# Helen Fielding launches Bridget Jones prize for northern comedy writing

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/helen-fielding-launches-bridget-jones-prize-for-northern-comedy-writing/
- Published: 2026-10-22T11:46:39+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T12:29:44+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/oct/22/helen-fielding-launches-bridget-jones-prize-for-northern-comedy-writing
- Topics: Americas, Art, Culture, UK, World

## Key points

- Helen Fielding has created a northern comedy writing prize.
- The winner receives £2,000 and writing support.
- Entries of up to 1,000 words open on 23 November.

## Summary

Helen Fielding has launched a prize for unpublished comedy writers living in northern England, seeking funny first-person stories drawn from everyday life. The award is intended to uncover new voices and reflects the anonymous diary columns that introduced Bridget Jones in the 1990s.

Entries must be self-contained prose of up to 1,000 words, with no entry fee. The winner will receive £2,000, an agency session and tailored support from New Writing North; a runner-up will get £1,000. Submissions open on 23 November and close on 1 February 2027, with the winner announced next summer in Newcastle. The prize will run annually until 2029.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.