BBC National Short Story Award | |
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Awarded for | Best short story by a UK national or resident |
Sponsored by | BBC Radio 4 with Cambridge University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Presented by | BBC (formerly National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) |
Formerly called | National Short Story Award (2006–2007) |
First awarded | 2006 |
Currently held by | Comorbidities, Naomi Wood (2023) |
Website | BBC National Short Story Award |
Television/radio coverage | |
Network | BBC Radio 4 |
The BBC National Short Story Award (previously known as the National Short Story Award, 2006-2007) has been described as 'the most prestigious [award] for a single short story'[1] and the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[2] It is an annual short story contest in the United Kingdom which is open to UK residents and nationals. The winner receives £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each.
The BBC National Short Story Award is a national short story contest in the United Kingdom.[3] It aims to increase interest in the short story genre, particularly British short stories.[3] To be eligible for consideration works must be published by a UK resident or national.[4] Winners receive £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each.[5] The award has been described as 'the most prestigious [award] for a single short story'[1] and the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[2] However, the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award is greater at £30,000.[6]
It was founded in 2005 and announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival the same year.[7] The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) were the main sponsor with support from BBC Radio 4 and Prospect magazine.[4] Originally, winners received £15,000 while runners up received £3,000 and shortlisted writers £500 each.[7][2] In 2008, the BBC became the main sponsor and the award was renamed from the 'National Short Story Award' to the 'BBC National Short Story Award'.[4]
Main article: List of BBC National Short Story Award winners |
The BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist.[8] In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist.[9] This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018.[10][11] Canadian writer D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011.[12][13] Sarah Hall, who won the award in 2013 and 2020, is the only writer to have won the award twice.[14]
In 2012, in honour of the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London, the competition was open to a global audience for one year only.[15] Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer Miroslav Penkov won.[16][17]
In 2007, BBC Radio 4 chose not to broadcast the short story Weddings and Beheadings by Hanif Kureishi after a militant group claimed to have executed the BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston.[18] Kureishi argued that this was an act of censorship by the BBC.[18]