BBC National Short Story Award

The BBC National Short Story Award (previously known as the National Short Story Award, 2006-2007) has been described as 'the most prestigious [award] for a single short story' and the richest prize in the world for a single short story. It is an annual short story contest in the United Kingdom which is open to UK residents and nationals. The winner receives £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each.

Award and history
The BBC National Short Story Award is a national short story contest in the United Kingdom. It aims to increase interest in the short story genre, particularly British short stories. To be eligible for consideration works must be published by a UK resident or national. Winners receive £15,000 and four shortlisted writers receive £600 each. The award has been described as 'the most prestigious [award] for a single short story' and the richest prize in the world for a single short story. However, the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award is greater at GB£30,000.

It was founded in 2005 and announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival the same year. The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) were the main sponsor with support from BBC Radio 4 and Prospect magazine. Originally, winners received £15,000 while runners up received £3,000 and shortlisted writers £500 each. In 2008, the BBC became the main sponsor and the award was renamed from the 'National Short Story Award' to the 'BBC National Short Story Award'.

Winners and shortlisted writers
The BBC National Short Story Award has never had an all-male shortlist. In 2009, only women were featured on the shortlist. This happened for the second time in 2013 and the fifth time in 2018. Canadian writer D. W. Wilson became the youngest ever recipient of the award in 2011. Sarah Hall, who won the award in 2013 and 2020, is the only writer to have won the award twice.

In 2012, in honour of the 2012 Summer Olympics hosted in London, the competition was open to a global audience for one year only. Ten stories were shortlisted, instead of five, and Bulgarian writer Miroslav Penkov won.

Controversies
In 2007, BBC Radio 4 chose not to broadcast the short story Weddings and Beheadings by Hanif Kureishi after a militant group claimed to have executed the BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston. Kureishi argued that this was an act of censorship by the BBC.