Legendary UK novelist Alex Wheatle passed away from prostate cancer in London on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Alex Wheatle was born to Jamaican parents on January 3, 1963, grew up in children’s homes, and began by writing lyrics then progressed to poetry, short stories, and novels.
His first novel, Brixton Rock, about a troubled London teenager getting to grips with finding his family, was published to critical acclaim by BlackAmber Books in 1999. His most popular offering was the Crongdon Series of Liccle Bit (2015), Crongton Knights (2016), Straight Outta Crongton (2017), Home Girl (2019) and In the Ends (2023). His other titles included East of Acre Lane (2001), The Seven Sisters (2002), Checkers (with Mark Parham, 2003), Island Songs (2005), The Dirty South (2008), Brenton Brown (2011), Uprising (2017), Nicolas Cage (2018), Home Boys (2018), Kerb Stain Boys (2018), Cane Warriors (2020), Cringel (2020), Kemosha of the Caribbean (2022), and Sufferah: Memoir of a Brixton Reggae head (2024).
Some of the accolades for his work included the German Youth Literature Prize 2024 Shortlist, The Margins Book Awards 2024 Top Ten Awards list, the Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards 2022 Shortlist, The Young Quills Awards 2021 winner, NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature 2020 shortlist, the Renaissance Quiz Writers’ Choice Award winner 2017, the Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Award winner 2016, and London Arts Board New Writers Award 1999. He received his MBE for services to literature in 2008.
In 2023, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he became an advocate for awareness of the disease.
On Thursday, his family posted on his Instagram: “It is with great sadness to inform you that Alex Wheatle our ‘Brixton Bard’ sadly passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025, after his fight with Prostate Cancer. Alex has 26 years of legacy for you all to continue and enjoy by reading his novels, watch again the self-titled episode Alex Wheatle from the Small Axe TV series and also watch the new upcoming Crongton TV series as he looks over us in spirit. Alex’s family would like to thank you all for your support over the years in his work and we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
The death of one of the most important writers in the UK has been met with sorrow and shock across the writing, publishing, and the general creative industry.
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