Freelance Journalist of the Year 2026
Winner
Laura Purkess
This was a portfolio of exceptional high quality investigative journalism that stood out in a very strong shortlist. One of the hallmarks of outstanding public service journalism is the impact it has, and the judges highlighted how Laura’s writing had changed policy. They also remarked on her great persistence in getting people to speak to her.
Praise for Laura’s “outstanding investigative and exclusive work” and “eye opening investigative work” demonstrated just how impressed the judges were. “Really strong journalism with demonstrable understanding of complex topics and written in a compelling way” summed up how the panel felt.
Highly Commended
Holly Mead
This was one of the toughest categories for the judges, with some excellent entries. Holly Mead earned a very well deserved Highly Commended, praised by the panel for having a “really strong suite of pieces that are original reporting and written very well” with “great clarity and strong narratives”. Holly’s identification of issues that have been under-reported was a particularly strong feature for judges.
Shortlist:
Ruth Emery
Ruth Jackson-Kirby
Holly Mead
Samantha Partington
Laura Purkess