Meet our Judges

Our head judge Chris Riddell is a man of many talents!

Chris Riddell self-portrait

He's an author and artist, and the political cartoonist for The Observer.

Chris has also illustrated a number of Neil Gaiman stories including The Graveyard Book and Neverwhere.

He's the only person to win the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award for illustration three times, most recently for The Sleeper and the Spindle, written by Neil.

He is also currently the UK Children’s Laureate, championing storytelling, reading and illustration for children.

Inspired by the competition, Chris has been doing a few Stardust drawings of his own, based on the cast which you can see here.

Self-confessed Neil Gaiman fan-girl Sophie Rundle is, literally, the star of the story. Her character Yvaine, an evening star, lived in the sky along with her mother and extended family. One night, she is knocked from the heavens by a necklace, thrown by the dying King of Stormhold.

As Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 Drama, Jeremy Howe is responsible for bringing the first Neil Gaiman drama to Radio 4 in 2013. Since then he’s commissioned Good Omens, How the Marquis Got his Coat Back, and now – Stardust.

Of the Competition he says, "I am really looking forward to seeing how our listeners respond to the imaginative wonderland that is Neil Gaiman’s magical Stardust."

Sean Phillips has been a highly respected professional illustrator for over 25 years, mostly drawing comic books.

He was the lead artist on Radio 4’s Good Omens where, he says, "I got to draw English country villages, vintage cars and a boy and his dog, even if he did turn out to be the Antichrist!" Sean has also worked for DC, Marvel, 2000AD and the multiple award-winning, Criminal.