Doctor Who star Jo Martin will receive special award to recognise how she has "forged a trailblazing path"
The actor, who made history as the Fugitive Doctor, will be honoured by the British Urban Film Festival for her impact on film, television and representation.
Doctor Who star Jo Martin is to be honoured by the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), which has announced that she will receive its honorary award for outstanding contribution to film and television at the 2026 ceremony.
The special accolade, first introduced in 2015, recognises screen talent whose work has had a significant cultural impact and helped broaden representation across the industry.
Previous recipients include Amma Asante, Angela Griffin, Ashley Walters and last year’s honouree Femi Oyeniran.
Reacting to the news (via Deadline), Martin said: "What an honour – I’m over the moon. Thank you, BUFF."
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BUFF 2026 artistic director Kelechi Ehenulo said: "Jo’s career speaks for itself. Her indelible work has broken barriers, championed, inspired, and forged a trailblazing path for others to follow, and we’re delighted to be honouring her with this award."
BUFF co-chair Clare Anyiam-Osigwe added that the honour recognises not just Martin’s body of work, but also her wider influence in "redefining what leading roles look like on British and international screens".
Martin first came to public attention as Natalie Crouch in the BBC sitcom The Crouches, before going on to appear in long-running medical drama Holby City and acclaimed series such as Back to Life and Dreaming Whilst Black.
She made television history in 2020 when she debuted as the Fugitive Doctor in Doctor Who, becoming the first Black actor to portray the Doctor. Her surprise reveal was widely celebrated by fans and critics, and has since been recognised as a landmark moment for the long-running sci-fi series.
More recently, Martin has appeared in The Marlow Murder Club, while her film work also includes roles in Blue Story, Nine Nights and Hard Truths.
The 2026 British Urban Film Festival Awards ceremony will take place on Friday 9th May.
Read more:
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Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
