William Hill Confirms 2025 Sports Book Award Judges

William Hill has announced the judging panel for the 2025 edition of its Sports Book of the Year Award, with comedian and sports broadcaster Elis James returning to the panel after a one-year hiatus.

Established in 1989, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award is widely regarded as one of the leading literary prizes in the sporting world. It recognises excellence across a broad spectrum of sports writing, ranging from biography and investigative journalism to historical analysis and memoir.

James re-joins the panel alongside returning members Gabby Logan, Dame Heather Rabbatts, Michelle Walder, Mark Lawson, and Clarke Carlisle. Chairing the panel once again is Alyson Rudd, a long-standing sports journalist and author, who continues in the role for a seventh consecutive year.

The 2025 judging panel reflects a broad mix of experience across sports, media, governance, and literature. Each judge will play a role in selecting this year’s longlist, which will be published by 25 September, followed by a shortlist on 30 October. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 25 November and will receive £30,000 and the official award trophy. Shortlisted authors will each receive £3,000 and a leather-bound edition of their book.

Now in its 37th year, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award continues to recognise outstanding contributions to the genre and remains a key fixture in the publishing and sporting calendars.

Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill, said: “We’re excited to reveal that a number of familiar faces will be returning to the judging panel for this year’s William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award – the 37th edition of our esteemed literary prize. Among those rejoining the line-up is broadcaster, comedian, and sports enthusiast Elis James, who will bring his trademark passion and wit to the process after a brief hiatus from the panel.

“We’re equally pleased to welcome back Gabby Logan for her second year on the panel. Her wealth of sports knowledge and broadcasting experience continues to be a huge asset in helping shape this year’s shortlist. Long-standing Chair Alyson Rudd also returns for her seventh consecutive year, bringing her leadership, literary insight and deep understanding of the sporting world to guide the panel through the judging process once again.

“Also back for another year are Dame Heather Rabbatts, Michelle Walder, Mark Lawson, and Clarke Carlisle. With their combined expertise spanning sport, media, business and literature, this experienced panel will work together to review this year’s entries, narrow them down to a compelling shortlist, and ultimately select the winner of this year’s Award.”

Alyson Rudd, Chair of the judging panel, said: “It really is a privilege to chair the judging panel for such a prestigious award and one that I believe has been at the heart of improving the quality of sports writing year on year.

“And what a panel it is; packed with insight, experience and a depth of sporting knowledge allied to a love of literature as well as an unerring ability to argue passionately and persuasively for the books they most admire.”

Elis James, returning to the judging panel, said: “To have the opportunity to discuss these incredible books with a panel who love sports as much as I do is a real privilege and I’m honoured to be back as a judge again. I was on tour last year so couldn’t commit to the panel for the 2024 Award – I was devastated – but I’m thrilled to be involved in it once more for 2025.

“We’ve got a really interesting panel with people who know a lot more about sport than I do, so I almost feel like an imposter being among such an esteemed group of people.

“The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award really does have the power to change someone’s life. What’s brilliant about it is that if you’re a new writer, or you’re writing about a smaller, less mainstream sport, if it’s good enough we will put it on the shortlist. That will then give that book an enormous amount of impetus and lead to extra sales, which is gold dust for an author.”