Alan Hollinghurst was tonight (Tuesday 19 October) named as the winner of the 2004 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for his fourth novel, The Line of Beauty, published by Picador. The British-born writer was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1994 for his novel, The Folding Star.

Alan Hollinghurst's writing has been described as "stylish and poised, with generous cadences of sorrow and delight". The Line of Beauty follows the story of Nicholas Guest, a young innocent who gets caught up in the triumphalist, opulent world of the 80s as lived by Gerald Fedden, the Tory MP with whom he lodges and his circle. A wonderfully observed, effortless novel, The Line of Beauty has been described as a "masterpiece."

Chair of the judges, The Rt. Hon. Chris Smith MP, made the announcement at the awards dinner at the Royal Horticultural Halls, Westminster, which was broadcast live on BBC TWO and BBC FOUR. Harvey McGrath, Chairman of Man Group plc, presented Alan Hollinghurst with a cheque for pound50,000.

The Rt. Hon. Chris Smith MP comments, "This was an incredibly difficult and close decision. It has resulted in a winning novel that is exciting, brilliantly written and gets deep under the skin of the Thatcherite 80s. The search for love, sex and beauty is rarely this exquisitely done."

Over and above his prize of pound50,000, Alan Hollinghurst is guaranteed an increase in sales and recognition worldwide. Each of the six shortlisted authors, including the winner, receives pound2,500 and a designer-bound edition of their book.

The judging panel for the 2004 Man Booker Prize for Fiction is: The Rt. Hon. Chris Smith MP (Chair); novelist, Tibor Fischer; writer and academic, Robert Macfarlane; journalist and writer, Rowan Pelling and literary editor of The Economist, Fiammetta Rocco.