Shortlisted authors Anuk Arudpragasam, Damon Galgut, Patricia Lockwood, Nadifa Mohamed, Richard Powers and Maggie Shipstead joined Samira Ahmed live in Broadcasting House's Radio Theatre for the announcement of the winner of the 2021 Booker Prize.
Last year's winner Douglas Stuart was in conversation with HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. And 30 years on from his historic Booker win, Ben Okri reflected on how the prize changed his life.
The live ceremony was broadcast simultaneously on the BBC News channel, BBC Radio 4 and BBC iPlayer.
Congratulations to Damon Galgut on winning the 2021 Booker Prize for his book The Promise - and well done to all the shortlisted authors Anuk Arudpragasam, Patricia Lockwood, Nadifa Mohamed, Richard Powers and Maggie Shipstead.
Thanks for joining us for our coverage tonight. Goodbye.
While South Africa is proud of Damon Galgut's victory, praise has also been coming in from all around the world for his 2021 Booker Prize win.
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’.
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’.
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’.
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’.
BBC Arts
South African author Damon Galgut wins the Booker - congratulations!
He says he would like to accept the award on behalf of writers from the entire continent of Africa.
Quote MessageI would like to accept this on behalf of all the writers, heard and unheard, of the remarkable continent I am part of...
Damon Galgut, Winner of the 2021 Booker Prize
Quote MessageIt has incredible originality and fluidity of voice.
Maya Jasanoff, Chair of the Booker Prize judges
Damon Galgut accepts the 2021 Booker Prize
Damon Galgut accepts the 2021 Booker Prize
Quote MessageI had written [Shuggie Bain] in secret, I felt like an imposter.
Quote MessageI have been nowhere this year but my book has gone everywhere. It seems to have touched the human condition in lots of places.
Douglas Stuart, 2020 Booker Prize winner for Shuggie Bain
Samira asks Ben Okri how the Booker Prize shortlist has changed in the last 30 years? The former winner gives his take...
Quote MessageI think they've changed a great deal, they've become more inclusive.
Ben Okri, Author of The Famished Road, the 1991 Booker Prize winner
Ben Okri talking to Samira Ahmed at the ceremony
BBC Arts
Douglas Stuart tells HRH The Duchess of Cornwall...
Quote MessageI can't even tell you how important a place the library was in my childhood.
Douglas Stuart, Author of 2020 winner Shuggie Bain
Douglas Stuart told Rebecca Jones this week...
Quote MessageWinning the Booker has changed everything for me.
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’.
BBC Arts
Samira asks chair of judges Maya Jasanoff whether the judges saw any links between the shortlisted books...
Quote MessageThey all share a sense of innovation and interest and excitement about language.
Maya Jasanoff, Booker Prize Judge (Chair)
Watch or listen using the buttons at the top of the page.
BBC Arts
We saw Carrie writing on social media about accomplishing the huge reading feat of reading the longlist. There were 13 books on that, which was then slimmed down to the six titles you are hearing about tonight.
Allow Instagram content?
This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
BBC Arts
Douglas Stuart was the 2020 Booker Prize winner for debut novel Shuggie Bain. He's back tonight and will be in conversation with The Duchess of Cornwall.
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’.
BBC Arts
In this clip, author John Banville recounts from personal experience the risk of drinking too much before and during the ceremony; and past winners talk about the impact on their capacity for writing after the success of winning the Booker.
The clip is from Barneys, Books and Bust-ups, a documentary narrated by Kirsty Wark telling the inside story of scandal, gossip and intrigue from a host of former winners including Peter Carey and Penelope Lively, plus judges and prize administrators. It was first shown in 2018 to mark 50 years of the Booker, and you can catch it tonight on BBC Four at 11.25pm.
Past winners talk about the impact of winning the Man Booker.
Previous winners
BBC Arts
As well as thinking about the books nominated tonight, book lovers on social media have been talking about some of their favourite winners from years gone by.
Winning the Booker Prize tonight means the winner is joining arguably the most elite club in modern literature.
Allow Instagram content?
This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
BBC Arts
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’.
BBC Arts
The 2020 Booker winner is in town...
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’.
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’.
A research team at the University of Wolverhampton would love to know what you think about the books on the shortlist - they're trying to work out what kinds of writing we value as a society.
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’.
BBC Arts
The process of selecting books for a prize will of course always be a matter of some debate, but always lovely to hear how the list provides a focus that brings people together.
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’.
BBC Arts
Before we turn our attention to tonight's main event, a quick reminder of the new and imminent six-part series of Between the Covers. As well as the regular features about new books, Sara Cox and her guests will dig into their favourite Booker Prize-shortlisted titles from past years.
The first episode is on Wednesday 10 November, with Silent Witness star Emilia Fox, comedians Dane Baptiste and Andy Parsons, and Harry Potter actor Evanna Lynch.
Allow Instagram content?
This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Shahidha Bari with previous winners Marlon James, John Banville and Eleanor Catton
BBC Arts
Inside Culture's Shahidha Bari recently rounded up three previous Booker winners to discuss their favourite books and how we read in the modern age.
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’.
