Elliott’s baby is Book Slam. Run since 2005 with award-winning author Patrick Neate, it’s no exaggeration to say that Book Slam has revolutionised how Londoners look at books (and how publishers look at selling them). Book Slam has broken down the barriers between literature and popular culture, featuring hundreds of authors, from Andrea (Levy) to Zadie (Smith) alongside poetry from the likes of PJ Harvey, Kate Tempest, Hollie McNish and Riz Ahmed. Book Slam has also been a vital platform for new musical talent, showcasing early gigs from Adele, Sam Smith, George Ezra, Paloma Faith, Plan B and many more.

Fifteen years on, Book Slam remains a touchstone of London literary life and that’s down to Elliott’s imaginative programming and commitment to an ideal – inspiring, accessible creative culture for everyone. Always pushing boundaries and striving for innovation, Elliott fronted the Book Slam podcast (long before the medium was all the rage) which won a Gold Sony Award for Best Internet Programme in 2008, and he’s commissioned new writing for Book Slam events and anthologies from a wide range of writers including William Boyd, Mark Watson, Irvine Welsh, Helen Oyeyemi, Jeremy Dyson, Will Self, Tim Key, Bernardine Evaristo, and David Nicholls.