The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize is the United Kingdom's first literary award for comic literature. Established in 2000 and named in honour of P. G. Wodehouse, past winners include Paul Torday in 2007 with Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Terry Pratchett for Snuff in 2012 and Jasper Fforde for The Well of Lost Plots in 2004. Gary Shteyngart was the first American winner in 2011, and 2020 saw a graphic novel take the prize for the first time.
The prize is sponsored and organised by Bollinger, a producer of sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France, and Everyman Library, a book imprint that is a division of Random House.
Until 2019 the winner was announced at the annual Hay Festival. Winners receive a jeroboam of Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée, a case of Bollinger La Grande Année and a complete set of the Everyman's Library P. G. Wodehouse collection. In addition, a Gloucestershire Old Spots pig is also named after the winning novel.
In 2025 Marina Lewycka was awarded the Vintage Bollinger prize for her 2005 winner A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. The prize marked the 25th anniversary of the award and was given to the best past winner.
Winners and shortlists The judges for the inaugural award were Stephen Fry, Craig Brown, Sebastian Faulks and Jo Brand. Year Author(s) Title Publisher Result2000Jonathan CapeWinnerBridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonViking PressShortlistedPlaying the Moldovans at TennisEburyPan BooksAdrian Mole: The Cappuccino YearsMichael Joseph2001Viking PressWinner2002SpiesFaber and FaberWinnerSt. Martin's PressShortlistedSpencer's ListViking PressWill FergusonHappiness™Canongate & Danny WallaceAre You Dave Gorman?EburyThief of TimeDoubleday2003Vernon God LittleFaber and FaberWinnerDot in the UniverseBloomsburyShortlistedDon't You Want MePenguin BooksLife of PiKnopf CanadaI Don't Know How She Does ItChatto & WindusThe Autograph ManHamish Hamilton2004Hodder & StoughtonWinnerPenguin LostVintage BooksShortlistedThese Foolish ThingsVintage BooksAlexei SayleOvertakenSceptre2005Viking PressWinnerCooking with Fernet BrancaFaber and FaberShortlistedMr VogelSerenHappy AccidentsHarper PerennialGoing PostalDoubledayBloomsbury2006All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an EyeAbacus BooksWinnerWicked!Bantam PressShortlistedSerpent's TailMay Contain NutsDoubledayThud!DoubledayOn BeautyHamish Hamilton2007Salmon Fishing in the YemenWeidenfeld & NicolsonWinnerKalooki NightsJonathan CapeShortlistedTwo CaravansPenguin Books, Fig TreeCupid's DartHeinemann2008BloomsburyWinnerFaber and FaberShortlistedSubmarineHamish HamiltonJude: Level 1Old StreetPontoon: A Novel of Lake WobegonViking PressSunday at the Cross BonesHarper Perennial2009Jeff in Venice, Death in VaranasiCanongate BooksWinnerLittle, Brown and CompanyShortlistedTheir Finest Hour and a HalfTransworld / DoubledayRancid PansiesFaber and FaberHow the Soldier Repairs the GramophoneWeidenfeld & NicolsonHamish Hamilton2010SolarJonathan CapeWinnerSkippy DiesHamish HamiltonShortlistedDiamond Star HaloPortobelloOne DayHodder & StoughtonMalcolm PryceFrom Aberystwyth with LoveBloomsbury2011Super Sad True Love StoryGrantaWinnerSerious MenJohn MurrayShortlistedComfort and JoyPenguin Books, Fig TreeBloomsburyPenguin Books2012SnuffTransworld / DoubledayWinnerJude in LondonOld StreetShortlistedCapitalW. W. NortonDoubledayMichael Joseph2013Zoo TimeBloomsburyWinnerEngland's LaneQuercusShortlistedLightning Rods (and Other Stories)New DirectionsSkiosFaber and FaberHeartbreak HotelChatto & Windus2014Lost for WordsPicadorWinnerJeeves and the Wedding BellsHutchinsonShortlistedBridget Jones: Mad About the BoyJonathan CapeFaber and FaberStraight White MaleHeinemannHarvill Secker2015Fatty O'Leary's Dinner PartyPolygonWinnerLosing ItPan MacmillanShortlistedHow to Build a GirlEbury4th EstateMan at the HelmViking Press, Penguin BooksJonathan Cape2016Penguin BooksWinner (tie)BloomsburyOneworld PublicationsShortlistedPenguin Random HouseThere's Only Two David BeckhamsBlack Swan, Transworld2017Bridget Jones's BabyVintage BooksWinnerRazor GirlLittle, Brown and CompanyShortlistedTo Be Continued...Penguin Random HouseEverybody's FoolAtlantic BooksParadise LodgePenguin Random HouseHere Comes TroubleOrion Books2018Not awarded2019Reasons to be CheerfulLittle, Brown and CompanyWinnerVacuum in the DarkSimon & SchusterShortlistedIn at the Deep EndHoughton Mifflin HarcourtCharlie SavageJonathan CapeOld BaggageHarper PerennialFrancis Plug: Writer in ResidenceGalley Beggar Press2020FlakeJonathan CapeWinnerNobberJohn MurrayShortlistedRules for VisitingGrantaWeatherGranta46% Better than DaveRaven Crest BooksHouse of TrelawneyBloomsbury2021MenschWinnerGhostsPenguin BooksShortlistedBetween Beirut and the MoonInflux PressDestination WeddingBloomsburyTemporaryFaber and FaberFake Accounts4th Estate2022Influx PressWinnerDoubledayShortlistedBloomsburyAgain, RachelPenguin Books, Michael JosephLast ResortWeidenfeld & NicolsonImpossibleHarperCollinsPenguin Books, Michael JosephAre We Having Fun Yet?ProfileViking PressOur Country FriendsAtlantic BooksOne Day I Shall Astonish the WorldViking PressHarrowProfile2023The Satsuma ComplexGallery BooksWinnerMurder at Crime ManorSphereShortlistedDidn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to CarlottaEuropa EditionsTeen Couple Have Fun OutdoorsSerpent's TailDarlingFig TreeMother HensHarperNorth2024Ferdia LennonGlorious ExploitsFig TreeWinnerGood MaterialFig TreeShortlistedThe Ministry of TimeSceptreA Beginner's Guide to Breaking and EnteringHutchinson Heinemann The Rachel IncidentViragoYou Are HereSceptreand Chris SugdenHigh VaultageGollancz2025Rosanna PikeA Little TrickeriePenguin Random HouseWinnerThe Unfinished Harauld HughesFaber & FaberShortlistedKate GreatheadThe Book of GeorgeAtlantic BooksMurder Most FoulLegend PressThe PersiansFourth EstateLast ActsONEFriends of DorothyViragoFundamentallyWeidenfeld & Nicolson
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