The Guardian won awards for feature writing and sports journalism at Press Gazette’s British Journalism Awards on Thursday night.

Sirin Kale won the prize for features journalism for pieces including her work on life and death on an English maternity ward and questions over the conviction of Michael Stone for murder.

The judges said: “Sirin’s work is a masterclass in how to blend beautiful writing with meticulous research to ensure she delivers an absolute must-read piece of journalism.”

The Guardian business reporter Rob Davies and football correspondent Jacob Steinberg, in collaboration with the Simon Lock of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, won the sports journalism award for a series of investigations into the financial affairs of the former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

The judges said: “This was superb work which tenaciously pursued a story others seemed happy to forget, exposing the less salubrious machinations behind the lucrative world of football.”

Nominated Guardian journalists did not attend due to two days of strike action over the proposed sale of the Observer to Tortoise Media.

They shared a statement read out on the night that said: “We are so disappointed that we can’t be here with you tonight, but want to thank Press Gazette and the judges for shortlisting us and also pay tribute to our fellow nominees for their impressive work.”

Channel 4 News was named news provider of the year at the British Journalism Awards 2024 for its eyewitness journalism from Gaza, coverage of the Post Office scandal and undercover reporting during the UK general election.

The Sunday Times political editor, Caroline Wheeler, won the journalist of the year prize for her work on the infected blood scandal and also won in the politics journalism category. The Sun won in two categories – scoop and investigation of the year – for its work revealing allegations and then charges against former BBC anchor Huw Edwards.

The Sun was rewarded in two categories (scoop and investigation of the year) for its work revealing allegations and then charges against Huw Edwards.

The BBC won in four categories. Laura Kuenssberg was named interviewer of the year for interviews with Michelle Mone and Rachel Reeves on her Sunday morning programme, a team from Radio 4 won the crime and legal affairs journalism category for their work tracking down a wanted people smuggler, and a Panorama team won the social affairs, diversity and inclusion journalism award for revealing allegations of exploitation and abuse at the fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch.