Morpeth podcaster nominated alongside Ian Wright and others in 2024 Sports Podcast Awards

Alexis James hosts Unsung, a podcast about sport’s hidden stars. It is recorded from his makeshift home studio.

Nominated in the Best Sports Talk Podcast category, it is up against high-profile nominees such as football legend Ian Wright, broadcasters Kate Abdo and Simon Jordan, snooker star Shaun Murphy, and three podcasters from the USA with almost five million social media followers between them.

Delving behind the scenes of professional sport, Unsung goes where no other podcasts have gone before – looking beyond the headlines and behind the athletes to introduce and celebrate sport’s hidden heroes.

It is based on his 2022 book of the same name (unsungbook.com). Inspired by a national sentiment at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns – which highlighted the likes of NHS workers, delivery drivers, teachers and supermarket workers as essential parts of society – Alexis sought to give sport a similar ‘unsung’ treatment, providing some long overdue credit to those behind the scenes who are rarely acknowledged, let alone championed.

Those he has profiled from the North East region include Newcastle Falcons doctor Rachel Scurfield, athletics starter Alan Bell, also known as the man who disqualified Usain Bolt, and World Cup-winning kit designer Craig Buglass.

People can access the podcast, which is available on all major platforms, at unsungpodcast.com

The winner of the Best Sports Talk Podcast category will be announced on February 1 and you can vote for Unsung at www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-sports-talk-podcast