*FULL PROGRAMME ANNOUNCEMENT *
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival returns 10-19 October with a must-see line up across 400+ events. The world’s longest-running literature festival continues to lead the way in celebrating the written and spoken word. With a jam-packed programme over 10 days, this year it brings together the best new voices in fiction and poetry alongside literary greats, stars of stage and screen, incisive political thinkers, plus a vibrant family and schools programme, performances and literary happenings scattered across the town.
World-famous names will sit alongside brand-new voices, emphasising the Festival’s commitment to look towards – and help create – the future. This is the fifth year of the ‘Read the World’ theme, which has a dual meaning in bringing together a range of international participants, joining live events both digitally and in-person; and celebrating the Festival as a platform to better understand the world we live in, and the biggest issues facing our society today. These timely and urgent topics include the dangers of the internet, the power of big tech, life longevity, and Afghanistan’s free press.
After a decade-long hiatus, The Big Read returns to the Festival this autumn, bringing readers together through the shared experience of reading a compelling novel by an exciting debut author. For its 2025 relaunch, the Festival is spotlighting British-Cambodian writer Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time–the #1 bestselling debut novel of 2024. With the campaign having launched last month (23 July), Bradley will be making an appearance at the Festival in October to celebrate The Big Read and the future of literary talent more widely.
There will be a series of events and unique dining experiences at The Nook on Five, Cheltenham’s spectacular rooftop restaurant; and Dunkertons Taproom will host a vibrant programme of discussion, tastings, spoken word and music.
Alongside ticketed events across the Festival’s many stages, including The Times and Sunday Times Forum, The Cunard Stage and Attivo Garden Theatre, Festival-goers can enjoy a day out to explore everything the Festival Village has to offer, with 30% of the overall programme free of charge. This includes events in The Huddle and The Snug and Bookshop Crawls across Cheltenham in the Locally Sourced programme. Booklovers can also immerse themselves in captivating tales with BBC Audiobooks or delve into incredible stories and see the impact of charitable giving in the Benefact Group Lounge. There are numerous drop-in family events and activities in The Wild Wood, including Tales from Acorn Wood Trail, celebrating 25 years of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved series with interactive storytelling and hidden surprises. Times Radio will broadcast live interviews from Times Square, so passing visitors can enjoy hearing further conversation from their favourite speakers.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Brand-new for 2025 is the Return to Wonderland-themed Wild Wood adventure. The Festival will celebrate 160 years of Alice in Wonderland with free storytelling, arts and crafts and a chance to step into the world of Alice with a Why by Anna James to meet the Mad Hatter. Comic makers unite to inspire young artists to create their own characters and comics in workshops and events and the new Comic Corner.
Taking place in a dedicated space at the Literature Festival, VOICEBOX returns for its fifth year for a vibrant free programme aimed at 18 – 30s that amplifies young voices, turns up the volume on big issues and creates change through culture. Featuring well-known names and emerging talent and spanning topics from pop culture to politics, mental health and wellbeing, the full line-up will be announced in September in the VOICEBOX zine and online.
These offerings are a core part of the Festival’s commitment to widening accessibility to the arts. It also inspires over 12,000 school children with a love of books through the Literature for Schools programme, in line with Cheltenham Festivals’ year-round mission to bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change. For aspiring writers, there are workshops to offer inspiration and guidance, such as writing historical fiction, crafting a pitch, and how to self-edit.
CELEBRATING 80 YEARS
Cheltenham Festivals is commemorating 80 years since the inception of its very first Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, which was one of the first arts festivals to be established in post-war Britain. The charity is marking the occasion with a year-long campaign to gift the joy of culture to 80,000 school children – reaffirming its commitment to changing lives through the arts. Ahead of the Literature Festival, the current total reached stands at 37,652.
CHAMPIONING THE FUTURE OF READING
2025 will see the return of The Future of Reading Conference, which will bring together authors, illustrators, poets and industry voices including experts from Empathy Lab, Inclusive Books for Children and National Literacy Trust, Waterstones Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Comics Laureate, Bobby Joseph and author Sharna Jackson – all united by a shared passion: inspiring children, young people, and their teachers to discover the joy of reading.
Booking for the Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Thursday 28 August and public booking opens on Thursday 4 September.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
FICTION
This year’s fiction programme is packed with leading names and the best emerging voices. Acclaimed novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie joins an elite list of winners in receiving The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence 2025. She discusses her career and latest novel, Dream Count, a publishing event 10 years in the making. 2024 Booker Prize winner Samantha Harvey reflects on her remarkable career and novel Orbital. In conversation with Max Porter, they discuss their experiences of winning the Booker Prize and the evolving landscape of contemporary fiction. There will also be an introduction to this year’s Booker Prize Shortlist, with the six authors joining in person and virtually.
Ian McEwan discusseshis latest fictionaltour de force What We Can Know,reclaiming the present from our looming sense of catastrophe and imagining a future where all is not quite lost. Sayaka Murata, celebrated author of bestseller Convenience Store Woman, comes to Cheltenham with her latest novel, Vanishing World, where she imagines an alternative Japan in which all children are born via artificial insemination and sex is considered taboo.Two master storytellers come together to discuss their historical epics: Kate Mosse on the 20th anniversary of Labyrinth; and Ken Follett on latest novelCircle of Days, telling the human story behind the building of Stonehenge.
Bestselling espionage author Mick Herron delves into his latest razor-sharp tale of deception and compromised spies – Clown Town – and discusses the latest series of the TV adaptation of Slow Horses with screenwriter Ed Docx. Mark Billingham discusses his latest sensational thriller with the return of DI Tom Thorne, What the Night Brings, alongsidebroadcaster Steph McGovern whopresentsdebut Deadline, in which a TV reporter is informed live on air of her daughter’s kidnapping.Other highlights include Richard Osman with the fifth novel in The Thursday Murder Club series; and radio presenters Jeremy Vine and Simon Mayo, who present their crime novels. Meanwhile for romance fans, Jojo Moyes explores the chaos of the Kennedy household in her latest remarkable novel,We All Live Here. Oti Mabuse, Sareeta Domingo and Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, three incredible voices in Black romance, come together to talk love and identity in conversation with Guest Curator Oyinkan Braithwaite. Meanwhile Britain’s most beloved children’s author Jacqueline Wilson returns with an adult sequel to The Illustrated Mum. Broadcaster and author Graham Norton discusses latest novel Frankie, which captures the complexities of being human.
The Festival’s New Voices strand will celebrate some of this year’s hottest debut fiction. In the annual New Voices Spotlight event Christina Fonthes (Where You Go, I Will Go), Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin (Ordinary Saints), Gurnaik Johal (Saraswata) and Gráinne O’Hare (Thirst Trap) talk about becoming a novelist in 2025, the stories they’ve chosen to tell, and what the future holds. Other debut authors include William Rayfet Hunter, Jessica Stanley, Florence Knapp, Claire Lynch, Rowe Irvin and Lucy Rose. Returning to the festival with their second novels are Emily Itami, Abigail Bergstrom and Nicola Dinan. The Festival will also play host to five proof parties this year – Doubleday, Fig Tree, Borough Press, Canongate, and Scribner – giving audiences a preview of some of the most hotly anticipated books from exciting emerging names.
The Festival continues its commitment to international fiction with a range of leading names including: Swedish novelists Andrev Walden and Annika Norlin; Japanese authors Mai Mochizuki and Mizuki Tsujimura; South Korean novelist Bora Chung; Penobscot writer Morgan Talty; and Mississauga Nishnaabeg writer Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. The Festival’s Literary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan returns, co-curating several events, including a session on the Nobel Prize and its 2025 winner, as well as the Read the World interview featuring Indian writer Sunny Singh.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Festival explores many of the major issues facing society today, championing dynamic and nuanced discussion.Meta’s former President of Global Affairs and former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (How to Save the Internet) appears in conversation with leading AI and technology expert Verity Harding, setting out the radical reforms needed to detoxify big tech. In a live episode of the Past Present Future podcast, titled Who Rules the World? Trump, Tech and the Fight for the Future, David Runciman and politician, journalist and philosopher Bruno Maçães ask where the real power lies in the 21st century; from America vs. China, to democracy vs. Elon Musk. In The Immortalists, Aleks Krotoski journeys from the fringes of experimentation to Silicon Valley to investigate the growing quest to ‘cure’ ageing. She appears alongside novelist Hanna Thomas Uose (Who Wants to Live Forever?) to explore the complex questions raised by our enduring fascination with immortality.
Jens Stoltenberg offers a candid account of his decade as NATO Secretary General, navigating war, diplomacy and global crises. In conversation with Robin Niblett, he provides a rare insight into how our most powerful military alliance handles a changing world. Renowned lawyer, behavioural economist and nudge theory pioneer Cass Sunstein draws on decades of behavioural science to offer a new definition of manipulation for the digital age, outlining steps we can take to counteract it in our daily lives. Saad Mohseni, CEO of Moby Group, joins Christina Lamb to recount his two-decade mission to establish a free press in Afghanistan, capturing the resilience of Afghans who continue broadcasting under Taliban rule, offering news, entertainment and hope amid turmoil and repression. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, Tom McTague (Between the Waves) and author and barrister Marina Wheeler (The Europe We Need) appear in conversation with Anand Menon (Director of UK in a Changing Europe) to interrogate the battle of ideas and personalities that took us into the Common Market in 1973, and out again 40 years later. Tim Marshall discusses his fully updated 10th anniversary edition of Prisoners of Geography and offers crucial insights into today’s foreign policy challenges. Global events take centre stage with a range of expert analysis, including an examination of the Middle East with historian Eugene Rogan, Iranian American political scientist Vali Nasr and international relations expert Fawaz Gerges. Russian strategy expert Andrew Monaghan, East European politics specialist Kataryna Wolczuk and journalist Oliver Moody explore the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine on the security of its neighbouring countries.
Shon Faye –acclaimed author of The Transgender Issue – talks about confronting damaging ideas about love and lovelessness, to show that love is much greater than the narrow ideals that we have been taught to crave so desperately. Journalist and leading political commentator Ash Sarkar (Minority Rule) exposes the forces that divide us today and reveals how identity politics has been warped and weaponised by an elite minority to stoke panic in society. Laura Bates and James Bloodworth join Jordan Stephens to ask whether masculinity is in crisis. Neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan and neuropsychiatrist Alastair Santhouse explore whether, in an era marked by an ever-expanding list of diagnosable conditions, screening programmes, and medications, our population is benefitting from these shifting boundaries between sickness and health. Following the announcement of the shortlist on 2 October, Chair of the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize judging panel Robbie Millen (literary editor of The Times and Sunday Times) will give an overview of the six books and behind-the-scenes insight into the judging process.
CLASSIC LITERATURE
For Guest Curator Geoff Dyer, the great and often controversial D.H. Lawrence has had a profound influence on his life and work. Joined by poet Michael Symmons Roberts – who, in a recent BBC series, attempted to better understand Lawrence through themes of sex, class and nature – he examines Lawrence’s enduring legacy and value to fight back against his many critics. The cultural impact of Jane Austen is explored in two events marking her 250th birthday. Clare Clark investigates what it is that makes Jane so special with Rachel Parris and Gill Hornby – whose new novels further explore the lives of her fascinating characters – and Andrea Gibb, who adapted Miss Austen for the BBC. Elsewhere literary historian Janet Todd shares the joys of living with Jane Austen’s novels for over 50 years in conversation with good friend Miriam Margolyes.
In Michael Morpurgo: The Storyteller and the Man, the beloved children’s author reflects on his life, writing, and getting older, plus his recent experience of adapting Shakespeare for young readers. Guest Curator Amy Jeffs convenes illustrator Gwen Burns and musician Natalie Brice for an evening of storytelling, live music and animation as they reimagine traditional British ballads for a modern audience; and in a separate event, explores the layered histories and meanings behind nursery rhymes.
FOOD AND DRINK
At Cheltenham’s rooftop restaurant, The Nook on Five, Festival-goers can enjoy a special series of events and exclusive dining experiences. There will be a rare event with Nigel Slater, beloved and influential food writer, who shares A Thousand Feasts – his exquisitely crafted memoir of small joys, quiet rituals and the sensory pleasures that shape a life. The Times food critic and columnist Giles Coren and Esther Walker will be doing a live recording of their hit podcast Giles Coren Has No Idea, where audiences can watch the couple’s hilarious kitchen-table routine unfold. Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt – who owned The Foxhunter Inn in Monmouthshire for over 13 years – is joined by co-star and wine expert Olly Smith for a chat over a dinner of modern British pub classics with matched wines.
Audiences can beat the famed queues for iconic London restaurants Trullo and Padella and join celebrated Italian chef-founder Tim Siadatan for a memorable Italian dinner alongside Amber Guinness, cook and host of The Arniano Painting School. Her latest book celebrates the quiet beauty of off-season Tuscany. In discussion about new title Hack Yourself Healthy, TV presenter and author Julia Bradbury shares her rigorous journey to reclaim her health following her own breast cancer diagnosis, and gives expert tips and accessible advice on how others can improve their health and wellbeing.
Dunkertons Taproom will once again be a hub for dynamic discussion, tastings, spoken word and music. Vegan chef Gaz Oakley gives inspiration, tips and seasonal recipes to make the most of home-grown produce. He appears with ecological horticulturist and grower Jamie Walton, founder of the Nettles & Petals social media platform where he has amassed over a million followers, for an inspiring session on seasonal growing, wild food and sustainable gardening. Roopa Gulati and Romy Gill take visitors on a journey through India as they celebrate the vibrant regional food that makes up the nation. Cheesemonger Michael Finnerty joins Dunkertons’ cider expert Alistair Duncan for an exclusive tasting of hand-picked artisan cheeses paired with award-winning organic ciders. Comedian Shirley Halse hosts a Knackered Mums’ Night Out, bringing together a straight-talking line up with author Holly Bourne, The Sunday Times’ Laura Pullman and Becky Barnicoat, cartoonist for The New Yorker, New Statesman, Private Eye and more.
ART AND DESIGN
One of the most successful photographers in the world, Martin Parr speaks about his extraordinary career, accompanied by some of his favourite images featuring seaside resorts, crowds, fetes and placards. Art historian and broadcaster Kate Bryan and artist David Shrigley appear in conversation to help us understand how to think about art, and to enjoy it on one’s own terms, accompanied by original artworks in David’s signature deadpan style. Drawing on newly uncovered research from the archives of Delft and Rotterdam, art historian and broadcaster Andrew Graham Dixon paints Johannes Vermeer in a new light, revolutionising our understanding of this enigmatic artist.
There are also events tying in with major exhibitions. Curator of the V&A’s Marie Antoinette Style show Sarah Grant and historian and broadcaster Madeleine Pelling explore the life and influence of the most fashionable (and ill-fated) queen in history, in conversation with Amber Butchart. Ami Bouhassane, Lee Miller’s granddaughter and Director of Miller’s archive at Farleys House, and Hilary Floe, curator of the landmark 2025 Tate Britain exhibition Lee Miller, explore the life, work and legacy of the trailblazing photographer.
ENTERTAINMENT
Numerous stars of stage and screen gather for the Festival this year. Director and longtime collaborator Richard Curtis interviews Ben Elton about Ben’s candid, funny and revealing new autobiography, with behind-the-scenes tales from The Young Ones, We Will Rock You, Upstart Crow and Blackadder. Elsewhere, Blackadder star, beloved actor, presenter and history enthusiast Tony Robinson shares his thrilling adult fiction debut, bringing to life an epic tale of Anglo-Saxon intrigue, rebellion and the making of England. Joanna Lumley is interviewed by Emma Freud to share insights from My Book of Treasures, with anecdotes from her life and career.
Joanna Page charts her journey from a small Welsh village to Love Actually and Gavin & Stacey in new memoir Lush, sharing unforgettable moments and the truth about life both on and off screen. In a separate event, another beloved Gavin & Stacey star, Larry Lamb, presents debut novel All Wrapped Up with son George Lamb.
Penny Lancaster joins Jane Garvey and Fi Glover for a live recording of their Times Radio show to discuss her powerful new memoir, Someone Like Me. She opens up about navigating fame, family, life with husband Rod Stewart and the challenges she’s faced along the way. Tulisa Contostavlos talks about her new memoir, Judgement, which gives an unflinching account of survival, injustice, love, betrayal and redemption following The Sun’s 2013 sting operation. She chats with GK Barry, host of the Saving Grace podcast. Popular comedians also feature this year: Rhys James sharing stories from You’ll Like It When You Get There, a guide to opting out; and Ivo Graham on memoir Yardsticks For Failure, a heartfelt account of chaos, challenge and constant motion.
For music and audio fans, there will be live recordings of The Archers Podcast with Emma Freud; No Such Thing as a Fish with Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Andrew Hunter Murray plus special guest; and Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast. Leading film critic Mark Kermode takes audiences on a deep dive into the world of film music, behind-the-scenes stories, composer insights and unforgettable soundtracks; and in The Punk Rebellion, Chris Sullivan, Stephen Colegrave and Deb Grant come together to discuss the legacy of this movement. BBC Director-General Tim Davie will be joining the line up for the Sunday Times Culture Interview.
HISTORY
History fans have an extensive array of events to choose from this year. Guest Curator Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, presents her new book and reveals how the myth of a smooth Tudor-Stuart succession was a carefully crafted fiction – one that sparked chaos and unrest in the Stuart era. She talks to Gareth Russell about the life and reign of Britain’s first king, James Stewart – genius, liar, spendthrift, idealist, witch-hunter – and the men he loved. She joins Witches of Scotland podcast hosts Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi to examine the English and Scottish witch hunts, why persecutors went to extreme lengths to silence women, and the chilling legacy that still threatens women worldwide today. Elsewhere, Borman moderates a discussion between fashion historian Rosie Harte, men’s dresswear expert Mark Wallis and Matthew Storey, curator of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, about conventions of royal clothing, the powerful impact of fashion and the evolution of dress codes over time.
In a year of WWII remembrance, and with Cheltenham Festivals having been born just weeks after the end of the war, several events pay respect to this history. Historian and broadcaster Tessa Dunlop explores Britain’s wartime past through the people and events remembered across our memorial-studded landscape. She is joined by Ruth Bourne, one of the last surviving Bletchley Girls, and Bomber Command veteran Colin Bell. Elsewhere Anne Sebba and Laurence Rees delve into the psychology of the Nazi camps; Max Hastings brings to life the courage, strategy and sacrifice behind D-Day; Roger Moorhouse and Bletchley Park historian David Kenyon reveal the reality of the U-boat war; and Al Murray and James Holland discuss the surrenders that heralded the Allied victory.
Marking ten years of his groundbreaking bestseller The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan returns to the Festival toreflects on its enduring relevance. Taking audiences from antiquity to the chaos of the world today, he reveals how the networks that spread crops, ideas, faiths, goods and disease are key to understanding the past, and central to making sense of the present and future. The broad history programme also gives an opportunity to learn about the cultural and historical roots of our belief in the supernatural with Caitlin Blackwell-Baines and Ben Machell; to rediscover Britain’s lost crafts, with broadcaster and art historian James Fox and master stonemason Andrew Ziminski; and Baillie Gifford Prize-winning author Hallie Rubenhold interrogates the ways that true crime can simplify history.
LIFESTYLE
Presenter and activist Katie Piper and skincare expert Caroline Hirons have a powerful conversation about redefining beauty standards, challenging outdated narratives and embracing self-worth at every stage of life. BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Emma Barnett appears with Lucy Jones, author of the Women’s Prize-longlisted Matrescence, to discuss various aspects of motherhood; and Mary Portas joins Sam Baker for a live edition of The Shift podcast, recalling her trailblazing transformation of Harvey Nichols in the 1990s.
In A Better Menopause, broadcaster and campaigner Mariella Frostrup and chef Belles Berry share tips and recipes to support hormone balance, energy and wellbeing, and show how to thrive through this stage of life. For the rest of the family, Clare Bailey Mosley and child psychiatrist Stephen Scott discuss how to transform family mealtimes and eat better together. In a career spanning nearly 60 years, Claudia Roden changed the world of culinary writing and introduced the art of Middle Eastern cooking to Britain. Diana Henry has been deeply influenced by Claudia’s work; they discuss their work, friendship and using food as a lens through which to see places, people and history. Elsewhere, culinary legend Raymond Blanc takes audiences on a walk through his famous gardens at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, celebrating the connection between kitchen and garden, sharing stories and seasonal recipes. Continuing the gardening theme, horticulturalist and presenter Carol Klein discusses the people, places and plants that have shaped her life and shares gardening tips and recommendations.
PSYCHOLOGY
Deborah Frances-White, host of The Guilty Feminist podcast, discusses her new book on Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have. She sheds light on value of freedom of speech, critical thinking the ability to argue well, and how to change minds. From breathwork and exercise to morning affirmations and manifestation, journalist Abi Millar and broadcaster Ashley Roberts explore how rituals provide us with meaning, structure and connection. Online safety campaigners Adele Zeynep Walton and Ian Russell come together in a powerful conversation they discuss the human cost of our dangerous digital world and confront the urgent need for reform to protect young people online.
Julie Smith, bestselling clinical psychologist and author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? gives words of wisdom on how to navigate moments of confusion and self-doubt. In an event focused on nostalgia, International Booker Prize-winning novelist Georgi Gospodinov (who discusses new novel Death and the Gardener in a separate event) joins historian Agnes Arnold-Forster and psychologist Catherine Loveday to explore how longing for the past impacts our identities, societies and future, and to ask whether nostalgia is a refuge or a risk.
SPORT
Broadcaster and former England Captain Mike Atherton, former Somerset and England cricketer Vic Marks and author and journalist Richard Whitehead chart the highs and lows of Ashes cricket and the mental and physical challenges posed by a tour down under. Continuing the cricket theme, Test Match Special commentator and cricket legend Ebony Rainford-Brent gives a whirlwind tour of her trailblazing career, touching on the traditions, drama and charm of cricket.
Record-holder for most Tour de France stage wins and one of the most formidable sprinters the sport has ever seen, Mark Cavendish reflects on his stunning career in cycling, sharing his story of struggle, sacrifice and the power of determination. Elsewhere cyclist Bradley Wiggins talksabout his powerfuljourney of self-discovery, overcoming the trauma, addiction and self-doubt that lay behind his Olympic golds and Tour de France glory. He reveals how he confronted his inner demons to finally find peace and authenticity.
TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
There are events exploring travel and adventure through varied lenses. Michael Palin shares stories and photos from his latest adventure to Venezuela, one of South America’s most vibrant yet troubled nations. He talks to Hannah MacInnes about everyday life in a country whose borders few outsiders venture to cross. Sophie Elmhirst discusses her award-winning true story Maurice and Marilyn, an exploration of love and resilience, about a couple who swapped 1970s suburbia for the sea only to face shipwreck and survival. Meanwhile, Geoff Dyer is joined by Italian writer and filmmaker Chiara Barzini as they take a deeply personal journey across the American Southwest, reflecting on how it has shaped their writing and identities.
For some, travel is not a choice; it’s a necessity driven by political upheaval or hardship. Chaired by the Festival’sLiterary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan, the eventFar From Home brings together Noo Saro-Wiwa – whose acclaimed travel memoir explores the lives of African economic migrants in China – andpoet Tahir Hamut Izgil (with translator Joshua Freeman), whofled Chinese state persecution to seek asylum abroad.They reflect on migration, cultural dislocation and the emotional toll of living far from your homeland.
MEMOIR
Festival Guest Curator Geoff Dyer joins Travis Elborough to discuss Homework, his account of growing up in Cheltenham as the only child of a dinner lady and a sheet metal worker in a 1960s and 1970s England, caught between post-war austerity and rapid change. Sebastian Faulks recalls a post-war rural childhood, the booze-sodden heyday of Fleet Street and writing that followed. He reflects on a generation shaped by the legacy of war and explores life’s quiet dramas. More than 30 years after Jung Chang’s bestselling Wild Swans defined a generation and exposed the horrors of Mao’s regime, she returns with the long-awaited sequel tracing her life after 1978 and China’s astonishing rise to global power.
Acclaimed poet and performer Raymond Antrobus, who was diagnosed as deaf at six, explores themes of miscommunication, identity, belonging and creativity to redefine D/deaf culture and the landscape of contemporary poetry. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and two of her extraordinary children, violinist Braimah and pianist Konya, explore the transformative power of music, the challenges faced by Black artists in a tradition-bound industry, and what it means to raise a family of trailblazing musicians. In Who Cares for our Carers?, Ed Davey shares his journey alongside Lindsey Burrow, wife of rugby league legend Rob Burrow, to spotlight the realities of caregiving on the UK.
NATURE
For lovers of the outdoors, Hamza Yassin reveals the wildlife wonders of the British Isles, from orca-chasing in Scotland to bird ringing in Wales. Chloe Dalton celebrates the success of Raising Hare, her lyrical debut that became an instant bestseller, topped multiple Book of the Year lists and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. Author and natural navigator Tristan Gooley explains how we can read the often-missed clues that the natural world, from the sun and moon to fungi and the weather.
POETRY AND OFF THE PAGE
The UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage presents a first look at his first single-volume collection of poems since 2017’s The Unaccompanied. Titled New Cemetery, Armitage makes peace with the dead in an imaginative and wide-ranging new collection, with readings, insights and stories. Guest Curator Geoff Dyermeanwhile welcomes former US and New York State Poet Laureate Billy Collins – famed for his witty, quirky and tender writing –foran hour of poetry and conversation. Critically acclaimed spoken-word artist and musician Antony Szmierek delivers an evening of poetry, music, chat and infectious lyrics, talking to Jasmine Gardosi about his debut collection Roadmap, debut album Service Station at the End of the Universe, and the connection between the two.
SCIENCE
For the first time, Tim Berners-Lee tells the story of his iconic invention, the World Wide Web, exploring how it launched a new era of creativity and collaboration and permanently changed the way humans live, work and interact with each other. In another tech-focused conversation, TV presenter, documentary maker and journalist Lara Lewington and Charlotte Blease come together to ask whether AI can save healthcare. Lewington’s Hacking Humanity demystifies new cutting-edge research and innovations transforming medicine, whilst Blease’s Dr Bot reveals how AI, if handled with care, could emerge as the most reliable physician in history.
Looking at health from another angle, bestselling author and scientist Tim Spector explores the world of ferments and introduces audiences to some of his favourites – kombucha, kefir, sourdough, miso and coffee – explaining their numerous benefits.
FAMILY AND YOUNG ADULTS
Many favourite children’s and Young Adult authors will be at the Festival, entertaining families and young people in a packed programme. Taking on the role of Guest Curator for the family and schools strand this year is comic book creator Jamie Smart, of bestselling series Bunny Vs. Monkey, who has co-curated 20 events and workshops to inspire young festival goers to have a go themselves. Artists include Neill Cameron, of The Phoenix comic and creator of Donut Squad, Ramzee, Laura Ellen AndersenandVivian Truong.
Anna James’ reimagining of Alice in Wonderland (Alice with a Why) has inspired a new, free visitor experience to meet the Mad Hatter, with other events and workshops to inspire children to re-imagine their own favourite stories. Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville presents his thrilling adventure story, Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room, talkingto fellow children’s author Sam Sedgman about his modern-day classic, reminiscent of Paddington and Just William. The Wild Robot author and illustrator Peter Brown gives behind-the-scenes film secrets, live drawing, and answers questions all about Roz’s friends and adventures. There will be a joyful, story-filled show with Tweedy the Clown who brings his latest tale to life with circus chaos, hilarious mishaps and clowning galore.
For curious children, there is a chance to Ask the Experts with Alice Bell, Greg Jenner and Jess French and explore what makes Rebel Girls with pioneering deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis, Elena Favilli, co-founder of Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls and author and activist, Onjali Q. Raúf.
Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman will be talking about the global coming-of age phenomenon, gives behind-the-scenes insights and looks ahead to what’s next for Nick, Charlie and the gang. Caroline O’Donoghue builds new worlds; and BookTok to Book Shoppanellists Andy Darcy Theo, Busayo Matuluko, Monique Turner, and host Bill Wood explore hot new YA fiction.