Screen shot of Howard Jacobson with the pig presented to him at the Telegraph Hay Festival as part of his winnings for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction. Photo: The Telegraph.

A literary award presented to the Jewish writer Howard Jacobson will now allow him to officially pig out.

Jacobson, who is British, was presented with a pet pig at the Telegraph Hay Festival as part of his winnings for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction.

Speaking to a reporter, Jacobson said that as a Jew, he took no umbrage with the Festival’s choice of gift.

“I am not offended by the idea of a pig. I am not a ritualistic Jew. In fact I quite like the various things a pig becomes in one’s diet. I had eggs and bacon for breakfast.”

The pig, named Zoo Time after Jacobson’s latest novel, will remain on a farm where Jacobson promises to visit it and remain friends.

Jacobson was recently listed by The Algemeiner as a ‘Jewish 100’ awardee for his contributions to Jewish society.

“Jacobson uses his lofty intellectual perch in the media to go after anti-Zionists and others who wish to do harm to the Jewish state,” said his entry.

Watch a video below of Jacobson talking about his pig prize: