Kidd started her career as a model at the age of 15, became a racing driver, television presenter, Strictly Come Dancing competitor, Celebrity Master Chef Finalist before becoming a pub landlady.
Presenting the award
On announcing the award, APPBG chairman Mike Wood said: “Jodie has been a tireless campaigner for UK beer and pubs.
“Last October she led a delegation of brewers and fellow publicans to deliver a petition with over 100,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street that had been collected as part of the Long Live the Local Campaign.”
The campaign pushed the Government to reduce the high levels of tax paid by beer drinkers in the pub.
“Jodie is vivid proof that beer and pub lovers are not all old, male and stale,” continued Wood.
Other awards presented at the dinner included:
- Brewer of the Year: Jane Kershaw, Joseph Holt Brewery
- Lifetime Achievement: Maureen Heffernan
- Beer Parliamentarian of the Year: Nigel Evans, MP for Ribble Valley
- Pub Parliamentarian of the Year: Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield
- PubAid Award: Cameron’s Brewery Limited
Last year’s Beer Drinker of the Year was Great British Bake Off 2016 winner Candice Brown, who recently opened her own pub.
She was recognised by the awards for her love of beer and pubs, said the judges last year.
Previous winners include:
- 1994 - Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP
- 1995 - Jack Charlton OBE
- 1996 - Anna Chancellor
- 1997 - John Lowe
- 1998 - John Cryne
- 1999 - Michael Parkinson OBE
- 2000 - Edward Kelsey aka Joe Grundy of the Archers
- 2001 - Darren Gough
- 2002 - HRH the Prince of Wales
- 2003 - Lord Jones of Cheltenham
- 2004 - Roger Protz
- 2005 - Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
- 2006 - Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff
- 2007 - Michel Roux
- 2008 - Nick Hewer
- 2009 - David and Robert Aynesworth
- 2010 - John Grogan
- 2011 - Sriram Aylur
- 2012 - Peter Hendy OBE
- 2013 - Rt Hon George Osborne MP
- 2014 - Robert Humphreys MBE
- 2015 - The Sun Newspaper
- 2016 - Cathy Price
- 2017 - Andrew Griffiths MP
- 2018 - Candice Brown