RORY Bremner has been confirmed as the guest speaker for the 2026 CFJ Awards, which will take place at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham on Friday 11 September. He follows in the footsteps of previous high-profile speakers including Rev Richard Coles, Jo Caulfield and Eddie the Eagle.

The CFJ Awards celebrate the very best talent the contract flooring industry has to offer, recognising excellence across installation, projects and sustainability. The event also provides a fantastic opportunity for contractors, manufacturers and suppliers to network, share ideas and celebrate success across the sector.

Installation award winners are judged by an independent panel of respected industry professionals, including independent consultant Richard Renouf, chartered surveyor Graeme Dewar, Hillside Contracts’ Tony Mathe, AG Flooring’s Kelly Gayle and contractor Shane Moore. The sustainability award is judged by UK Sustainable Flooring Association CEO Cathie Clarke, reinforcing the event’s commitment to best practice and responsible delivery.

Commenting on the announcement about Rory, Kick-Start Publishing CEO Johnny Miller said: ‘We’re delighted to confirm Rory Bremner as our guest speaker for the 2026 CFJ Awards. He is one of the UK’s most respected and recognisable satirists, and we’re confident he’ll bring intelligence, insight and humour to what is always a highlight of the CFJ calendar.’

One of Britain’s best-loved political satirists, Rory Bremner is an accomplished impressionist and comedian whose sharp wit has made him a popular choice for broadcast and corporate audiences. With a repertoire of more than one hundred characters, he is renowned for his ability to impersonate a wide range of public figures, with a particular talent for satirising contemporary politics.

Rory’s career began over two decades ago when he performed his first public impression wearing a duffel coat. After several years on the comedy circuit, he achieved wider recognition with his first BBC television series, Now For Something Else, a variety sketch show in which he impersonated Sean Connery and Terry Wogan.

He’s perhaps best known for his appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as his acclaimed impressions of figures such as Tony Blair and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. These performances have led to successful one-man shows and regular appearances across BBC news and comedy programming, including Mock the Week and They Think It’s All Over.

Rory’s work has occasionally courted controversy, most notably when he convinced Labour politician Margaret Beckett that she was speaking to then Prime Minister Gordon Brown during a highly convincing phone call.

In 2015, he continued his political satire with two programmes, Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report and The Election Report.

Away from television, the trilingual comedian writes farcical plays and translates operas from French and German into English. He is also known for his ‘wit-syncing’ performances at The Big Brecht Fest at London’s Young Vic Theatre.

Widely regarded as Britain’s sharpest impressionist, Rory was a central figure in the award-winning Channel Four series Bremner, Bird & Fortune, which received multiple accolades as one of the UK’s finest television satires.

Born in Edinburgh in 1961, Rory was educated at Wellington College before studying French and German at King’s College London, where he graduated with honours. While still a student, he performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and began his career in satirical radio before embarking on a seven-year period with the BBC.

Rory has translated two operas, Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee and George Bizet’s Carmen, and is a patron of the London drama school Associated Studios.

With his unique blend of intelligence, political insight and humour, Rory Bremner promises to be a standout guest speaker at the 2026 CFJ Awards.

Kick-Start Publishing has announced that the 2026 CFJ Awards will take place on Friday 11 September at the NCC, Birmingham, marking another high-profile fixture in the contract flooring calendar.

Now firmly established as one of the industry’s flagship events, the CFJ Awards recognises excellence across contract flooring, celebrating best practice, innovation and achievement from manufacturers, contractors, distributors and individuals operating throughout the sector.

Entries for this year’s awards are now open and will close on Friday 27 February. As in previous years, submissions will be assessed by an independent judging panel drawn from across the flooring and construction industries, ensuring credibility, balance and practical insight in the judging process.

The judging panel for 2026 includes independent flooring consultant Richard Renouf; Tony Mathe of Hillside Contracts; Kelly Gayle of AG Flooring; flooring contractor Shane Moore; and chartered surveyor Graeme Dewar. Together, the panel brings a broad mix of technical, commercial and onsite experience, reflecting the diversity of roles and perspectives within contract flooring.

In addition, the Sustainability Initiative Award will be selected by Cathie Clarke, chief executive of the UK Sustainable Flooring Association (UKSFA). This category continues to highlight the growing importance of environmental responsibility within the sector, recognising initiatives that demonstrate measurable progress in sustainability, transparency and responsible practice.

The NCC is a familiar and accessible setting for the awards, enabling the industry to come together to recognise achievements while also networking with peers from across the supply chain. The event is expected to attract a wide cross-section of attendees, from contractors and manufacturers to specifiers and distributors.

Kick-Start Publishing says the CFJ Awards remains focused on maintaining high standards of judging and presentation, reinforcing its position as a benchmark for quality and professionalism in contract flooring.

‘The CFJ Awards is about recognising the professionalism, skill and commitment that underpin contract flooring at its best,’ says Kick-Start Publishing CEO, Johnny Miller. ‘Bringing the industry together at the NCC gives us the opportunity not only to celebrate outstanding projects and people, but also to reinforce the standards, collaboration and innovation that continue to move the sector forward.’