Overview

• The ceremony took place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, the prize’s first staging outside London in its 33-year history.
• Fender, 31, dedicated the award to his late friend and mentor Annie Orwin, who inspired the title track.
• Judge Sian Eleri announced the decision after hours of debate by an independent panel chaired by the BBC’s Jeff Smith.
• People Watching prevailed from a 12‑album shortlist that included Pulp, FKA twigs, CMAT, Fontaines D.C., Wolf Alice and others.
• The win brings a £25,000 award and is expected to lift the album’s profile, which already debuted at No. 1 with 110,000 first‑week UK sales.