Actor, writer and broadcaster Sanjeev Bhaskar has been confirmed as host of the 2026 GIMA Awards, as the industry’s biggest night of celebration moves within touching distance of a complete sell-out.
Taking place on Thursday 12th November at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, the GIMA Awards will once again bring the garden retail industry together to celebrate the products, businesses and people helping to shape the sector. And this year, guests will be guided through the evening by one of British comedy and television’s most recognisable faces.
Sanjeev Bhaskar rose to prominence as co-creator and star of the groundbreaking BBC comedy Goodness Gracious Me, before going on to create and star in The Kumars at No. 42. His extensive television career has since encompassed comedy, drama and presenting, with roles including DI Sunny Khan in ITV’s hugely successful Unforgotten. More recently, he joined the line-up for the 20th series of Taskmaster.
Known for combining warmth, wit and sharp observational humour, Sanjeev will take to the GIMA Awards stage for an evening that celebrates excellence across garden product manufacturing and supply.
The host announcement comes as demand for this year’s event reaches its final stages, with only a handful of tickets now remaining. With the event rapidly approaching capacity, GIMA is urging anyone still intending to attend not to leave booking any longer.
GIMA President, Craig Hall said: “The GIMA Awards is always a fantastic opportunity to bring the industry together, and having Sanjeev Bhaskar leading us through the evening is going to make this year’s event even more special. His warmth, humour and experience make him a brilliant fit for the Awards and we’re really looking forward to welcoming him to Celtic Manor.
“The response to this year’s event has also been exceptional. We are now down to the very last handful of tickets, so anyone who has been meaning to book really does need to act now. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
The GIMA Awards will once again recognise achievement across a broad range of product, marketing, export, sustainability and business categories, culminating in the presentation of some of the association’s most prestigious accolades, including the coveted Sword of Excellence.
The evening also provides one of the industry’s biggest annual networking opportunities, bringing together suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and partners from across the garden retail sector.
