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Writers Paula Hawkins, Lisa Taddeo, Matthew Todd, and Robin Ince are the latest judges to join the panels at the British Book Awards. Run by The Bookseller, The British Book Awards (a.k.a. the Nibbies) are a highlight of the literary calendar, with the virtual event to take place on 13th May 2021. The deadline for submissions is today (5th February), with the shortlists to be announced in March.
Judges already announced include Sir Lenny Henry, Mel Giedroyc, the Labour MP David Lammy and author, broadcaster and podcaster Frankie Bridge along with authors Peter Frankopan, Kate Young, Piers Torday, Ella Risbridger, Christy Lefteri, and one of last year's winners, Oyinkan Braithwaite. Helping select the overall Book of the Year is Rhys Stephenson, actor and TV presenter best known as the face of children's TV channel CBBC.
Thriller writer Hawkins (pictured) joins book blogger Anne Cater and bookseller Jasper Sutcliffe on the panel for new award Pageturner of the year. Taddeo, who last year won the Non-fiction Narrative Nibbie for her book Three Women, will this year judge the Non-fiction Narrative award along with broadcaster Anita Rani and indie bookseller Saber Khan. They will also be joined by Robin Ince, comedian, actor, writer and co-presenter of the BBC radio show "The Infinite Monkey Cage". Todd, a former editor of Attitude magazine and author of Straight Jacket, joins cookery writer Kate Young and journalist Anita Singh on the Non-fiction Lifestyle panel.
Stephenson is joined on the influential overall Book of the Year panel by Frankopan (The Silk Roads), the Times literary editor Robbie Millen, cookery writer Risbridger (Midnight Chicken), and Kate Skipper, chief operating officer at Waterstones. In the running for the overall honour are the winners of nine Book of the Year awards - Audiobook, Children’s Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, Fiction, Début, Crime & Thriller, Non-fiction Narrative, Non-Fiction Lifestyle and, new this year, Pageturner - each with their own judging panel.
Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of the judges at the British Book Awards, said: “We have amazing judges this year—all we need now are the stand-out submissions, due today. We are looking forward to reading about all the hard work and amazing achievements from that most odd of years. Don't delay!”
The British Book Awards are the definitive celebration of the country’s leading creative industry - and a highlight in the literary calendar. This year’s winners will be inaugurated at a virtual ceremony on 13th May, followed by a summer party to celebrate the shortlists, the winners and the wider UK book trade.