Judges announced for BBC writing awards
The winners will be unveiled in October.
Broadcaster Nikki Bedi will chair the judging panel for a prestigious short story award.
Bedi, who writes and presents The Arts Hour on BBC World Service and BBC Radio London, said she was “honoured, delighted and excited” to lead the judges for the BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University (NSSA) next year.
“It is my favourite form of literature and there is nothing more delicious and perfect for me than devouring, digesting and loving a surprising and perfectly formed short story,” she said.
It has also been announced that Katie Thistleton will chair the judging panel for the BBC Young Writers’ Award with First Story and Cambridge University (YWA).
Thistleton, co-presenter of Radio 1’s Life Hacks and author of Dear Katie: Real Problems, Real Advice, also took the role for the 2018 award and said she was “blown away with the submissions”.
Bedi and Thistleton will be joined by a group of award-winning writers and artists on their panels.
The winner of the BBC National Short Story Award receives £15,000 and the story will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and published in an anthology.
Previous alumni include Lionel Shriver, Zadie Smith, Hilary Mantel, Jon McGregor and William Trevor.
The writers shortlisted for the BBC Young Writers’ Award have their stories broadcast on a special Radio 1’s Life Hacks Podcast, and published in an anthology.
The winners will be announced in October 2019.
Further details are available at www.bbc.co.uk/nssa and www.bbc.co.uk/ywa.
