Michael Sheen was visibly moved as he fought back tears during the judging panel for the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, exclaiming, "Thank God for these people." The actor, known for his role in Good Omens, described the experience as "very emotional and quite overwhelming."
Celebrity Judges Convene at Grosvenor Hotel
The judging panel met at London's Grosvenor Hotel last week to select winners for the annual awards, which celebrate the inspirational achievements of ordinary people. Sheen was joined by long-time host Carol Vorderman MBE, broadcaster Kate Garraway, Olympian Dame Denise Lewis, and red carpet hosts GK Barry and Pete Wicks.
Mirror editor-in-chief Chloe Hubbard chaired the impassioned debate, with experts including Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police and Professor Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians, also contributing.
Judges Reflect on Nominees' Courage
Discussing the shortlist compiled from thousands of public nominations, GK Barry, whose real name is Grace Keeling, admitted she is "not a tough judge" and noted it is her third year on the panel. Pete Wicks, TV personality and creator of the podcast Man Made, highlighted the nominees' "vulnerability and their ability to look beyond themselves," adding, "All of them deserve to win, especially all the kids."
Carol Vorderman, preparing to host her 27th annual Awards alongside co-host Ashley Banjo, shared her pre-Awards ritual: "About two hours before, I fall asleep for half an hour." She praised the event for shifting focus away from negative news, saying, "Pride of Britain gives us all an opportunity to go, 'Hang on a second, let’s take a breath for a couple of hours and witness these very real people who are doing very real things.'"
Personal Stories Inspire Judges
Kate Garraway, co-anchor of ITV's Good Morning Britain, spoke about her late husband Derek Draper's four-year battle with Covid, which ended with his death in 2024. She recalled a moment when a stranger passed her a napkin with a kind message in a hospital cafe, saying, "Those little moments from strangers... can make all the difference. It might just be enough to turn their day around... it’s making me cry just thinking about it."
Michael Sheen, also a producer and social activist, reflected on the nominees' resilience: "Instead of letting it break them, they’ve turned that into being something really positive to help other people. This shows that there is far more good in the world than not."
New Judge Finds Process 'Harder Than Expected'
Dame Denise Lewis, the heptathlete, praised the "uplifting nature of the awards and the magic in the faces of the winners." Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson, new to the panel this year, admitted, "That was harder than I expected. When you look at the nominations, they’re all extraordinary quality and you are distinguishing between the inspirational, the brilliant, and the truly excellent."
Other panel members included Paul Ludlow, President of P&O Cruises; Emma Gormley, managing director of daytime at ITV Studios; Sophie Robinson, Director of Events & Live Experiences at Reach plc; and Pride of Britain editorial director Shiraz Lalani. Emma Gormley said, "All of those stories gave me goosebumps. It’s about extraordinary, amazing everyday people doing extraordinary things and generally doing them in their own time and quietly, without any fuss."
Winners to Be Announced in October
Chloe Hubbard, the Mirror's editor-in-chief, noted, "The judges all brought some really interesting perspectives and they have chosen some incredible winners. It’s the emotion that makes these people’s experiences stand out from the others." GK Barry, who will conduct red carpet interviews, called it "my favourite night of the year." The Pride of Britain winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony televised on ITV in October.
