The Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Announcement
Get a glimpse behind the judging room doors of the world’s most significant award for a single work of fiction, with live readings by special guests.
Join the judges of the Booker Prize 2025, Chair Roddy Doyle and his fellow panellists Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Power and Kiley Reid, as they announce the shortlist for this year’s prize live on stage.
This unique evening, which marks the first announcement of the shortlist at a public event, also features actors Louise Brealey (Sherlock, Such Brave Girls) and Alfred Enoch (Miss Austen, How to Get Away with Murder) reading unpublished judges’ correspondence from the Booker Prize archives, as well as short excerpts from the six shortlisted books.
This year’s judges, in conversation with Booker Prize Foundation Chief Executive Gaby Wood, reveal what it is like to judge the Booker and share why each book earned its place on the Booker Prize 2025 shortlist.
The shortlisted authors also appear at the Southbank Centre for the Booker Prize 2025 Shortlist Readings on Sunday 9 November 2025, the night before the Booker Prize ceremony, where they read from and discuss their shortlisted books with award-winning novelist and literary critic, screenwriter, broadcaster, podcaster and Booker Prize 2024 judge Sara Collins.
Need to know
An exclusive box package is available, which includes:
- Hire of a private box (seats up to eight people).
- Use of the Royal Retiring Room, a private lounge with its own toilet facilities, for the duration of the event.
- One free drink per guest on arrival (prosecco, wine, beer or soft drink).
- Dedicated host to take drinks orders throughout the event.
Access
British Sign Language interpretation is by Ali Gordon and Marcel Hirshman (subject to change).
To book tickets for BSL interpretation, email [email protected] or call us on 020 3879 9555.
You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out more about our Access Scheme
All our access information
For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.