Ruth Jones and Freida McFadden among British Book Award nominees

Gavin And Stacey star Ruth Jones and The Housemaid author Freida McFadden are among the writers nominated for author of the year at this year’s British Book Awards.

Welsh actress and comedian Jones is best known for co-creating the hit BBC comedy alongside actor James Corden and, following its final episode in 2024, the pair co-wrote and co-narrated a book about the series titled When Gavin Met Stacey And Everything In Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship.

The memoir discusses the origins of the sitcom, its success and its record-breaking Christmas special – and has landed Jones, 59, a nomination for book of the year in the audiobook non-fiction category.

Jones – who has written novels such as Never Greener (2018), Us Three (2020) and Love Untold (2022) – has also received a nod in the author of the year category, and will battle it out against McFadden.

The American writer, 45, is best known for her best-selling novel The Housemaid, which was adapted into a 2025 film of the same name starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney.

McFadden has also received a nod for her psychological thriller The Tenant in the crime and thriller category, where she is up against TV presenter Richard Osman for his novel The Impossible Fortune, which is part of his Thursday Murder Club book series.

Also among the nominees for author of the year is Mick Herron, best known for his Slough House espionage thriller series which has been adapted into the hit Apple TV series Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman.

They are joined by illustrator Charlie Mackesy, fantasy novelist AF Steadman, and The Forty Rules Of Love writer Elif Shafak.

The non-fiction narrative shortlist includes the late Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne’s autobiography Last Rites, and Virginia Giuffre’s memoir co-written with Amy Wallace, titled Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice.

The late Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, is one of the most prominent accusers of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

American author Suzanne Collins has been nominated in the children’s fiction category for Sunrise On The Reaping, a prequel to young adult dystopian series The Hunger Games – which is being adapted into an upcoming film due for release later this year.

Collins, 63, is best known for The Hunger Games franchise, which was adapted into three hit films starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, and led to multiple spin-off books.

In the non-fiction, lifestyle and illustrated category, Eat Yourself Healthy by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been nominated alongside Protein In 15 by TV fitness coach Joe Wicks.

Meanwhile in the audiobook fiction category is The Long Shoe by comedian Bob Mortimer, narrated by Mortimer, comedian Diane Morgan and actress Arabella Weir.

The author of popular children’s book We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, Michael Rosen, has been nominated in the children’s non-fiction illustrated category for his latest book with illustrator Helen Oxenbury, titled Oh Dear, Look What I Got!.

Other categories include illustrator of the year, fiction, debut fiction, science fiction and fantasy, discover, romantic fiction and graphic novel.

This year’s annual award ceremony will also see the BBC Radio 2’s book club award given out for the first time.

The winner will be chosen from last year’s BBC Radio 2’s Book Club choices by a judging panel featuring Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox, who said she is “chuffed to bits” to be launching the award.

Alice O’Keeffe, chairwoman of the Books of the Year, said: “From fresh new voices to big brand authors, this year’s shortlists celebrate the best books published in 2025.

“For the very first time, our judges are looking forward to discussing three new categories: romantic fiction, graphic novels and science fiction and fantasy.

“In an exceptional year for non-fiction narrative submissions, half the shortlist is made up of books that broke out of the books pages to lead the news agenda, a reminder that these books really matter.”

This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House London on May 11.