Journalist and broadcast Naga Munchetty was Chair of the 2025 20th anniversary judging panel. Fellow judges included Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Phoebe Eclair-Powell; playwright and director Conor McPherson; Artistic Director of London’s Kiln Theatre Amit Sharma; actors Shobna Gulati and Cherylee Houston; writer and comedian Munya Chawawa and Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre Selina Cartmell.