Radio Academy Award

Industry awards for radio, usually known as the Sony Awards until 2014 (when Sony stopped sponsoring them, and they disappeared for a couple of years). Now known as the ARIAs.

The balance between Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode's contribution towards awards their programming has won was a long-time running gag, not least because of Mark's role as a "contributor" on the very successful Mayo programme which, of course, ran all week, not just the Friday on which Mark appeared. So when Mayo won awards, what percentage of that could be traced to Mark? There was never a specific answer...

But the bickering did not stop when the both of them won the Gold Speech Award at the 2009 Sonys. They were described by presenter Chris Evans as "a very popular duo" and by the judges as a "witty, entertaining, cheeky and irreverent, the presenters made listening an effortless and roller-coaster pleasure." Discussing the award in a special programme the day after, Mark immediately started with a complaint - that Simon had ignored him when they had won and instead gone up to Jackie Brambles (who was presenting the actual trophy) and started chatting to her instead, leaving Mark "standing there like a plank." Simon did not disagree with this interpretation of events, but pointed out that a) it wasn't his fault Mark looked like a plank, and b) "the fact was, I hadn't seen Jackie for 10 years, and I'd seen you last week."

Mark also complained that the names had been put on the base of the trophy in the wrong order, as they said "Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode". Mark said he would look at the award from the back, since it is transparent and therefore the names would be the right way round.

During his acceptance speech, Mark said a special hello to... Jason Isaacs, which Simon followed up with a Hello to David Braithwaite and Robin Bulloch. Jason himself then appeared as a surprise guest on the next day's Mayo show. Mark then asked him to adjudicate who would get to keep the trophy. Jason decided that he should keep it himself, to prevent the bickering.

Wittertainment was nominated for Best Speech Programme at the 2012 Sonys, when it was up against - amongst others - the BBC World Service programme World Have Your Say, then run by ex-Mayo Editor Mark Sandell. Mark Kermode felt they were taking on "the whole world."