British authors make up the majority of the shortlist for the 2026 Booker Prize, with four of the six nominated novels penned by writers from the United Kingdom. The announcement was made on September 25 at the Southbank Centre in London.

Among the British contenders is M John Harrison, an 81-year-old English author whose science fiction novel *The End Of Everything* could make him the oldest recipient in the prize’s 57-year history if he wins. Other UK entries include *May We Feed The King*, a historical debut by former trampolinist Rebecca Perry, and *Black Bag*, a satirical campus novel by Luke Kennard. Additionally, Scottish author Douglas Stuart, who previously won the Booker Prize in 2020, is shortlisted for his new work *John of John*.

Competing against the British nominees are *The Things We Never Say* by American author Elizabeth Strout and *The Disappearers* by Jamaican writer Marlon James. Last year’s shortlist featured an equal number of American authors, and the 2025 prize was awarded to Hungarian-British writer David Szalay for his novel *Flesh*.

Dame Mary Beard, chair of the judging panel, described the range of books on the shortlist as diverse, spanning genres and tones “from the hilarious to the discomfiting” and “the frighteningly strange to the alarmingly domestic.” She noted that the judges did not approach the selection with predefined criteria but expressed satisfaction with the variety and quality of the chosen works.

The winner of the 2026 Booker Prize, which carries a monetary award of £50,000, will be announced at a ceremony set for November 9 in London.