadillo]]'', dir. [[Janus Metz Pedersen|Janus Metz]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=Steve |date=2010 |title=Atrocities in Afghanistan & Naked Men in Saunas + Paul Mazursky: Movie Awards |url=https://www.altfg.com/film/atrocities-in-afghanistan/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=altfg.com |language=en-US}}</ref> * '''2011''': ''[[Into the Abyss (film)|Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life]]'', dir. [[Werner Herzog]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Mark |date=26 October 2011 |title=We Need to Talk About Kevin scoops top prize at London film festival |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/oct/26/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin-bfi |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> * '''2012''': ''[[Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God]]'', dir. [[Alex Gibney]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 October 2012 |title=BFI London Film Festival announces 2012 award winners |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/bfi-london-film-festival-announces-2012-award-winners |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |language=en}}</ref> * '''2013''': ''My Fathers, My Mother and Me'', dir. Paul-Julien Robert.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 October 2013 |title=Depp surprises Sir Christopher Lee with film award |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24600683 |access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref> * '''2014''': ''[[Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait]],'' dir. [[Usama Muhammad|Ossama Mohammed]] and [[Wiam Simav Bedirxan]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |date=18 October 2014 |title=Leviathan wins best film at the London film festival awards |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/19/london-film-festival-awards-leviathan-best-film-stephen-frears |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> * '''2015''': ''[[Sherpa (film)|Sherpa]],'' dir. [[Jennifer Peedom]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2015 |title=Cate Blanchett picks up BFI accolade |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34565572 |access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |date=17 October 2015 |title=Greek comedy wins top prize at BFI's London Film Festival Awards |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/17/greek-comedy-wins-top-prize-bfis-london-film-festival-awards |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> * '''2016''': ''[[Starless Dreams]],'' dir. Mehrdad Oskouei.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheikhi |first=Marjohn |date=16 October 2016 |title='Starless Dreams' wins best doc award at BFI London |url=https://en.mehrnews.com/news/120540/Starless-Dreams-wins-best-doc-award-at-BFI-London |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=Mehr News Agency |language=en}}</ref> * '''2017''': ''[[Kingdom of Us]],'' dir. Lucy Cohen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grater |first=Tom |date=14 October 2017 |title='Loveless' triumphs at BFI London Film Festival |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/loveless-triumphs-at-bfi-london-film-festival/5123295.article |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref> * '''2018''': ''[[What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire?]]'', dir. [[Roberto Minervini]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |date=20 October 2018 |title=Trafficking drama Joy wins best film award at London film festival |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/20/sudabeh-mortezai-trafficking-drama-joy-wins-best-film-award-at-london-film-festival |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> * '''2019''': ''[[White Riot (film)|White Riot]]'', dir. Rubika Shah.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Ben |date=14 October 2019 |title=London Film Festival 2019: The Competition Winners |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/london-film-festival-2019-the-competition-winners/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Empire |language=en}}</ref> * '''2020''': ''[[The Painter and the Thief]]'', dir. Benjamin Ree.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 October 2020 |title=Winners announced for Virtual LFF Audience Awards 2020 |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival/news/lff-awards-winners-2020 |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |language=en}}</ref> * '''2021''': ''[[Becoming Cousteau]]'', dir. [[Liz Garbus]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 October 2021 |title=Competition winners announced at 65th BFI London Film Festival |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival/news/competition-winners-2021 |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |language=en}}</ref> * '''2022''': ''[[All That Breathes]]'', dir. [[Shaunak Sen]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=al Hadad |first=Zahra |date=15 November 2022 |title=Shaunak Sen on All That Breathes: a documentary about trans-species kinship |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival/interviews/shaunak-sen-all-that-breathes-documentary-about-trans-species-kinship |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=BFI |language=en}}</ref> * '''2023''': ''[[Bye Bye Tiberias]]'', dir. [[Lina Soualem]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 October 2023 |title=Award winners announced at 67th BFI London Film Festival |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival/news/award-winners-67th-bfi-london-film-festival |access-date=11 November 2023 |publisher=BFI}}</ref> * '''2024''': ''Mother Vera'', dir. Cécile Embleton & Alys Tomlinson<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/bfi-london-film-festival-unveils-2024-award-winners/5198327.article |title=Adam Elliot's 'Memoir Of A Snail' heads BFI London Film Festival 2024 winners |first=Ben |last=Dalton |website=[[ScreenDaily]]|date=20 October 2024|access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>

==Grierson: Sheffields== During the tenure of [[Jenny Barraclough]] as Trust chair, The Grierson Trust working in conjunction with [[Sheffield DocFest]] launched Grierson: Sheffields.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Wendy |date=3 August 2007 |title=Grierson trusts partners for new awards at Sheffield Doc/Fest |url=https://www.screendaily.com/grierson-trusts-partners-for-new-awards-at-sheffield-doc/fest/4033879.article |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 October 2007 |title=Sheffield Doc/Fest: Releases |url=https://www.sheffdocfest.com/releases/view/22 |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020090200/https://www.sheffdocfest.com/releases/view/22 |archive-date=20 October 2007 }}</ref> Three awards were sponsored by the Trust: '''The Green Award,''' which recognised documentaries exploring environmental issues or that had made a contribution to the [[global warming controversy|climate change debate]]; '''The Innovation Award''', for documentaries that exhibited innovation in format, style, technique or content and '''The Youth Jury Award'''. The Youth Jury was a panel of 16- to 21-year-olds that were selected by [[Channel 4]] and [[4Talent]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 May 2008 |title=4Talent - Opportunities - GRIERSON YOUTH JURY |url=http://www.channel4.com/4talent/event.jsp?id=14561 |access-date=10 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514052523/http://www.channel4.com/4talent/event.jsp?id=14561 |archive-date=14 May 2008 }}</ref> After 2009, the awards continued to be bestowed but no longer had any association with The Grierson Trust.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cox |first=David |date=9 November 2010 |title=Sheffield Doc/Fest: how the documentary got democratised |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2010/nov/09/sheffield-doc-fest |access-date=11 November 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=16 June 2018 |title=Sheffield Doc/Fest: Sheffield International Documentary Festival |url=https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/100-sheffield-doc-fest-award-winners |access-date=11 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616204255/https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/100-sheffield-doc-fest-award-winners |archive-date=16 June 2018 }}</ref>

===2007 (inaugural Grierson: Sheffields)=== * '''The Green Award:''' ''[[An Inconvenient Truth]],'' dir. [[Davis Guggenheim]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Wendy |date=14 November 2007 |title=Sheffield awards include Talk To Me, We Are Together |url=https://www.screendaily.com/sheffield-awards-include-talk-to-me-we-are-together/4035877.article |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref> * '''The Innovation Award:''' ''[[Talk to Me (2006 film)|Talk To Me]] [[iarchive:VODO3TalkToMe|,]]'' dir. Mark Craig.<ref name=":1" /> * '''The Youth Jury Award:''' ''[[We Are Together]],'' dir. [[Paul Taylor (director)|Paul Taylor]]. '''Commended''': ''[[The Boys from Baghdad High|Baghdad High]]''.<ref name=":1" />

===2008 (2nd Grierson: Sheffields)=== * '''The Green Award:''' ''[[The Age of Stupid]]'', dir. [[Franny Armstrong]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Indiewire |date=14 November 2008 |title=Dispatch from England {{!}} Sheffield Doc/Fest: Born Again and Joining Forces |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/dispatch-from-england-sheffield-docfest-born-again-and-joining-forces-71374/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}</ref> * '''The Innovation Award:''' ''Seven Sins of England'', dir. [[Joseph Bullman]].<ref name=":2" /> * '''The Youth Jury Award:''' ''[[The Order of Myths]],'' dir. [[Margaret Brown (film director)|Margaret Brown]].<ref name=":2" />

===2009 (3rd Grierson: Sheffields)=== * '''The Green Award:''' ''The Blood of the Rose'', dir. [[Henry Singer]]''.''<ref name=":0" /> * '''The Innovation Award:''' ''LoopLoop'', dir. Patrick Bergeron''.'' '''Commended''': ''The Big Issue.'' dir. Samuel Bollendorff, Olivia Colo.<ref name=":0" /> * '''The Youth Jury Award:''' ''[[Sons of Cuba]]'', dir. Andrew Lang.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|griersontrust.org}} * [https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/grierson-awards-40-years The Grierson Awards 40 years on] * [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/nov/27/mondaymediasection8 Reel life changes]

[[Category:British documentary film awards]]