DEVELOPING: Sam Fender Wins 2025 Mercury Prize for People Watching in Stunning Upset

Breaking News: Sam Fender Wins 2025 Mercury Prize for People Watching in Stunning Upset Sam Fender has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album People Watching, beating out notable acts like Pulp and Wolf Alice. The singer took home the £25,000 prize at a star-studded ceremony held at Newcastle's Utilita Arena. Fender looked stunned when his name was announced, saying "I didn't think that was going to happen at all" in an interview with the BBC. His victory was met with a deafening cheer from the hometown crowd, who had earlier sung along to every word as he performed the title track of his prize-winning album. Fender is no stranger to the Mercury Prize, having received a nomination for his second record, Seventeen Going Under, in 2022. People Watching marks his first win, and judges praised its "character and ambition", calling it a "classic". The ceremony will continue with further performances and announcements. This is a developing story, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available. This is a breaking news article and will be updated accordingly. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Bbc.*