United Kingdom, Oct. 17 -- Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize.

The 31-year-old musician has received the £25,000 prize for the best British or Irish album of the year for People Watching, and Sam subsequently admitted to feeling surprised by his own success.

Sam - who was visibly shocked when his name was announced to the audience - told the BBC: "I didn't think that was going to happen at all. I've spent the last 10 minutes crying."

Sam received a rapturous ovation from his hometown crowd at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle.

The singer - who also received a nomination for his second record, Seventeen Going Under, back in 2022 - actually dedicated his accolade to Annie Orwin, his former mentor.

Sam - who earlier performed t...