Unhinged Author AK Bennett Crashes Vintage Porsche at Oxford Literary Festival, Demands Booker Award

Oxford, UK – Chaos erupted at the prestigious Oxford Literary Festival today when controversial author AK Bennett crashed his vintage Porsche 911 into the side of a historic building on the festival grounds. The incident occurred just outside the Sheldonian Theatre, where Bennett was scheduled to speak later in the day.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as surreal, with Bennett’s 1970s-era silver Porsche careening off the road and slamming into the corner of the building, narrowly missing a group of festival-goers. The building, an 18th-century structure that serves as an academic office, sustained moderate damage, but miraculously, no one was injured in the crash.

In typical AK Bennett fashion, the celebrity writer emerged from the wreckage unfazed and unapologetic. Sporting his signature disheveled look—rumpled suit, aviator sunglasses, and unlit cigar—Bennett casually stepped out of the smoking vehicle, surveyed the damage, and, in a bizarre twist, demanded, "Where is my Booker Award?"

The outburst left onlookers stunned, many of whom were unsure whether Bennett was serious or engaging in one of his notorious publicity stunts. A festival volunteer who witnessed the scene said, “It was like something out of one of his books. One minute, there’s a car crashing into the building, the next, he’s asking for a Booker Award like it’s a perfectly normal question.”

Bennett, whose latest novel A Promise of Death has been both lauded for its gripping narrative and criticized for its controversial themes, is no stranger to public spectacles. Known for his erratic behavior and off-the-wall commentary, the author has developed a reputation as the literary world’s wild child. However, this latest incident marks a new level of unpredictability, even for him.

Authorities were quickly on the scene to assess the damage and ensure the safety of the public. While Bennett was not injured, he was briefly detained for questioning by local police. “It’s unclear what caused the crash,” said one officer on the scene. “We’re looking into whether this was a result of reckless driving or something more... deliberate.”

Despite the crash and subsequent commotion, Bennett has not been formally charged, though he will likely face fines for damages to the building.

Festival organizers released a brief statement, acknowledging the incident but emphasizing that the event will continue as planned. "We are grateful that no one was injured during today's unfortunate event. We hope that Mr. Bennett's remaining appearances at the festival proceed without further disruption."

While Bennett has yet to make an official statement beyond his now-infamous demand for the Booker Award, his social media accounts have been flooded with comments from both fans and critics, many of whom are unsure whether this latest stunt will hurt or bolster his eccentric literary legacy.

For now, the Oxford Literary Festival will be remembered not for the panels and book discussions, but for the moment AK Bennett, true to form, turned the quiet intellectual gathering into something far more theatrical.