Marcus Rashford interview nets BBC scoop of the year at RTS awards

(BBC) The BBC has won scoop of the year at the Royal Television Society journalism awards for its interview with footballer Marcus Rashford about his experience of growing up in poverty.

Rashford spoke to BBC Breakfast in June as he urged the government to extend the provision of free school meals.

The awards’ judges said it was the exclusive “everyone wanted”.

Elsewhere, the BBC’s Clive Myrie won television journalist of the year while Andrew Marr won interview of the year.

The corporation led the way at the RTS Television Journalism Awards, winning in nine of 19 categories.

Rashford had been urging the government to change its mind about not offering food vouchers during the summer holidays when he spoke to BBC Breakfast.

During the first lockdown – which began in March 2020 – the government had provided vouchers to families whose children qualify for free meals, but had insisted this would not continue outside of term time.

In the Breakfast interview, the Manchester United striker told the BBC about how, when he was growing up, his mother had struggled to feed her five children.

“It’s the stress on her shoulders that affected her, after we’ve ate our dinner, because she knows she’s worrying about the situation. She’s trying to go to sleep but she can’t because she’s so worried,” he told the BBC.

“Everyone wanted this exclusive but only one team got it and it made headlines everywhere for days,” the judges said.

Following Rashford’s intervention, the government ended up extending the provision of free school meals into the summer holidays.