Neil Mackay has been rewarded for his work on The Herald and the Herald on Sunday with the prestigious Feature Writer of the Year at the 45th Scottish Press Awards.

At the event in Glasgow on Wednesday evening, he was also highly commended in the Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the Year category, for which Teddy Jamieson was also nominated.

The Herald was nominated for a total of 19 awards, which recognise excellence in national, regional, and digital journalism from across the country.

Also highly commended were Ron Mackenna in the Food and Drink category, Vicky Allan for Specialist Reporter of the Year and Susan Egelstaff for Sports Feature Writer of the Year.

The Herald team was runners-up in the Journalism Team of the Year category for the world exclusive on Bansky's Glasgow exhibition.

Chair of Judges, Richard Neville, former Head of News Brands at DC Thomson and current Director of Neville Robertson Communications, said: “This year’s awards highlight the exceptional caliber of journalism in Scotland. The winners have demonstrated remarkable dedication, skill, and integrity in their work, and their contributions are vital to our society.”

Richard Neville was joined by 40 independent judges from across the Scottish media, communications and public affairs industries. Former BBC Scotland newsreader Jackie Bird hosted the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central.


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Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said: “We are very grateful for the support of all our sponsors, for the dedication of all our judges, and for the enthusiastic support of the awards from journalists across Scotland. And once again I’d like to thank our event coordinator Susan Mathieson, without whom the whole scheme would not be the success it is.”

Catherine Salmond, Editor of The Herald, said: "I am delighted that our talented writers have been recognised for their work at this important event that celebrates and recognises the quality of journalism being produced in Scotland."


45th Scottish Press Awards winners and runners-up

Arts and Entertainment Journalist of the Year

Winner: Janet Christie (The Scotsman)

Runner-up: Neil Mackay (The Herald/Herald on Sunday)

Best Coverage of a Live Event

Winner: Kris Gilmartin. The Scottish Sun (Sturgeon House Raid)

Runner-up: The Courier Newsroom, The Courier (Storm Babet)

Campaign of the Year

Winner: The Courier (Eljamel Inquiry)

Runner-up: The Inverness Courier (Dual the A9)

Columnist of the Year

Winner: Mandy Rhodes (Holyrood)

Runner-up: Gabriella Bennett (The TimesMedia)

Feature Writer of the Year

Winner: Neil Mackay (The Herald/Herald on Sunday)

Runner-up: Janet Christie (The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday)

Financial/Business Journalist of the Year

Winner Greig Cameron (The Times/Sunday Times)

Runner-up: Martyn McLaughlin (The Scotsman)

Food and Drink Writer of the Year

​Winner: Chitra Ramaswamy (The Times Media)

Runner-up: Ron McKenna (The Herald)

Front Page of the Year

Winner: Scottish Daily Mail

Runner-up: The Courier

Journalism Team of the Year

Winner: The Scottish Sun - SNP Police Investigation

Runner-up: The Herald - Banksy

News Photographer of the Year

Winner: Jane Barlow (Press Association)

Runner-up: Jeff Mitchell (Getty Images)

Nicola Barry Award

Winner: Marion Scott (The Sunday Post)

Runner-up: Karin Goodwin (The Ferret)

Podcast of the Year

Winner: Murder in the Granite City (The Scottish Sun)

Runner-up: Sheku Bayoh: The Inquiry (The Ferret)

Political Journalist of the Year

Winner: Georgia Edkins (Scottish Mail on Sunday)

Runner-up: Kieran Andrews (The Times Scotland)

Regional Journalist of the Year

Winner: Dale Haslam (Press and Journal)

Runner-up: Amanda Keenan (The Glasgow Times)

Reporter of the Year

Winner: Georgia Edkins (Scottish Mail on Sunday)

Runner-up: Graham Mann (The Scottish Sun)

Scoop of the Year

Winner: Georgia Edkins (Scottish Mail on Sunday)

Runner-up: Michael Blackley (Scottish Daily Mail)

Specialist Reporter of the Year

Winner: Cheryl Peebles (The Courier)

Runner-up: Vicky Allan (The Herald)

Sports Columnist of the Year

Winner: Aidan Smith (The Scotsman)

Runner-up: Heather Dewar (Scottish Daily Mail)

Sports Feature Writer of the Year

​Winner: Michael Grant (The Times Scotland)

Runner-up: Susan Egelstaff (The Herald)

Sports News Writer of the Year

Winner: Heather Dewar (Scottish Daily Mail)

Runner-up: Stephen McGowan (Scottish Daily Mail)

Sports Photographer of the Year

Winner: Ian MacNicol (Getty Images)

Runner-up: Mark Scates SNS Group

Weekly Journalist of the Year

Winner: Scott Maclennan (The Inverness Courier)

Runner-up: Lewis McBlane (Northern Scot/Huntly Express/Banffshire Herald)

Young Journalist of the Year

Winner: Ethan Flett (The Orcadian)

Runner-up: Emma Taggart (The Times Scotland)

Journalist of the Year

Georgia Edkins (Mail On Sunday)

Chairperson's Award

Brendan McGinty and Jim Wilson

Lifetime Achievement Award

Ian Swanson

Weekly Newsbrand of the Year

Winner: Inverness Courier

Runner-up: East Lothian Courier

Scottish Newsbrand of the Year

Scottish Daily Mail