Short Story

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14 Sep 2025 · 48 min

The 2025 Young Writers' Award Shortlist revealed!

Lauren Layfield presents this year's special showcase of the five shortlisted stories for the 2025 BBC Young Writers' Award. Alongside the 20th anniversary of the National Short Story Award, this year's BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University is open to all writers between the ages of 14 –18 and was created to discover and inspire the next generation of writers. It is a cross-network collaboration between BBC Radio 4 and Radio 1. The winner receives a personalised mentoring session with an author to enhance their writing skills. Listen now to the whole 2025 BBC Young Writers’…

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Earlier episodes 10 most recent

1. 

   20 Sep 2024 · 35 min

   NSSA 2024 - Ghost Kitchen by Ross Raisin

   Ashley Margolis reads Ghost Kitchen by Ross Raisin, the fifth story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska

2. 

   20 Sep 2024 · 34 min

   NSSA 2024 - Nice Dog by Vee Walker

   Paterson Joseph reads Nice Dog by Vee Walker, the fourth story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska

3. 

   18 Sep 2024 · 35 min

   NSSA 2024 - Pieces by Manish Chauhan

   Rebekah Staton and Hasan Dixon read Pieces by Manish Chauhan, the third story shortlisted for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska

4. 

   17 Sep 2024 · 34 min

   NSSA 2024 - The Barber of Erice by Will Boast

   Mark Strong reads The Barber of Erice by Will Boast, the second shortlisted story for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska

5. 

   17 Sep 2024 · 36 min

   NSSA 2024 - Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell

   Lisa Dwyer Hogg reads Hamlet, a Love Story by Lucy Caldwell, the first shortlisted story for the 2024 BBC National Short Story Award, followed by an interview with the author on BBC Radio 4's Front Row Podcast presented and produced by Rick Woska

6. 

   15 Sep 2024 · 52 min

   2024 BBC Young Writers' Award Showcase with Katie Thistleton

   Katie Thistleton presents a showcase of the five shortlisted stories for this year's BBC Young Writers' Award. Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University is open to all writers between the ages of 14 –18 and was created to discover and inspire the next generation of writers. It is a cross-network collaboration between BBC Radio 4 and Radio 1. The winner receives a personalised mentoring session with an author to enhance their writing skills. The 2024 BBC Young Writers’ Award shortlist with Cambridge University is: ‘A Human, a Robot and…

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