I’m pretty confident I won’t be mistaken for any of the judges this year! I’ve taken a look at their photos and made a quick comparison.

In 2011 Carol Ann Duffy was judging poetry and after the last show – a wonderful evening of laughter and poignancy with short story judge, AL Kennedy – I was surprised when someone came up to me as I reclined against the stage saying that she wanted to stand nearby to “catch some of that vibe and get some inspiration”. It did eventually dawn on me that she had mistaken me for Carol Ann but by then I hadn’t the heart to disappoint and simply responded “You’re Welcome” when she thanked me for coming to Bridport and wished me a safe journey home.

This year’s Bridport Prize marks the 40th anniversary.of the competition and Bridport will be welcoming Wendy Cope, Michèle Roberts and David Swann, respectively judging poetry, short story and flash fiction. Closing date is 31st May – follow this link for more information.