Ruth Jones and Freida McFadden Among British Book Award Nominees
Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones and bestselling author Freida McFadden have been nominated for author of the year at this year's British Book Awards, highlighting a diverse and celebrated shortlist of literary talent.
Jones Receives Dual Nominations
Welsh actress and comedian Ruth Jones, 59, has received nominations in two prestigious categories. She is up for author of the year and book of the year in the audiobook non-fiction category for her memoir When Gavin Met Stacey And Everything In Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship. This book, co-written and co-narrated with James Corden, delves into the origins, success, and record-breaking Christmas special of the hit BBC comedy series.
Jones, known for novels like Never Greener (2018), Us Three (2020), and Love Untold (2022), will compete against American writer Freida McFadden for the author of the year title.
McFadden's Thriller Recognition
Freida McFadden, 45, acclaimed for her best-selling novel The Housemaid—adapted into a 2025 film starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney—has also been nominated for her psychological thriller The Tenant in the crime and thriller category. In this category, she faces competition from TV presenter Richard Osman, nominated for his novel The Impossible Fortune, part of his Thursday Murder Club series.
Other Notable Nominees
The author of the year category features a strong lineup, including Mick Herron, renowned for his Slough House espionage thriller series adapted into the Apple TV hit Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman. They are joined by illustrator Charlie Mackesy, fantasy novelist AF Steadman, and writer Elif Shafak, author of The Forty Rules Of Love.
Diverse Category Highlights
In the non-fiction narrative shortlist, the late Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne's autobiography Last Rites and Virginia Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice, co-written with Amy Wallace, are featured. Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, was a prominent accuser of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
American author Suzanne Collins has been nominated in the children's fiction category for Sunrise On The Reaping, a prequel to The Hunger Games series, which is being adapted into an upcoming film. Collins, 63, is best known for The Hunger Games franchise, adapted into hit films starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.
Additional Category Nominations
The non-fiction, lifestyle and illustrated category includes Eat Yourself Healthy by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and Protein In 15 by TV fitness coach Joe Wicks. In the audiobook fiction category, comedian Bob Mortimer's The Long Shoe, narrated by Mortimer, Diane Morgan, and Arabella Weir, is nominated.
Michael Rosen, author of the popular children's book We're Going On A Bear Hunt, has been nominated in the children's non-fiction illustrated category for his latest book with illustrator Helen Oxenbury, titled Oh Dear, Look What I Got!.
New Categories and Ceremony Details
This year's awards introduce three new categories: romantic fiction, graphic novels, and science fiction and fantasy. Other categories include illustrator of the year, fiction, debut fiction, discover, and more.
For the first time, the BBC Radio 2's book club award will be presented, with the winner chosen from last year's book club choices by a judging panel featuring Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox, who expressed excitement about launching the award.
Alice O'Keeffe, chairwoman of the Books of the Year, commented: "From fresh new voices to big brand authors, this year's shortlists celebrate the best books published in 2025. In an exceptional year for non-fiction narrative submissions, half the shortlist is made up of books that broke out of the books pages to lead the news agenda, a reminder that these books really matter."
The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House London on May 11, 2026.
