Simon Gilbert (journalist)

Simon Gilbert
Simon Gilbert
Born (1984-06-06) 6 June 1984 (age 40)
Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England
EducationLiverpool University
Liverpool Hope University
OccupationJournalist / Author

Simon Gilbert (born 6 June 1984) is an English journalist and author. He is a political reporter on radio, online and TV for the BBC and has worked on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, BBC WM, Midlands Today and Sunday Politics Midlands.[1]

Previously, he was the chief reporter at the Coventry Telegraph[2] and a regular contributor to the Daily Mirror.[3][4][5]

He led the Coventry Telegraph's #bringCityhome campaign in the summer of 2014.[6] The campaign played a role in Coventry City F.C.'s return to the city following their exile at Sixfields in Northampton. Gilbert and the campaign were shortlisted at the Press Gazette British Journalism Awards 2014 in the Campaign of the Year category[7] and Gilbert won the Campaign of the Year Title at the 2014 Pride of Trinity Mirror Awards.[8] The campaign also resulted in Gilbert becoming the only regional newspaper journalist in the country to be shortlisted in the Sports Journalist of the Year category at the 2014 British Journalism Awards.[9]

His work was praised in the House of Commons by then Coventry North East MP Bob Ainsworth and the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins.[10]

Gilbert's coverage around the Ricoh Arena fiasco led to him producing a book which documents the history of the stadium project and Coventry City F.C.'s subsequent fall from grace. The book entitled Coventry City: A Club Without a Home: The Fight Behind The Sky Blues' Return from Exile is published by Pitch Publishing and was released in October 2016.[11]

In 2015, Gilbert was awarded Highly Commended prizes at the Midlands Media awards in three categories: Sports Journalist of the Year, Scoop of the Year and Campaign of the Year.[12]

In 2016 he was shortlisted for Business Journalist of the Year at the Midlands Media Awards.[13]

In 2017 he was shortlisted for Sports Journalist of the Year at the Midlands Media Awards.[14]

In 2019 he was shortlisted in two categories at the Midlands Media Awards: Television Journalist of the Year and Radio Journalist of the Year.[15] He was Highly Commended in the Radio Journalist of the Year category.[16]

  1. ^ "Daily's chief reporter leaves to take BBC radio and tv role". Hold The Front Page. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Author Page For Simon Gilbert". Coventry Telegraph. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Lazy binmen refuse to empty wheelie bins if they're facing 'wrong way' on collection day". Daily Mirror. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Football fans banned from using brand new railway station". Daily Mirror. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Man shot in head in daylight attack yards from children's playground". Daily Mirror. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Football League bosses urged to help #bringCityhome as board meets". Coventry Telegraph. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Finalists revealed for the British Journalism Awards in association with TSB" (Press release). Press Gazette. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Trinity Mirror honours journalistic stars at awards" (Press release). Hold The Front Page. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  9. ^ "Coventry Telegraph shortlisted in British Journalism Awards" (Press release). Coventry Telegraph. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  10. ^ Bob Ainsworth, Member of Parliament (2 September 2014). "Coventry City Football Club". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 257.
  11. ^ "Coventry City: A Club Without A Home: The Fight Behind The Sky Blues Return From Exile" (Book). Pitch Publishing. ASIN 1785312103.
  12. ^ "Midlands Media Awards 2015 Results" (Press release). Birmingham Press Club. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  13. ^ "Midlands Media Awards 2016 Results" (Press release). Birmingham Press Club. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Midlands Media Awards 2017" (Press release). Hold The Front Page. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  15. ^ "Midlands Media Awards 2019" (Press release). Midlands Media Awards. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Midlands Media Awards 2019" (Press release). Midlands Media Awards. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.