Assad's downfall: Sky's coverage wins best news programme at Broadcast Awards

Sky's coverage of the downfall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria has won best news programme at the Broadcast Awards.

The hour-long special, fronted by lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim, aired in December 2024 following the sudden ousting of the dictator.

Featuring on-the-ground reporting and interviews from chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay and international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn, as well as analysis from Alistair Bunkall, Alex Rossi, and Ivor Bennett, the programme covered the aftermath of Assad's toppling across prisons, hospital morgues, and his ransacked villa.

It was praised by judges for its outstanding storytelling and "commitment to painting a global picture", including Assad's role as a key ally of Vladimir Putin.

One judge praised the "strong, knowledgeable journalists who provided nuanced insights" throughout, while another commended its "excellent editorial clarity and insightful, even-handed journalistic analysis".

Judges also cited how widely it was shared across social media, as well as praise from human rights organisations, Syrian refuges in the UK, and industry peers.

You can watch the programme in full at the top of this page.

(c) Sky News 2026: Assad's downfall: Sky's coverage wins best news programme at Broadcast Awards