Julia Gillard to Chair the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction

Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been announced as the Chair of the judging panel for the prestigious 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, one of the UK’s most influential literary awards celebrating excellence in fiction written in English by women.

The annual prize, originally known as the Orange Prize and later the Baileys Prize, awards £30,000 and a bronze statuette to the best full-length novel published in the UK. Gillard - Australia’s only female Prime Minister to date - will lead a diverse and accomplished panel of judges as they read, debate and select the longlist, shortlist and eventual winner.

Gillard said that reading fiction has long been one of her treasured pastimes, offering both refuge and the chance to expand one’s imagination. She looks forward to working with what organisers describe as “a joyful panel of judges” to highlight books that resonate and shine.

The longlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction is set to be announced on 4 March 2026, with the shortlist revealed on 22 April, and the winners celebrated at an event in London on 11 June 2026.

This appointment continues a tradition of bringing fresh and international perspectives to the UK’s celebrated literary prize, and marks another moment of connection between Australian cultural leadership and the UK’s vibrant literary scene.

Pictured: The 2026 Women's prize judges. From left: Cariad Lloyd, Salma El-Wardany, Nicola Elliott, Annie Mac, Nina Stibbe, Mona Arshi, Thangam Debbonaire, Nicola Williams, Roma Agrawal and Julia Gillard. Credit: Women’s Prize for Fiction.