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Mercury Prize 2026: Judging Panel Confirmed
The judging panel for the Mercury Prize 2026 has been confirmed, ahead of this year's ceremony returning to Newcastle following its historic first outing outside London in 2025, when hometown favourite Sam Fender won. The event has become a fixture in the North East, and confirming the panel marks a key step towards the announcement of this year's shortlist and the eventual winner of Britain's leading album award.
The ten-strong judging team is chaired by Jeff Smith, Head of Music at Radio 2 and 6 Music, and includes broadcasters, musicians and journalists such as Jamie Cullum, Sian Eleri, MistaJam and Will Hodgkinson of The Times. The Mercury Prize 2026 ceremony will be held on 22 October at Utilita Arena, Newcastle, with tickets now on sale, while the 12-album shortlist is due to be revealed on Thursday 30 July.
In short
- Mercury Prize 2026 judging panel confirmed, chaired by Jeff Smith
- Ceremony returns to Newcastle's Utilita Arena on 22 October
- 12-album shortlist to be announced Thursday, 30 July
Explained simply
The Mercury Prize is Britain's most prestigious annual music award, recognising outstanding achievement in recorded music across all genres. It has long been considered one of the most important honours in the British music industry.
The Mercury Prize ceremony was traditionally held in London until 2025, when it took place in Newcastle for the first time outside the capital. With hometown favourite Sam Fender winning, the event has become established as a fixture in the North East.
The Mercury Prize is decided by a judging panel of industry experts, broadcasters, musicians and music journalists. Each year, a twelve-album shortlist is announced, with a winner then chosen by this panel.