Summary

  • The Booker Prize Ceremony 2020, brought to you live from the Roundhouse, London by Front Row and BBC Arts on 19 November.

  • Six novels were shortlisted for the £50,000 prize for fiction, in this extraordinary year in which reading has taken on a renewed importance.

  • Taking part in the socially distanced proceedings were Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, last year's winners Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo, chair of judges Margaret Busby, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, and former President of the United States Barack Obama.

  • The evening was hosted by Front Row's John Wilson and broadcast simultaneously on Radio 4 and BBC iPlayer.

  • Use #2020BookerPrize on social media.

  1. Join the conversationpublished at 16:10 GMT 19 November 2020

    Have your say on tonight's ceremony by using #2020BookerPrize on social media:

    This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip X post

    Allow X content?

    This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of X post
    This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip X post 2

    Allow X content?

    This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of X post 2
  2. What's happening tonight?published at 16:05 GMT 19 November 2020

    We'll learn the identitiy of tonight's winner between 7 and 8pm.

    Before then, Front Row presenter Elle Osili-Wood will be chairing three debates about this year's shortlisted novels, and about how prizes like the Booker might re-enforce or redefine the literary canon.

    We'll be profiling the six authors who are in contention for tonight's prize. We'll also be sharing highlights from the BBC archive about former Booker winners.

    If you'd like to join the discussion, you can have your say on social media using the hashtag #2020BookerPrize.

    Front row logo
    Image caption,

    You can watch Booker Prize Ceremony 2020: A Front Row Special here from 7pm.

  3. Welcome to our coverage of the 2020 Booker Prizepublished at 15:59 GMT 19 November 2020

    The Booker Prize is awarded each year to the novel judged to be the best written in English, and published in the UK or Ireland. With a roll-call of previous winners including William Golding, Iris Murdoch, Salman Rushdie and Hilary Mantel, it is an accolade that most writers aspire to have on their CVs.

    So far this year, a longlist of 13 titles has been whittled down to just six. Not even the authors themselves know which book will get the nod from the judges. You can find out here as it happens between 7 and 8pm.

    BBC Radio 4's flagship arts programme Front Row will be broadcasting live from the Roundhouse in London, and you can watch the ceremony here with us. Special guests include HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Barack Obama, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo.

    And there's plenty coming up before then...

    Booker Prize
    Image caption,

    Who will join Margaret Atwood and Bernadine Evaristo on the roll call of Booker winners?

  4. 2020 Booker Prizepublished at 13:00 GMT 9 November 2020

    Live on 19 November

    Tune in on 19 November for the announcement of the winner of the 2020 Booker Prize. From 16:00GMT, join in the discussion of this year's titles from the debut-heavy shortlist of six novels. Then, from 19:00GMT John Wilson hosts a special edition of BBC Radio 4's Front Row with a roster of very special guests, and watch as Chair of Judges Margaret Busby reveals which book will take this year's title.

    The shortlisted authors (clockwise from top left): Tsitsi Dangarembga, Avni Doshi, Maaza Mengiste, Douglas Stuart, Diane Cook and Brandon Taylor.
    Image caption,

    The shortlisted authors (clockwise from top left): Tsitsi Dangarembga, Avni Doshi, Maaza Mengiste, Douglas Stuart, Diane Cook and Brandon Taylor.

    2020 Booker Prize: Shortlisted books
    Image caption,

    The shortlisted books (from left): Diane Cook - The New Wilderness; Tsitsi Dangarembga - This Mournable Body; Avni Doshi - Burnt Sugar; Maaza Mengiste -The Shadow King; Douglas Stuart - Shuggie Bain; Brandon Taylor - Real Life.