21 May 2026
"The ethos of inform, educate, entertain was something I always aspired to make in my pieces so to get recognition in such a way was amazing”
A University of Sunderland student’s audio drama is set to be broadcast by BBC Radio 4 this summer after winning a prestigious award.
Willem Fisk-Nicholson, who studies BA Media Production, was named one of the winners of the Charles Parker Prize, an award that recognises the audio talent of students across the country.
Announced at the University of Salford, the winners of the prize will work alongside a professional mentor and studio engineer to refine their submission to be showcased on BBC Radio 4’s New Storytellers.
Willem said: “I've always loved the BBC, so winning the Charles Parker Prize was a huge delight and surprise. The ethos of inform, educate, entertain was something I always aspired to make in my pieces so to get recognition in such a way was amazing.”
Willem’s submission Minor Swing follows his relationship with his mum, the music she played and his journey of confronting his own perceptions to understand why that music was so important. The project was produced during Willem’s second year at the University.
Willem said: “The University has been highly supportive of me during my time studying and has been accommodating of my schedule when I had opportunities to get experience in industry.
“The lecturers at the University have always pushed me to do the best work I can, and I’m grateful to be able to study here and get that support.”
Willem's win follows a tradition of University of Sunderland students' features broadcast on BBC Radio 4 after winning the Charles Parker Prize.
Kieran Callaghan's feature 'My Toy Soldier' (2025), Lottie Steele’s ‘Out at Sea, Out of Mind’ (2023), Dom Brown’s 'The Final Fanfayre, recounting the story of two sisters' (2023) and Chantal Herbert’s 'Outsider Sisters' (2021) are all Sunderland alum who have won the prize in recent years.
Jay Sykes, Lecturer in Audio at the University of Sunderland, said: "It was an honour to be with Willem at the Charles Parker Day in Salford, where he was announced as a winner.
“Willem has been such an engaged student throughout their time at the University, and a genuine joy to supervise as he's someone who is meticulously dedicated to developing his craft.
"The Charles Parker Prize celebrates the best in audio craft by student feature makers across the country, and Willem's excellent handle on storytelling craft and emotionally woven production very much carries the torch of the pioneering producer Charles Parker.
“Knowing that the winning features have been selected by BBC Radio 4's Commissioning Editor Hugh Levinson is such a boon for us as a University, and I cannot wait to listen live and cheer Willem on when it's broadcast."
If you are interested in studying Media Production at the University of Sunderland, find out more here.