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Lily Allen judges Orange Prize

12.12.07 John Ryan

Lily Allen is to be on the judging panel for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. Journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Lang will chair the panel for the award, now in its 13th year, and the other panel members are Lisa Allardice, editor of Guardian Review, novelist Philippa Gregory, veteran journalist Bel Mooney and Allen.

Orange has also revealed the panel that will decide the winner of the Orange Broadband Award for New Writers. This will be chaired by Shami Chakrabati, director of Liberty, working with novelist Clare Allan and Suzy Feay, literary editor of the Independent on Sunday. The new fiction award was established in 2005.

Todays Picks John Ryan Orange Prize Prize Lily Allen

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By John Evans

This is a disgrace.

12 Dec 07 11:35

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By I'm A Tree

Yeah, it means she won't be able to judge the Man Booker.

12 Dec 07 12:44

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By My Blake

They've got Amy Whitehouse for that.

12 Dec 07 12:52

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By simon

The only sad thing about this is why she was chosen. She has as much right to judge a book as my next door neighbour... or Kirsty Lang for that matter. It's not like her decision is likely to make a big difference, but in does seem that Orange are more impressed in celebrity than anything else. The future's bright, the future's Lily.

12 Dec 07 13:17

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By Anon

Seriously? that's ridiculous. She's a woman, but that's the only reason she would be eligible... Could they not find someone who might have some idea of what they are talking about? Or at least someone who can write in sentences?

12 Dec 07 13:20

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By Phil

The decision to bring in Lily Allen as a judge is a brave one, certainly. But if it is an attempt by Orange to introduce a new audience to the beauty of literature, I'm all for it. I love the idea that next July, her "quirky" fanbase could be infiltrating the bookshops of Britain, keen to get their hands on something with the Lily stamp of approval, devouring something in the vain of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun. Failing that, she's never short of opinions, or expletives, so its sure to give the prize, and the winner's sales, welcome attention.

12 Dec 07 13:42

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By Keith

I don't get the fuss. She's an upper-middle class public-school educated North-London dwelling slip of a girl. Perfect for the publishing world.

12 Dec 07 14:17

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By Dr Johnson

Is Miss Allen a great reader? And even if she is, does she read Orange-type books? She is noted neither for diplomacy nor for moderation in the consumption of alcohol, so at least might liven up the awards ceremony... Perhaps she could bring her father, the Sheriff?

12 Dec 07 15:02

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By Anon

They could have brought her in as an advocate or something, fine, but judge implicitly means you know the subject area in depth and therefore have the ability to pass judgement on it.

12 Dec 07 15:35

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By BSEL018647

"Upper middle class",Lily Allen! Yer 'avin a joke arncher?

12 Dec 07 18:19

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By Jonathan Ruppin

An outrage. Surely it's Katie Price who's paid her literary dues and should be passing judgement on our most talented female writers.

12 Dec 07 19:50

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By Emma Barnes

I think it's a stroke of genius by the organisers, guaranteed to get the 2008 prize off to a well-talked-about start. I just hope all the judges, with their busy schedules, have time to read all the books sufficiently thoroughly to make an informed choice.

13 Dec 07 08:56

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By Simon Cowell

I hear that Rhydian and Same Difference are on the judging panel for the Nobel Prize for Literature...

13 Dec 07 12:09

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