Bob Dylan will not be attending the Nobel Prize ceremony due to "pre-existing commitments".
The 75-year-old musician is set to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature 2016 at the ceremony on December 10, but he won’t be collecting his prestigious prize in person as he can’t make the time in his schedule.
The Swedish Academy – who hosts the annual prize giving ceremony – said in a statement released on Wednesday (16.11.16): "Yesterday evening the Swedish Academy received a personal letter from Bob Dylan, in which he explained that due to pre-existing commitments, he is unable to travel to Stockholm in December and therefore will not attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony.
"He underscored, once again, that he feels very honoured indeed, wishing that he could receive the prize in person."
The Academy also states that the ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ hitmaker is not the first person to have missed out the ceremony, and the award still "belongs" to him.
The statement continued: "That laureates decide not to come is unusual, to be sure, but not exceptional. In the recent past, several laureates have, for various reasons, been unable to come to Stockholm to receive the prize, among them Doris Lessing, Harold Pinter, and Elfriede Jelinek. The prize still belongs to them, just as it belongs to Bob Dylan."
Although the ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ musician won’t be there to pick up his award, he still must give a "Nobel Lecture" within six months of the date of the ceremony in order to remain eligible for the prize.
The statement said: "We look forward to Bob Dylan’s Nobel Lecture, which he must give – it is the only requirement – within six months counting from December 10, 2016."
The news comes after the iconic songwriter took two weeks to accept his nomination for the prize, leading one Academy member to call him "impolite and arrogant" when he failed to return their calls.
When the star finally addressed his win, he said: "Absolutely [I will go to the ceremony]. If it’s at all possible.
"It’s hard to believe. [It’s] amazing, incredible. Whoever dreams about something like that?"
Bob Dylan won’t attend the Nobel Prize ceremony
