Star guest Jimmy Hill will present the prizes at the EDF Energy London and South of England Media Awards 2007.

The former football player, manager, club chairman and TV pundit has agreed to be the sporting guest of honour at Sandown Park Racecourse on Tuesday, and will join the very best of the area’s local media from broadcast and print for the event.

All award-winners will receive a certificate, and individual journalists who top their category will also receive a £100 prize.

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to a presentation ceremony where lunch will be provided courtesy of EDF Energy, one of the largest energy companies in the UK.

The event, run in association with holdthefrontpage.co.uk will also raise money for The Journalists’ Charity, which helps journalists and their dependents in times of personal difficulty.

The awards include categories for print journalists of the year for daily and weekly publications, radio journalist of the year, TV journalist of the year, front page of the year, newspaper of the year, feature writer, sports journalist of the year, photographer of the year and many others.

The Argus tops the list of contenders, with nine mentions among the nominations.

There was a huge 251 entries from 57 broadcasters or print publications for the latest awards, one of a series of annual events hosted by EDF Energy.

Last year the Daily Echo in Bournemouth was named Daily Newspaper of the Year, also scooping Columnist of the Year, with a win for Faith Eckersall, and Environmental Journalist of the Year, with Natalie Bruckner named the winner.

The Gravesend Messenger and Croydon Guardian won the titles of Paid-For Weekly and Free Weekly Newspaper of the Year, respectively.