Congratulations BBC Young Writers’ Award 2025

A massive congratulations to 17-year-old Sheffield Young Writer Rebecca Smith, one of five shortlisted for the BBC Young Writers’ Short Story Award 2025 with Cambridge University!

‘Scouse’s Run’ by Rebecca Smith
A ‘Skilful’ story written in dialect, ‘Scouse’s Run’ tells the story of the titular boy, Scouse, who bets his friends that he can ride a shopping trolley down a hill without screaming or crying out, only to have the challenge go horribly wrong. Praised by the judges for its ‘strong voice’ and ‘tension’ of the fun with the ‘undercurrent of danger and violence’, the story was inspired by a writing group prompt, and explores peer pressure, toxic masculinity and the consequences of bullying and young men’s reactions to feeling powerless.

The five shortlisted writers have had their work made into radio pieces read by professional actors. You can listen to Scouse’s Run and all of the shortlisted here

Congratulations also to the following stories and shortlisted:
‘Wildfolk Report 2025’ by Holly Dye, 17,from Tunbridge Wells
Adu, Lasun and Marcha’ by Anoushka Patel, 18, from Leicester
‘Roast Beef’ by Edith Taussig, 17, from New Malden, Greater London
‘The Omen’ by Anna Tuchinda, 17, from Thailand, an international student in Edinburgh

The BBC Young Writers’ Award 2025, run in partnership with Cambridge University, is a nationwide competition open to writers aged 14–18, inviting them to submit original short stories of up to 1,000 words. This year’s judging panel is chaired by Radio 1 presenter Lauren Layfield and includes poet and former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, novelist Jessica Moor, poet Matt Goodfellow, and writer Lottie Mills, a former winner of the Award. From hundreds of entries, five outstanding stories are shortlisted; these are recorded by professional actors and broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Sounds. The overall winner will be announced live on Radio 4’s Front Row on Tuesday 1 October 2025.