Ministry Ambassadors – 2016 announcement
We are very happy to introduce five new world-class writers as our ambassadors.
As ambassadors, the group will champion and support our young writers as well as working with us to raise the profile of the Ministry.
We are proud to introduce:
David Nicholls
David Nicholls © Hal Shinnie
David is the author of four novels including One Day and Starter for Ten. His TV credits include penning an updated version of Much Ado About Nothing with Damien Lewis and Sarah Parrish and an acclaimed adaptation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles starring Gemma Arterton and Eddie Redmayne. He has been twice nominated for BAFTA awards.
Riz Ahmed
Riz Ahmed © Dillon Bryden
Riz is an actor and rapper known for his roles in films Shifty and Four Lions, for both of which he received a Best Actor nomination at the British Independent Film Awards. As Riz MC, he has been championed by BBC Radio1 – on the ‘Introducing’ stage at Glastonbury, the Electric Proms and a Maida Vale session – and toured the USA, playing shows from Fabric to the Royal Festival Hall with the likes of Massive Attack, Nitin Sawhney, Dizzee Rascal and Mos Def.
‘The stories we tell define us. They shape how we see ourselves – as individuals and as a society. In a world rife with unprecedented conflict and uncertainty, it’s more important now than ever to empower a fresh generation of diverse voices that might otherwise go unheard, and to imagine a new story of who we are are how we can face tomorrow.”
Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella ©John Swannel
Sophie is the author of novels The Wedding Girl, Cocktails for Three and the best-selling Shopaholic series. Her books have been translated into over 30 languages and her novel Confessions of a Shopaholic was adapted into a film starring Isla Fisher.
Sophie Kinsella will be also be kicking off our brand new series of in conversation events.
Charlie Higson
Charlie Higson (c) Andy Paradise
Charlie Higson is an author, actor, comedian and writer for television and radio. He wrote the Young Bond series, which has now sold over a million copies in the UK and has been translated into over 24 different languages. Charlie is a huge fan of horror films and books, and even studied gothic literature at university. With three sons of his own, Charlie knows exactly how to terrify and captivate teenagers in equal measure.
“Over the last five years the Ministry have been champions of creativity, confidence and motivation for the young writers and would-be writers who need it most. Getting young people excited about reading and writing their own stories is the best way to encourage their imagination and well being, and the Ministry know just how to do it. From the thrill of horror in the Monster Supplies Shop, to the spontaneity of ‘Poetry to Go’, the Ministry is equipping young people with the skills they need not just to be good writers, but good human beings too.”
Nikesh Shukla
Nikesh Shukla © Chris Lawson
Nikesh is the author of Coconut Unlimited, which was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2010, and Meatspace. In 2013 he released The Time Machine, which won the Best Novella at the Sabotage Awards. His short stories have featured in Best British Short Stories 2013, The Sunday Times and BBC Radio 4. He has also written for the Guardian, Esquire, Buzzfeed, Vice and BBC 2. Nikesh is currently one of 15 writers working on the book The Good Immigrant which explores what it means to be Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic in Britain today.
‘Ministry of Stories has done wonders for disadvantaged young people in London today, showing that in this dark times, when there is a war on the arts and when we’re faced with cuts everywhere, there is no recession of the imagination. It’s wonderful to see.’
