A hoaxer duped Booker Prize-winning author John Banville into thinking he’d won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Wexford writer received the call on Thursday - just half an hour before the ceremony in Stockholm - telling him he was one of two winners.
Banville, who spent 45 minutes thinking he’d won the prestigious award, said in an interview: “I believed it. The call came from Stockholm, why would I not believe it?”
After the real winners were announced, a man claiming to be Swedish Academy secretary Mats Malm, called Banville back and left him a voicemail to tell him his award was being withdrawn.
He added: “I was disappointed of course. When you are phoned up and told you got the Nobel Prize you are not thinking straight.”
The Swedish Academy has denied any involvement.
