Legendary BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration to host The Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business awards

Mr Gration, who is due to present his last Look North show tonight, will be the Master of Ceremonies at The Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business awards.

The 69-year-old has become a household name in Yorkshire after fronting the corporation’s Look North programme for most of the last 38 years.

The Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business awards will take place on Wednesday November 4 through a digitally streamed event.

Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s Deputy Business Editor, who will also speak at the awards said: “We are absolutely thrilled to reveal that one of Britain’s best loved broadcasters will take centre stage at our awards.”

Mr Gration has been a broadcaster for almost four decades. He’s been a regular reporter and commentator for the BBC’s Olympic and Commonwealth Games coverage.

Mr Gration’s awards include two Royal Television Society Awards for his sports documentaries, and in 2013 he was honoured with an MBE for services to broadcasting in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Away from broadcasting, Mr Gration has been President of the Scarborough Cricket Festival and is currently involved with numerous charities all over Yorkshire.

Despite the pandemic, this year’s awards attracted more than 180 high quality entries from across the county.

The shortlist was drawn up over a four hour judging session, which was chaired by Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor.

The full shortlist can be viewed here.

Headline sponsorship this year comes from Addleshaw Goddard, Grant Thornton and Virgin Money.

Associate sponsorship comes from Ernest Wilson and Openreach.

Simon Kamstra, Head of Addleshaw Goddard’s Leeds office, said: “Yorkshire is home to a huge number of the country’s most successful, high performing businesses, so we are thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s Yorkshire Post Business Excellence Awards and providing these companies with the profile and recognition they deserve.”

Dan Rosinke, Partner at Grant Thornton, said: “As we emerge from a period of incredible challenge and disruption, there has possibly never been a more important time to celebrate and recognise the enterprise, creativity, endeavour and resilience of the Yorkshire business community.

“Grant Thornton is incredibly proud to be a part of this ever- evolving and diverse community and once again sponsor the Yorkshire Post awards, which is always an outstanding showcase for the best of our region’s companies and management teams."

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James Mitchinson