BSME Awards 2025

London, 27 November 2025 – Britain’s top editors, art directors, columnists and creatives were honoured last night at the prestigious BSME Awards 2025, known affectionately as the Oscars of the magazine world.

Hosted by the British Society of Magazine Editors, the celebration took place in the stunning Ballroom at Rosewood London, with entertainment from live illustrator Lucia Emanuela Curzi, magician Mark Guest, and the brilliant Brass Funkeys.

This annual ceremony is the highlight of the editorial calendar, celebrating the very best of UK digital and print publishing excellence - encompassing innovation,creativity and trusted journalism.

The evening was co-hosted by Laura Whitmore and Andrea Thompson, BSME Chair 2025 and editor-in-chief at Marie Claire. Guest presenters included Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Clara Amfo and Terri White.

Andrea Thompson said: “A huge congratulations to all the winners of the BSME Awards 2025, and thank you to everyone who entered. The standard of entries was particularly high this year and the judges were blown away by the quality of the work on display. The BSME champions trusted journalism, editorial excellence, independent voices and innovation and it was great to see so many examples of this in the entries.

There is still work to do to make magazine media more accessible to everyone so we’re delighted that our raffle is in aid of the Young Writers’ Prize with Caitlin Moran. This initiative, which we’re excited to launch this year, aims to support talented young writers from historically under-represented groups into the creative industries.

I’m immensely proud to be chair of an organisation that works so hard to support and champion quality trusted journalism and safeguard the future of the magazine industry.

The BSME is a not for profit organisation. Thank you to all of our sponsors who supported the BSME Awards and the society this year. Without you, this would not be possible.”

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A total of 31 awards were given out to editors, journalists and creatives.

The 2025 Editors’ Editor, Catherine de Lange, was nominated by her peers for her work as editor at New Scientist. Since taking the helm of one of the world's most respected science publications, Catherine has proven that exceptional editing is about more than managing content, it's about spotting trends before they break, transforming complex science into unmissable stories, and building a team that consistently delivers journalism that matters.

The inaugural winner of the BSME’s Chair’s Award was Serlina Boyd, who founded Cocoa Publishing as editor and creative director of Cocoa Girl and Cocoa Boy – the UK’s first Black children’s magazines – and launched the Cocoa Dream Society this year, boosting literacy through partnerships with Bloomsbury and Audible, publishing over one hundred child-author books and helping young people create stories while supporting journalists, writers, authors and families. The Chair’s Award recognises someone shaping the future of magazines by opening doors, innovating, and helping others thrive.

Voted for by members of the BSME committee, the Mark Boxer Lifetime Achievement Award recognises outstanding commitment to magazine journalism across an entire career. This year's posthumous winner was Barry McIlheney, who passed away in May 2025.

Barry was a giant of British magazine publishing. He became editor of Smash Hits in 1986 and doubled its circulation to 800,000 during the magazine's golden era. In 1989, he founded Empire magazine, forging its identity as the world's biggest movie magazine. He went on to lead Heat magazine at launch in 1999, became Managing Director of EMAP Metro, and later CEO of the PPA (Professional Publishers Association).

The award was presented by former Empire editor and 2021 Mark Boxer winner Terri White, and accepted by Barry's wife, Lola Borg.

New initiative: BSME YOUNG WRITERS’ PRIZE WITH CAITLIN MORAN

The British Society of Magazine Editors has teamed up with award-winning journalist and 2024 BSME Columnist of the Year, Caitlin Moran, to launch an annual prize to uncover brilliant young writing talent.

Moran, who hosted this year’s raffle, shared her mission to help young writers who lack access or industry connections – especially those from under-represented backgrounds.

The BSME & Caitlin Moran Young Writers' Prize is headline sponsored by Mantis, the contextual advertising technology from Reach plc. Founding sponsors include Future PLC, Ralph Magazine and Citeline.

To find out more information, or if you can support through sponsorship, paid internships, outreach, publicity - or any other way you're inspired to help - please get in touch with nat@bsme.com.