THE BRITISH ANIMATION AWARDS WILL RETURN IN 2028 UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP, WITH A REFRESHED SET OF CATEGORIES STILL TO COME.

News · Animation

By Fitzrovia Post · 2 November 2026

The BAAs are coming back

The British Animation Awards, first launched in 1996, are set to return to London in 2028 under new leadership, with Tracy Shaw and Anna Lord at the helm. The news was reported on 23 October 2026 by Cartoon Brew, Skwigly and Advanced Television, and published by Animation UK on 29 October.

Shaw's career spans Warner Bros., Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. Lord has held senior roles at Nexus Studios, Locksmith Animation and Passion Pictures. They succeed Helen Brunsdon, Director of the BAAs for the last eight years, who delivered the last three editions of the awards. (Animation UK)

In a joint statement, Lord and Shaw said: "We're honoured to be bringing the BAAs back at a time when British animation is making such a strong impact both nationally and internationally." (Animation UK)

What changes in 2028

The awards will stay biennial and will keep their focus on the companies, creative talent and producers behind the UK's most distinctive animation work. The main change announced so far is a refreshed category structure, with new categories that open the door for other countries to compete. Categories and entry details will be announced in due course. (Animation UK; Cartoon Brew)

The BAAs website now carries a holding page while a new site is built, and says the previous site's past winners, award history and archive content remain available. Founded in 1996 by Jayne Pilling, the awards say the relaunch "will reflect the UK's international reach and creative leadership". The organisers are also opening up new sponsorship and partnership opportunities. (British Animation Awards; Animation UK)

A look back at the last edition

Animation UK reported the 2024 winners on 8 March 2024, after a ceremony at BFI Southbank presented by Henning Wehn. Lupus Films' Kensuke's Kingdom won three awards, including Best Feature. Sixteen South's Odo won Best Children's Pre-School Series and Best Design, The Rubbish World of Dave Spud won Best Children's Series, and Netflix's Dead End: Paranormal Park won the Children's Choice Award, voted for by year 4 pupils at a Bristol primary school. (Animation UK)

The craft categories mattered too. Magic Light Pictures' The Smeds and The Smoos won Best Use of Sound, with Adrian Rhodes credited as sound designer. The Amazing Maurice took Best Voice Performance for its ensemble cast, and Stuart Hancock won Best Original Music for Kensuke's Kingdom. (Animation UK; British Animation Awards)

In 2020, Best Use of Sound went to The Amazing World of Gumball episode "The Future". The judges praised a soundtrack that was "right on cue for the tempo of the animation" with "impressive design and audio mix". (British Animation Awards)

Why it matters now

The relaunch lands at a hard moment for parts of the sector. Animation UK's announcement says the creative industries "continue to face economic and structural pressures", even as the UK grows as a production base for international animated features and series. (Animation UK)

That pressure is visible elsewhere. On 15 October the Guardian reported that Aardman narrowed its annual loss to £1.1m on revenue up 8% to £20.4m, citing production delays and a "challenging market" in children's content. (The Guardian) Skills are on the agenda as well: ScreenSkills is convening more than 150 organisations to build a Screen Industries Skills Plan, with a strategic framework due later this year and a delivery plan planned for 2027. (Animation UK)

Our view: keep the craft categories

A national animation award that names sound designers, composers and voice casts gives the whole production team a reason to enter, not only the director and producer. The 2024 list shows how much of a great animated show is heard rather than seen.

We hope the refreshed structure keeps a dedicated sound award and a voice performance award. With entries likely to open some time before the 2028 ceremony, producers delivering kids and animated series over the next year should keep clean records of credits, stems and versions now, so the teams behind the work can be entered properly when the call comes.

Fitzrovia Post records voices and provides ADR, foley, sound design and mix for animation, children's TV, film and factual from its studios at Academic House, Oval Road, Camden. To talk through your next animated series or feature, send us a project brief.

FAQ When will the British Animation Awards return? The BAAs are set to return to London in 2028. The exact date, venue, categories and entry details have not yet been announced.

Who is running the British Animation Awards now? Tracy Shaw and Anna Lord. Shaw's career spans Warner Bros., Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation, and Lord has held senior roles at Nexus Studios, Locksmith Animation and Passion Pictures. They succeed Helen Brunsdon, who led the awards for eight years.

Will the categories change? Yes. The organisers have promised a refreshed category structure, including new categories that let work from other countries compete. The full list will be announced in due course.

When were the British Animation Awards last held? Animation UK reported the winners of the 2024 awards on 8 March 2024, after a ceremony at BFI Southbank. The awards have been biennial.

Is there a sound award at the BAAs? There has been. Best Use of Sound went to The Smeds and The Smoos in 2024 and to The Amazing World of Gumball episode "The Future" in 2020. Whether it continues in 2028 depends on the new category structure, which has not yet been published.

Where can I see past winners? The British Animation Awards website says its archive of past winners and award history remains available while the new site is built.