Roddy Doyle Chairs the 2025 Booker Prize Judging Panel
Irish literary giant Roddy Doyle has been announced as the chair of the prestigious 2025 Booker Prize judging panel. This marks a significant moment as Doyle becomes the first Booker Prize winner to take on this role after winning the coveted award in 1993 for his acclaimed novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
A Stellar Judging Lineup
Doyle will be joined by an impressive panel of literary figures: Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, award-winning novelist who has been longlisted for the Booker, Sarah Jessica Parker, renowned actress, producer, and publisher, Chris Power, acclaimed writer, broadcaster, and literary critic, and Kiley Reid, New York Times bestselling author and Booker Prize-longlisted novelist.
We’re thrilled to reveal the #BookerPrize2025 judging panel.
Roddy Doyle will act as chair of judges, and will be joined by @ayobamiadebayo, @SJP, @chris_power and @kileyreid.
— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) December 10, 2024
“For more than forty years, I’ve been writing novels, or editing novels, or thinking about the next novel. For longer still – since my mother taught me how to read – I’ve filled hours of every day with novels, reading them, re-reading them, just gazing at them,” said Doyle, expressing his enthusiasm for the role.
“So, to have licence to do little else but read the year’s best novels, to find the familiar in the unfamiliar, to examine the remarkable, unique things that great writers can do with the shared language, English – I can’t wait.”
Doyle continued, “I’m looking forward to working with a great panel of judges. I’ve never been in a book club before, but I think I’m probably joining a good one.”
A Rich Legacy of Literary Excellence
Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, echoed the excitement, stating, “The 2025 judges form a jury of creative peers like no other. We’ve never before had three Booker authors on the panel.
Roddy, the first past Booker winner to chair the judges, has already brought generosity, wit and calm to the process, and I have no doubt that he will draw together this stellar crowd as they seek the best fiction of the year.
Ayọ̀bámi and Kiley, both past longlistees and very different writers, are perfectly placed to identify a cohort following in their footsteps. I’ve long admired Chris’s acuity and taste, and have in recent months enjoyed sharing book recommendations with Sarah Jessica, who has passionately supported contemporary fiction for many years. I’m hugely looking forward to listening in.”
Announcing the 2025 Booker Prize Winner
The Booker Prize, annually awarded to the best single work of sustained fiction written in the English language and published in the UK and/or Ireland, is now open for submissions from publishers for books published between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025. The journey towards crowning the winner will culminate in November 2025.
Keep your eyes peeled for the unveiling of the ‘Booker Dozen’ of 12 or 13 books next July, followed by a shortlist of six books in September. The winner of the prestigious prize will receive £50,000 (€60,000).
Are you excited for the 2025 Booker Prize? Let us know your predictions for the shortlist in the comments below!