The annual Writers’ Guild Awards will be presented by writer, comedian and actress Meera Syal (pictured left) on Monday 23 January 2017 at the Royal College of Physicians in central London.

Commenting on her involvement in this year’s awards, Meera Syal said: “Someone once said, probably a writer, that the writer is the only true originator of a script, everyone else that follows is merely an interpreter. Whilst the directors and producers slug it out, let’s at least agree that whilst everyone can have a great idea, it takes a great writer to bring it to life. And I’m very honoured to be hosting the WGGB Awards where we can come together to celebrate our extraordinary community of writing talent.”

The shortlist in 12 categories follows (in addition, a special award for Outstanding Contribution to Writing is presented at the ceremony every year):

Best Long Form TV Drama
Victoria, Series 1, Episode 4, “The Clockwork Prince” (Daisy Goodwin), Trapped (Clive Bradley), Spotless, Pilot Episode (Ed McCardie)

Best Short Form TV Drama
Murder, “The Big Bang” (Robert Jones), And Then There Were None, Episode 3 (Sarah Phelps), Ellen (Sarah Quintrell)

Best Long Running TV Series
Doctors, Season 18, Episode 29 “There Is No Place” (Claire Bennett), Coronation Street, Episode 8946 (Chris Fewtrell), Emmerdale, Season 1, Episode 7628 “Holly’s Death” (Karin Young)

Best TV Situation Comedy
Plebs, Series 3, Episode 1, “The Beasts” (Tom Basden, Sam Leifer), People Just Do Nothing, Series 3 (Allan Mustafa, Steve Stamp), Fleabag, Episode 1 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge)

Best Children’s TV Episode
Danger Mouse, Season 1, Episode 3 “Greenfinger” (James Griffiths, Mark Oswin), Hetty Feather, Series 2, Episode 10 “The Reunion” (Helen Blakeman), The Dumping Ground, Season 3, Episode 20 “Refuge” (Emma Reeves)

Best Radio Drama
Fat Little Thing (Lucy Gannon), Cuttin’ It (Charlene James), lament (Debbie Tucker Green)

Best Radio Comedy
Guilt Trip (Katherine Jakeways, Felicity Montagu, Olivia Nixon), The Pin (Ben Ashenden, Alex Owen), John Finnemore’s Double Acts, Series 1, Episode 5, “English For Pony-Lovers” (John Finnemore)

Best Writing in a Video Game
FIFA 17 “The Journey” (Martin Korda, Matthew Turner, Tom Watt), Virginia (Jonathan Burroughs, Lyndon Holland, Terry Kenny), Fragments of Him (Mata Haggis)

Best Screenplay
The Survivalist (Stephen Fingleton), Suffragette (Abi Morgan), Eye in the Sky (Guy Hibbert)

Best First Screenplay
Adult Life Skills (Rachel Tunnard), Radiator (Tom Browne, Daniel Cerqueira), Florence Foster Jenkins (Nicholas Martin)

Best Play
Escaped Alone (Caryl Churchill), Cyprus Avenue (David Ireland), All The Little Lights (Jane Upton)

Best Play for Young Audiences
What the Thunder Said (Ed Harris), This Changes Everything (Joel Horwood), Rise Up (Lisa Evans)

There are no book awards this year as our Books Committee has recently been re-formed.

Our sponsors this year

The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is the lead sponsor of the Writers’ Guild Awards this year. Our other sponsors: BBC Drama, BBC Worldwide, Company Pictures, Nick Hern Books and Tiger Aspect Productions. eOne is the sponsor of the Writers’ Guild Awards 2017 champagne reception.