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Live Updates

Frankie Ward

All times stated are UK

  1. 500 Words in Videos

    From written words to moving pictures, relive the 500 Words final in the highlights video. There are loads more videos to enjoy including all six winning stories being read by the celebrity readers plus music performances from One Republic, All Saints and Foxes

    Video content

    Video caption: Watch all the highlights from 500 Words 2016 from the Globe Theatre

    As the dust settles on another fantastic year, some of the winners reflect on the how they felt after hearing their names being called out and stories read. The little superstars even found time to share their expert advice on writing and entering 500 Words.

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    Video caption: Hear from some of the winners, judges and celeb readers at 500 Words 2016 reception
  2. That's it from Chris and our amazing winners and guests

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    Video caption: A 500 Words special Friday Night Is Music Night with Dick & Dom. Tune in 27th May.

    Don't forget to tune in to a special 500 Words-themed Friday Night is Music Night tonight on BBC Radio 2 with Dick and Dom - you can go behind the scenes by watching the video above.

    We've had an incredible morning, tin no small part because of our amazing celebrity readers Warwick Davis, Raleigh Ritchie, Tom Hiddleston, Andy Serkis, Nick Jonas and Julie Walters. And, of course we've been treated to fantastic performances from One Republic, All Saints, Foxes, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the London Community Gospel Choir.

    And we can't go off air without thanking our panel of judges Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson, Francesca Simon and Frank Cotterell Boyce, or indeed our honorary judge HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, for giving her support to our competition.

    Congratulations to all of the Top 50 - and their incredible work can still be read and enjoyed!

    Let us know what you think of the amazing authors using the hashtag #500Words and keep writing! (That includes you parents, too!)

  3. Foxes is singing us out!

    She's performing Better Love with the London Community Gospel Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

    Foxes
  4. You've reacted very strongly to the Children's Word of the Year

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    Video caption: Some of the new entries to the list of words used by children

    Lots of you have been moved by the Children's Word of the Year, which in 2016 is "Refugee", as discovered through the 500 Words entries sent in by children aged 5-13.

    View more on twitter
  5. Well done to our final Gold winner, Evie Fowler!

    Evie's being presented with her Gold medal by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall for first place in the age 5-9 category. Not bad for a story the 9-year-old created on a camping trip (or writer's retreat, as Evie should refer to it from now on).

    She's also won 500 books for her school library, Chris Evans' height in books (188cm) and will also receive a hardback copy of her winning story, Poor Pig's Revenge. After the show, Children's Laureate Chris Riddell will put pen to paper and illustrate the story - and we can't wait to see Li'l Piggy immortalised in print!

    Evie
    Image caption: Evie meets Vassos
    Julie Walters reads Evie's story
    Image caption: Julie Walters reads Evie's winning story
  6. Who was on our expert judging panel?

    Former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman, London 2012 Opening Ceremony writer Frank Cotterell Boyce, Young Bond author and comedy writer Charlie Higson, and Horrid Henry's creator Francesca Simon lent their well-honed expert eyes to this year's judging process, joining honorary judge Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall and panel chairman Chris Evans in the debating room.

    Find out more about the judging panel

    Chris, Frank, Charlie, HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, Francesca and Malorie
    Image caption: Chris, Frank, Charlie, HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, Francesca and Malorie
  7. Chris has found a royal friend in HRH the Duchess of Cornwall

    Quote Message: I hope that everyone who took part in this inspiring competition will, like Shakespeare, carry on enjoying the power of stories from HRH the Duchess of Cornwall
    HRH the Duchess of Cornwall
    Duchess and Chris
  8. What happened when HRH the Duchess of Cornwall paid Radio 2 a visit?

    The honorary 500 WORDS judge came to Radio 2's studios and met some of Chris Evans' Breakfast Show guests, including celebrity reader Tom Hiddleston, ahead of judging the short story competition.

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    Video caption: The Duchess of Cornwall meets Tom Hiddlestone ahead of judging the 500 WORDS competition
  9. The kids are having a ball with Chris

    View more on twitter
    Chris Evans and kids
    Image caption: Chris and his new gang
  10. Gold winner: Poor Pig's Revenge, by Evie Fowler, aged 9

    Originally read by Nick Underwood from the BBC Radio Drama Company

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    Video caption: Read by Nick Underwood from the BBC Radio Drama Company.

    There was once a pig, pink and plump, having a normal life as a normal pig. He was walking down town when he walked past Butchers Shoppe smelling of blood and fat as always. Normally, Li'l Piggy (the piglet this entire story is about), would just walk past pointing his snout away from Butchers Shoppe. But obviously not today. This was a special day. For some reason, the Butchers Shoppe tickled his fancy. I know, I know, it would seem rather peculiar for a PIG to go in a BUTCHERS shop because everyone knows pigs and butchers don't match. But Li'l Piggy was only very young. Poor pig. He walked past the ox aisle, the pigeon aisle, the chicken aisle, the dodo aisle and the cow aisle. One of them didn't seem right but he was too interested in everything else to worry about it. He trotted right down to the end of the Shoppe. If only he knew what was down there... It was as you probably guessed, the pig aisle, and in it were:

    Sausages

    Pork

    Bacon

    Gammon

    Chops

    Ham

    And trotters (pigs of course)All lying there helpless and dead.

    Each pack of meat was labeled with Piggy, that meant that it was Li'l Piggy's mum, dad, brother, sister, auntie, uncle, cousins and so on.

    He fumed. He outraged. He was no longer pink. He was an angry red. That is very unusual for a PIG to be bright red. He trotted over to were the old butcher stood ,all covered in guts. *yuck!* thought Li'l Piggy as he tried not to vomit all over Tim Tim the butcher. Well here is were it gets awkward... The piglet was thinking *why what do you have to say for yourself, BUTCHER*, whereas Tim Tim was thinking *why what a nice piece of pork and what a nice bottom for ham!* But no. Now here is were it goes vice versa. The pig raised one muddy eyebrow and let out a squeal that was so ear piercing, it made the dogs that were out side well he made their ears, BLEED! What a rude pig! He licked Tim Tim the butcher to death and used his trotters to replace all the animal meat with a new butcher aisle, and displayed down there was:

    Leg

    Foot

    Eye

    Arm

    And toe/finger nails.

    Soon the Shoppe got shut down, due to cannibalism and mystery. At least now Li'l Piggy could enjoy his life without fear of sausages, ham, bacon, gammon, trotters, pork and pork chops. And that was the story of how Li'l Piggy got his revenge on ALL butchers across the world and soon became very hostile, but I think it's best I don't tell you about his meals today because you never know, you could be next...

    THE END.

  11. The grand dame of the stage has arrived! It's Julie Walters!

    She's here to announce the final Gold winner of 500 Words 2016!

    A true icon who needs no introduction (but we'll give you a reminder anyway), Julie Walters has charmed the socks off the nation with her turns in Billy Elliot, Calendar Girls, the Harry Potter Films, Educating Rita and Victoria Wood’s Acorn Antiques.

    Recently she's graced our screens in the Oscar nominated film Brooklyn and the critically-acclaimed Channel 4 drama Indian Summers.

    It's no suprise that Julie has been nominated for a lot of awards during her 30-year-long career! She has been nominated for two Oscars and seven BAFTAs, winning a Best Actress BAFTA statuette for her performance as dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliott back in 2001.

    Stepping out on the stage at Shakespeare's Globe today is surely a cakewalk for Julie - a celebrated stage actress, she has performed the Bard’s work playing scheming Lady Macbeth at Leicester's Haymarket Theatre and The Taming Of The Shrew alongside fellow legend Bill Nighy at Liverpool's Everyman Theatre. 

    Julie Walters as Mrs Overall
    Image caption: Julie (left) as the hilarious Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques (1984)
  12. Congratulations to our first Gold winner, Ned Marshall!

    Ned's brought his dad George with him, and no doubt he's the proudest man in the world at the moment as he watches his son receive his Gold medal from HRH the Duchess of Cornwall.

    As part of his reward, Ned's story e-COURTROOM.com will be immortalised in hardback, and the Children's Laureate Chris Riddell will be illustrating it after the show.

    Ned's going to take home Chris Evans' height in books (that's a whopping 188cm tall - let's hope George has a big car boot to hold them all), and he's won 500 books for his school library! What a hero!

    Ned chats to Vassos
    Image caption: Ned chats to Vassos
    Nick reads out Ned's name
    Image caption: Nick reads out Ned's name
  13. Foxes is back on stage!

    Appropriately, she's performing the third single Amazing, from the album All I Need.

    And to give the performance an extra epic edge, she's being accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra!

    Foxes
    Image caption: Foxes
  14. A horrible illustration?

    We're not being rude, Chris - we promise! 

    The Children's Laureate has just sketched Horrible Histories creator Terry Dreary. 

    What a pair of legends.

    View more on instagram
  15. Gold winner: e-COURTROOM.com, by 12-year-old Ned Marshall

    Originally performed by Sam Rix, from the BBC Radio Drama Company

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    Video caption: Read by Sam Rix from the BBC Radio Drama Company.

    Oh no, oh no. 500 words just isn't enough to prove my innocence, and I'm already down to 482. Well, my name is Jacob Carter as you already know. I’m a young man. I'm innocent.

    @GuiltyThemAll

    Cut the lies. We've all read the evidence already. This man will repeat his actions if he scores an overall innocent. We see through you.

    #guilty

    Please don’t use up my words. Now I only have 428 left. I need my words. I have a family. I have a wife. A son. I love him. Little Callum. He needs a daddy, he’s only seven.

    @Tracy_Spike

    I’ve got a daughter too. I love her. That’s why I want her to be safe from people like YOU.

    #guilty

    Please, please - if your choice is guilty make that all you say. My words are precious. Don’t use up my words and waste my jury time. This system is ridiculous. I know they changed it to save money, but surely a case like this deserves a jury in a room? I just wish I could afford to pay for the proper trial, to prove it wasn’t me.

    @Gregory Adams

    If your aim is to vex us, you fail. Your arguments are inadequate. I apologize highly for my verdict being

    #guilty

    Greg, listen to me - I can tell from your words that you're an educated man, so listen to the truth. I never mentioned this before. I was protecting him- my brother; Dominic. I love my brother, but when he's drunk he gets violent and angry. When he asked me to talk to the police, I said yes because I was scared. But it WAS my brother who committed the crime, not me. That favour was the most stupid thing I ever did, and I see that now.

    Do you understand what happens to me if there are more guilties than innocents? I will die! The doctors are in the room next door, ready to inject the poison into my skin. Please just save my life. I want to see my family again.

    @RyanRox

    I believe you are being dishonest, but the crimes you committed don't justify taking someone's life.

    #innocent.

    Thank you, but I DIDN'T commit the crime. It was my brother, Dominic Carter. It was him. Please believe me.

    @Braveheart_

    Jacob, I came here today ready for a guilty, but I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

    #innocent

    Anyone else? Anyone else to vote innocent? And please save my words.

    @James Turner

    I’m on the same page as @braveheart

    #innocent

    YES!! It’s a draw so it's a hung jury, right? So I can have an e-retrial. Then I can bring in the evidence against Dominic. Oh YES! Thank you @Braveheart, @RyanRox, @JamesTurner. You guys have literally saved my life. 466 words. Nearly there. Is anyone else, online? Okay quickly I'll use up my words so no one else can get in blah blah blah 490 blah blah blah 494 blah blah

    @Dominic_Carter

    #guilty, Brother.