Trio of world-leading storytellers - Ruth Jones, Michael Morpurgo and Elif Shafak - awarded Hay Festival Medals
A trio of world-leading storytellers – actress and writer Ruth Jones, War Horse author Michael Morpurgo and novelist Elif Shafak – have each been celebrated with Hay Festival Medals on a blockbuster Sunday at the Festival
Awarded annually since Britain’s 2012 Olympic year, Hay Festival Medals draw inspiration from the original Olympic medal for poetry. With Athena as muse, silversmith Christopher Hamilton crafts them locally.
Ruth Jones was awarded the Medal for Drama. Co-creator of Gavin and Stacey, the Welsh actress and writer is also at the Festival to discuss her new novel, By Your Side, a story about finding joy in the most unlikely connections, and the importance of holding on to friendship, love and community – especially when life gets messy.
Michael Morpurgo was awarded the Medal for Fiction. Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best loved children’s authors, having written over 150 books, he has served as Children’s Laureate and won many awards, including the Smarties Prize, the Writers Guild Award, the Whitbread Award, the Blue Peter Book Award, and the Eleanor Fareon Lifetime Achievement Award.
Elif Shafak was awarded the Hay Festival Medal for Prose. Shakaf is an award-winning British Turkish novelist whose books include The Island of Missing Trees, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World and most recently There Are Rivers in the Sky, the story of three lives throughout history – in Victorian London, 2014 Turkey and 2018 London – connected by a single drop of water.
Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said: “We are honoured to celebrate three exceptional storytellers on a blockbuster opening weekend at Hay Festival 2025.
“Under a blazing spring sun, Hay Festival Medals have been awarded to Ruth Jones, Michael Murpurgo and Elif Shafak, who have each done much to push the boundaries of contemporary writing and spread the joy of stories here and around the world.”
Hay Festival runs its 38th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with more than 600 events over 11 days, 22 May–1 June 2025.
Launching the best new fiction and non-fiction books, while sharing insights around the biggest global issues, the programme sees more than 600 artists, policymakers, pioneers and innovators take part from around the world.
Events take place across eight stages in the free-to-enter Festival site – which offers a range of spaces for audiences to explore and enjoy, including the Bookshop, Wild Garden, Make & Take Tent, a host of exhibitors and market stalls, cafés and restaurants, and the Family Garden where young readers can kick-start their creative journeys – plus immersive performances all week at St Mary’s Church.
