Sophie Elmhirst

Sophie Elmhirst writes insightful, engaging features for a wide range of publications about the humans behind the headlines. For 1843 magazine, she wrote a piece entitled “The last stand of the call-centre worker”, which explores the human cost of technological change through the often overlooked role of the call-centre worker. Generative AI will transform the world of work, and there is broad consensus that customer service is among the first industries in line for an overhaul. Elmhirst wove together macroeconomic trends and first-hand experiences, describing the efficiency-driven logic of corporations while humanising the workers whose livelihoods are most at risk. Her interviews and case studies capture the stories behind the statistics, centred around the predicament of call-centre workers grappling with the rise of AI. This timely piece is a humorous yet oddly moving look at the future of customer service in an age of AI, which never loses sight of the individuals whose jobs are most endangered by this technological sea change.

Her pieces for The Guardian’s long-reads section are just as compelling. In “Chortle chortle, scribble scribble: inside the Old Bailey with Britain’s last court reporters”, Elmhirst dives into the world of court reporting—a dying journalistic tradition within an already flailing news industry. Her account of the Old Bailey stalwarts is as humorous as it is astute, conveying how court reporters perform an essential public service by holding the justice system accountable to the public. Her meticulous observations give readers a rare glimpse into yet another overlooked profession, while subtly highlighting the importance of preserving such work in the modern age. Elmhirst demonstrates the same acuity in “Last love: a romance in a care home”, which chronicles a relationship that blossomed between two elderly people. Elmhirst tells their story with sensitivity and warmth, revealing the beauty and complexity of relationships formed in people’s twilight years, while also touching on broader themes such as ageing and loneliness. Taken together, these pieces demonstrate Elmhirst’s versatility as a writer and ability to find humanity in every story, making her a deserving contender for Feature Writer of the Year.