On Tuesday, Julian’s Barnes’ Sense of an Ending (Jonathan Cape) was awarded the 2011 Man Booker Prize. This year saw many debut novelist make it on to the prestigious Man Booker Shortlist but Barnes, a literary vetren and heavy-weight as long been the favorite.

London-based Barnes has been the bookies’ favourite to win since the shortlist announcement on 6 September. The source of the description of the prize as ‘posh bingo’, Barnes has been shortlisted three times in the past for Arthur and George (2005), England, England (1998) and Flaubert’s Parrot (1984).

The Man Booker Prize provides the winner £50,000.