Val McDermid to lead Gordon Burn Prize judging panel
The best-selling crime novelist will chair the prestigious prize for 2026
Acclaimed crime writer Val McDermid has been announced as the chair of judges for the 2026 Gordon Burn Prize, as entries officially open for the latest round of the literary award known for celebrating bold, boundary-pushing writing.
The prize, which honours the legacy of the late journalist and novelist Gordon Burn, is open to books – fiction or non-fiction – that challenge form and subject matter, offering fresh perspectives often found outside the mainstream.
The 2026 prize is now accepting submissions of English-language works published between December 1, 2024 and November 3, 2025.
McDermid, one of the UK’s best-known writers with over 19 million books sold globally, said she was “delighted” to lead the panel and excited by the work ahead.
“Gordon's work always offered challenge and excitement and I hope that we'll find books that do the same for us this year,” she said. “I'm delighted to be chairing a panel of judges who care as much about good writing as I do and I hope we'll help you to discover some thrilling fresh reads. Join us on a journey of discovery.”
She’ll be joined on the judging panel by writer and commentator Nooruddean Choudry, journalist and author Freya McClements, writer and Professor of Creative Writing Andrew McMillan and writer and broadcaster Jude Rogers.
Now one of the UK’s most distinctive literary honours, the Gordon Burn Prize is delivered in partnership by New Writing North, Faber, and the Gordon Burn Trust, with support from Newcastle University and the Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts.
It carries a £10,000 award for the winner, alongside a writing retreat at Gordon Burn’s cottage in Berwickshire.
The prize has previously recognised authors including Kathryn Scanlan, Preti Taneja, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Jenni Fagan – whose 2025 winning book Ootlin was praised as “a beautiful, vital, difficult, human piece of art” by judge David Whitehouse.
The winner of the 2026 prize will be announced in March 2026 in Burn’s home city of Newcastle. More information and entry details and deadlines can be found at gordonburnprize.com.