Best Performance: Narrator
The winner and shortlist for the Best Performance: Narrator category at The British Audio Awards. Supported by Penguin Audio
For a single performance, performed by a standalone writer (of their own work) or actor narrating an un-adapted audiobook. The Speakies is looking for compelling stories, well told and excellently performed. Performers, including actors, narrators and authors, may submit themselves; publishers, agents and producers may also submit performers with their permission.
Winner
Mark Gatiss
From Russia with Love
Ian Fleming
Corinne Turner
Emma Torrens
Mark Gatiss was the perfect choice for this re-recording of Fleming’s 1957 classic, From Russia with Love – part of a suite of new versions undertaken by rights holder Ian Fleming Publications.
A fan of the series, his sharp, characterful delivery captures the wit, pace and atmosphere that helped cement 007 as a cultural icon. The judges praised his crystal-clear delivery, timing, pacing, characterisation and palpable love for Fleming's prose. Gatiss could have over-performed, but his restraint allowed the words to live and Fleming's main character to do his job – spoken and heard.
Shortlist
Default Step
Louise Brealey
Raising Hare
Chloe Dalton
2020 Recordings/Liam Procter
Yakety Yak
The audiobook of Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton was narrated by acclaimed actor and voice artist Louise Brealey, known for her award-winning performances in The Girl on the Train and Labyrinth among others. Brealey connected deeply with the book’s blend of memoir, natural history, and manifesto, bringing a sensitive and restrained performance that allows listeners to form their own relationship with Hare.
Emilia Clarke
The Instrumentalist
Harriet Constable
Elliott Beavis, Alex Rayment
Carla Jones, Hamilton Hodell
The audiobook of The Instrumentalist, Harriet Constable’s acclaimed debut novel, brings to life the untold story of Anna Maria della Pietà, Vivaldi’s prodigy, in 18th-century Venice. Narrated by Emmy-nominated actor Emilia Clarke, the performance has been praised as a powerful and sensitive portrayal that vividly captures the passion, ambition, and struggles of a groundbreaking woman lost to history.
Stephen Fry
356A To Marrakech
Andrew Hunter Murray
Katie Sayer
N/a
356A to Marrakech by Andrew Hunter Murray is narrated by Stephen Fry, whose unmatched versatility and comic timing perfectly capture this satirical, Douglas Adams–esque tale of AI gone rogue in the airline industry. Fry’s performance elevates the short story into a timeless cautionary satire, blending wit, gravitas, and effortless storytelling that delighted audiences and critics alike.
Mark Gatiss
From Russia with Love
Ian Fleming
Corinne Turner
Emma Torrens
The new audiobook of Ian Fleming’s From Russia with Love brings the 1957 classic to life with a fresh yet faithful performance directed by Tamsin Collison and narrated by lifelong Bond fan Mark Gatiss. Stripped of music and effects to let Fleming’s prose shine, Gatiss’s sharp, characterful delivery captures the wit, pace, and atmosphere that helped cement 007 as a cultural icon.
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
The Great When
Alan Moore
Angus Kent, Alex Brown
Voice Squad, Neil Conrich
Alan Moore’s The Great When, the first in his five-volume 'Long London' series, is a richly imaginative fantasy set in post-war 1949 London where history, myth, and magic collide. Brought vividly to life by Olivier Award-winning actor Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, whose versatile narration captures the novel’s eccentric cast and shifting realities, the audiobook has been praised as a masterful collaboration between two creative giants.
Kevin Shen
The Grace of Kings
Ken Liu
Wooster Studio
Voice Squad, Neil Conrich
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu, the first in his epic Dandelion Dynasty series, was brought to UK audio for the first time by Head of Zeus, offering listeners over 140 hours of sweeping silk-punk fantasy across the quartet. Narrator Kevin Shen delivered the entire series with extraordinary dedication—recording from his home studio, collaborating closely with Liu, and pushing through immense physical challenges to bring this monumental project to life.
