Olivia Colman to read winning child’s story at final of BBC literary competition

Oscar-winning histrion Olivia Colman volition work a child’s winning communicative astatine the last of a BBC literate contention championing young writers.

During the expansive final, taking spot astatine Buckingham Palace successful February, the winners of BBC 500 Words volition person the accidental to conscionable the Queen.

McFly bandmembers Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones are among the different celebrities who volition work stories, with the identities of the remaining readers to beryllium revealed successful the coming weeks.

The judges of the contention are comedian Sir Lenny Henry, screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Horrid Henry writer Francesca Simon, histrion Charlie Higson, vocalist Olivia Dean and Noughts And Crosses writer Malorie Blackman.

Chaired by The One Show presenter Alex Jones, the radical met connected Wednesday to deliberate connected the wide winners from astir 44,000 entries.

Helen Foulkes, caput of BBC Education, said: “It’s fantastic to spot however galore children were inspired to get their ideas down connected insubstantial for this year’s BBC 500 Words competition.

“With the assistance of our partners, we’ve worked adjacent harder this twelvemonth to scope retired to much children and marque 500 Words adjacent much inclusive.

“From close crossed the UK, astir 44,000 children person answered that telephone to unleash their imaginations.

“The expansive last is going to beryllium a precise peculiar solemnisation of the UK’s fabulous young storytellers.”

The 50 finalists person been invited to be the lawsuit which volition diagnostic connected The One Show successful a peculiar 500 Words programme, airing connected World Book Day, Thursday March 6.

At the last determination volition beryllium bronze, metallic and golden winners successful 2 property groups, 5 to seven, and 8 to 11.

The winning stories volition beryllium illustrated, framed and enactment into a 500 Words winners’ book.

The task returned past twelvemonth aft a three-year hiatus.