This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Artist News Awards Business News Labels & Publishers Media
Mercury Prize winner to be announced on The One Show
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 7 September 2020
Adding yet more weirdness to 2020, this year’s Mercury Prize winner will be announced on ‘The One Show’. Well, I guess it was that or ‘Loose Women’.
The overall winner of the annual album of the year prize will be revealed on the BBC One early evening show to an audience of perplexed pensioners on 24 Sep. The winning act will also be interviewed on the show.
As well as that, the Beeb has planned a load of programming more likely to reach the awards’ intended audience. On 23 Sep on BBC Four, it will air a special ‘Albums Of The Year’ show, featuring live performances by many of the shortlisted artists. Then on 25 Sep, a special edition of ‘Later… With Jools Holland’ will feature performances by and an interview with the winner.
Plus all that week, from 21-24 Sep, on his 7-9pm BBC Radio 6 Music show, Tom Ravenscroft will celebrate different former winners of the Mercury, including Young Fathers’ ‘Dead’, Roni Size’s ‘Reprazent’ and PJ Harvey’s ‘Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea’. On his final show that week, on the Thursday, the album he’ll be celebrating will be this year’s winner, including an interview with said winner.
“The 2020 Mercury Prize is a great moment for us to give a platform to twelve of the most exciting acts in British music”, says the BBC’s Pop Controller Lorna Clarke. “As the annual awards show is unable to take place this year, the BBC will be celebrating these incredible acts across the week on TV, radio and online, including an exclusive announcement of the winner on ‘The One Show’ on BBC One and a ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ special on BBC Two”.
This year’s nominees, lest we forget, are:
Anna Meredith – Fibs
Charli XCX – How I’m Feeling Now
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Georgia – Seeking Thrills
Kano – Hoodies All Summer
Lanterns On The Lake – Spook The Herd
Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Moses Boyd – Dark Matter
Porridge Radio – Every Bad
Sports Team – Deep Down Happy
Stormzy – Heavy Is The Head
Coincidentally, Tom Ravenscroft’s show on 21 Sep will also feature a BBC Proms performance by Laura Marling, including songs from her shortlisted album ‘Songs For Our Daughter’, as well as older material, accompanied by string ensemble 12 Ensemble.
I’m sure that’s not an indication that she’ll be the ultimate Mercury winner this year. It’s probably just to get her hopes up. Nominating Laura Marling and then not giving her the award seems like it’s become some sort of game for Mercury judges now, this being her fourth time on the shortlist.
