Australia’s first and, so far, only female prime minister, Julia Gillard, is set to chair the UK’s Women’s prize for fiction in 2026.
The annual award is for the best full-length novel of the year written in English by a woman and published in the UK. The £30,000 prize, which has previously been known as the Orange prize and the Baileys prize, has run since 1996.
In a statement, Gillard said, “Reading fiction has always been my most treasured pastime. From the simple story books of childhood to the most vaunted works of literature, and every type of page turner in between, reading has given me refuge, expanded my imagination and cultivated my understanding."
“There have been times in my life when I had too little time for reading, now I am delighted to have the opportunity to plunge headlong into many vibrant works of fiction by women and to work with a joyful panel of judges to highlight the books that really speak to us and shine.”
Gillard has long had ties to the UK: she was born in Wales in 1961, and her family moved to Australia in 1966. Serving as Australia’s prime minister from 2010 to 2013, since 2021 she has been chair of the board of governors at the UK health research charity the Wellcome Trust.
Joining Gillard on the judging panel will be the poet and novelist Mona Arshi; writer, poet and former BBC Radio presenter Salma El-Wardany; actor and comedian Cariad Lloyd; and DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac.
The former Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire will serve as chair of judges for the £30,000 Women’s prize for nonfiction, which was first awarded in 2024.
“There is so much quality nonfiction being written by women across a wide range of topics, and yet too often – and for too long – this writing has been ignored. After 26 years in work tackling violence against women, it is distressing to see women’s rights being rolled back,” Debbonaire said, calling reading and writing “hugely important tools for action”.
The other judges on the nonfiction panel are the engineer and author Roma Agrawal; founder of wellness company Neom Wellbeing Nicola Elliott; novelist Nina Stibbe; and judge and thriller author Nicola Williams.
Last year’s fiction prize was won by the Dutch author Yael van der Wouden for her debut, The Safekeep, while the nonfiction prize was won by the doctor and writer Rachel Clarke for The Story of a Heart: Two Families, One Heart, and a Medical Miracle.
The longlist for the 2026 Women’s prize for fiction will be announced on 4 March, and the shortlist on 22 April. The nonfiction prize longlist will be announced on 11 February and the shortlist on 25 March.
The winners of both prizes will be revealed on 11 June.
