The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival Brochure 2025
of Ideas A World
To celebrate the fifth year of our Read the World theme, we’re bringing you a whole world of ideas to leave you buzzing and inspired. Our Festival Village will be packed full of more fresh, timely and exciting conversation than ever before, along with some fabulous familiar faces.
Rising
Incisive stars thinkers
Challenging ideas
Culture is... joy, curiosity, connection, inspiration, the future.
Help us realise our vision of a future where everyone can explore and create culture
Please donate to support Cheltenham Festivals’ mission to give 80,000 children access to culture in 2025
Thank you for your support
Guest Curators
Our Guest Curators are a unique and treasured part of the Festival team – bringing fascinating insights, new perspectives and inspiring energy to the programme.
Born in Cheltenham, Geoff Dyer is the author of 20 innovative books, most recently Homework, a memoir. His curation takes us from classic literature to the California desert.
@geoffdyer58
An author, illustrator, singer and scholar of medieval English illuminated manuscripts, Amy’s curation combines art, word and landscape to find old magic all around us.
@amyjeffs_author
A British-Nigerian writer and illustrator best known for her multi-award nominated debut My Sister, The Serial Killer, Oyinkan’s curation explores culture, creativity and identity.
@oyinbraithwaite
Author and Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, Tracy’s curation spans the Tudor–Stuart succession, James Stuart, fashion, art and witch trials past and present.
@tracy.borman
Our Literary Explorer in Residence, look out for events featuring Ann Morgan.
Amy Jeffs Tracy Borman
Ann Morgan
Oyinkan Braithwaite Geoff Dyer Image: Guy Drayton
A Great
Make a day of it and enjoy debates, captivating talks, live music and free drop-in sessions and workshops. Explore the Festival Village, grab a drink and find a cosy corner to lose yourself in a book. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and discover.
Food and Drink
Grab a morning coffee and pastry in our Feast Cafe, choose from a selection of hot and cold treats from our street food vendors to refuel between events or unwind with a drink from the Festival bar to round off your day.
Benefact Group Lounge
Join us for a moment of inspiration, where you can read incredible stories and see the impact of thousands of charities supported through our giving.
Listening Hut by BBC Audiobooks
Immerse yourself in captivating stories with BBC Audiobooks, a unique listening experience for all ages to enjoy. With thanks to our supporters
Did you know we’re a charity?
We’re connecting 80,000 children to culture in 2025
Visit the Festival, power our mission. Have fun and feel good doing it!
The Hush
Looking for a peaceful space to retreat from the Festival bustle? Grab a bean bag and unwind with a variety of activities designed to refresh and rejuvenate your mind and body.
Kindly supported by The Methodist Church
The Huddle
Whether you’re after stimulating talks during the day or fancy great entertainment and music in the evening, visit The Huddle in our Feast Cafe for a host of free events celebrating writing from close to home and around the globe.
The Snug
The Snug is the perfect book lover’s retreat. Join a community group, swap recommendations, immerse yourself in crafts or join a lively post-event debate. Look out for the full line up in the free programme leaflet in September.
Lit Crawl in association with Cheltenham BID
Follow a diverse programme of events showcasing up-and-coming authors, performers, poets and comedians through the streets of Cheltenham.
Help us to keep at least 25% of our activities free There are so many ways to help us ensure everyone can explore and create culture. From purchasing food and drink on site to becoming a Member, Patron, Partner or Donor.
Scan the QR code to find out more
Day Out
With thanks to our supporters
Proud to support The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.
Situated at the heart of the Festival Village and with the very best selection of new books alongside classics and bestsellers, our Waterstones bookshops are curated especially for this year’s Festival and the visiting writers. Browse the bookshelves between your Festival events, meet your favourite authors and celebrities and get your books signed.
Don’t forget to stop by the Waterstones Children’s Bookshop where you can browse the latest releases and family favourites. If you’re not sure what to try next, ask the booksellers for their top recommendations.
You can also find us in Cheltenham Town Hall’s Drawing Room where you can browse a selection of Festival titles and have your books signed after events.
A percentage of each book purchased at our Waterstones bookshop is donated to Cheltenham Festivals
VOICEBOX amplifies young voices, turns up the volume on big
issues and creates change.
From new writing and pop culture to politics, wellbeing and society, VOICEBOX delves into the issues that matter.
Join us for free events throughout the Literature Festival.
Expect short talks, debates, workshops, live music, comedy and spoken word. Witness unmissable experiences and one-off moments, all in one dynamic space.
Past guests include Tom Daley, Francis Bourgeois, Daze Aghaji, Ellie Middleton, #Merky Books and Alex George.
We’re creating bold, original content alongside young people in our community and beyond.
Join the conversation. Make change happen.
Full line-up drops in September.
Pick up the VOICEBOX zine in print, online and on the Cheltenham Festivals app.
cheltenhamfestivals.org/ VOICEBOX
comedy debate action
Come and enjoy the best of The Times
Savour the best of the Sunday Times Wine Club Times subscribers can join us for ‘Wine Hour’ at the Headline Bar. You can enjoy complimentary wine tastings featuring special guests from The Times and Sunday Times – Friday to Sunday on both weekends between 5–6pm.
Take some time away from the hustle and bustle with the Times Literary Supplement or your latest book find. Unwind in this contemplative corner of the Festival and leave feeling refreshed and inspired.
Sit back, relax, read your complimentary newspaper or chat over a glass of wine, with Times Radio playing in the background. This year, look out for shows being broadcast live from Times Radio Speakers’ Corner.
Test yourself with world-famous puzzles from The Times and Sunday Times featuring crosswords, sudokus, word puzzles, quizzes and more, all compiled by our expert team.
Look out for more details in our free programme mid-September. Make sure you grab a copy in print, online or via the Cheltenham Festivals app.
Festival Programme
Look out for these icons throughout the brochure
Workshop
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted events
AI Captioned Events
The Silk Roads: 10 Year Anniversary
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Marking 10 years of his groundbreaking bestseller
The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan reflects on its enduring relevance. Taking us from antiquity to the chaos of the world of today, he reveals how the networks that spread crops, ideas, faiths, goods and disease are key to understanding the past –and to making sense of the present and future.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LH19
Beautiful: Katie Piper and Caroline Hirons
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
When you buy a ticket, you power our mission. Every ticket sold could help fund free schools’ events and workshops.
With thanks to our
Presenter and activist Katie Piper and skincare expert Caroline Hirons join journalist Lorraine Candy for a powerful conversation about redefining beauty standards, challenging outdated narratives and embracing self-worth at every stage of life. They share wise words about building resilience from the inside out and how to cultivate a confidence you can depend on.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LL07
A Sunday Times
Book of the Decade, The Silk Roads has been updated – with its findings more relevant than ever Peter Frankopan
Power and Faith in Russia
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
The British Academy Book Prize shortlist features powerful non-fiction that deepens our understandings of people and cultures across the world. Ahead of the winner announcement, prize judge and former BBC Foreign Correspondent
Bridget Kendall joins one of the shortlisted authors to discuss the complex ties between religion and politics that have formed Russia – and how faith is used today to shape national identity and justify conflict.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LH28
Kindly supported by The British Academy
Michael Palin
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
With his trademark warmth and humour, 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.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.45pm LT02
Kindly supported by Willans LLP Solicitors
Image: Christopher Oakman
The Making of Modern Asia
The Hive
£13
Sam Dalrymple’s sparkling debut Shattered Lands tells the epic story of how the Indian Empire was unmade; how maps were redrawn in boardrooms and on battlefields and a single, sprawling dominion became 12 modern nations. Marina Wheeler ’s memoir The Lost Homestead tells her mother’s powerful story of displacement during Partition. They explore its legacy of war, exile and division, in conversation with Peter Frankopan
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1.30–2.30pm LH20
Hamza Yassin: A Life Outdoors
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Join Hamza Yassin for a joyful journey around the British Isles. From orcachasing in Scotland to birdringing in Wales, he reveals the wildlife wonders of our islands with warmth, heart and humour. Discover the beauty of Britain through Hamza’s extraordinary lens.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LN01
Delight and joy personified
Marian Keyes on Hamza Yassin
Not-so-Cosy Crime
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
From mysteriously disappearing pub landlords to an unlikely and unwilling writer-cleaner detective duo, these are not your average cosy murder mysteries. Nicola Whyte and Janice Hallet present their irresistibly charming and addictive novels as they talk to Tim Hubbard.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LR64
Secrets of the Explorers
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Donating
£15
could fund a Festival ticket for someone experiencing barriers to culture
Known as the ‘Indiana Jones of the Deep’ and leader of the Endurance wreck discovery, marine archaeologist Mensun Bound has spent his career salvaging treasure from the seabed. He is joined by writer Mark Frary and polar historian Anne Strathie to explore the history of human exploration – by land, sea and ice –through fascinating artefacts that illuminate enduring stories of curiosity, ambition, tenacity and courage.
Chaired by Georgina Godwin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LT06
Making Peace in the Culture Wars
The Hive £13
As conversations grow increasingly polarised and space for open discourse shrinks, Professors AC Grayling and Paul Dolan discuss how we might restore dialogue in this vital conversation on the future of public debate and cancel culture. Chaired by Julia Wheeler
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LQ07
The Election Generals
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£16, £13
With Reform making inroads and the two main parties sinking in the poll ratings, it’s been another eventful year in politics. BBC Broadcasting House presenter Paddy O’Connell , former BBC Political Editor John Sergeant and former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan draw on their experience to debate the twists and turns ahead.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LC34
Kindly supported by Oldham Foundation
With thanks to our event supporters
Britain and Europe: Past, Present and Future
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, New Statesman Editor Tom McTague chronicles the battle of ideas and personalities that took us into the Common Market in 1973 and out again 40 years later. Joining him, author and barrister Marina Wheeler argues that building a new Europe is the key to preserving our collective futures. In conversation with Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LC49
Make a day of it:
Enjoy all our free programme has to offer, announced mid-September
Make sure you grab a copy in print, online, or via the Cheltenham Festivals app
Struggling to Finish Your Novel?
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£55 Ticket includes tea, coffee and refreshments. Tackle the barriers that are keeping your book from being finished, whether you’re stuck or simply running out of steam. Clare Clark, author twice longlisted for the Women’s Prize, equips you with the practical tools, mindset shifts and creative strategies needed to reignite your momentum.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–6pm W04
The Sunday Times Must Reads: Nussaibah Younis
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
The Times Deputy Literary Editor Laura Hackett talks to Nussaibah Younis about her wildly original debut, Fundamentally, inspired by her work with the Iraqi government on de-radicalisation. Academic and opinionated UN employee Nadia forms an unlikely friendship with feisty former ISIS recruit Sara, until a secret confession threatens everything.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LR18
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Shon Faye: Love in Exile
The Hive
£13
Shon Faye grew up quietly obsessed with the feeling that love – romantic and otherwise – was not for her. The acclaimed author of The Transgender Issue talks to Olivia Petter 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.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE
5.30–6.30pm LC44
Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Garden
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Culinary legend Raymond Blanc walks us through his famous gardens at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons: from the medicinal herb garden and mushroom valley to the orchards, beehives and serene English water garden. Celebrating the connection between kitchen and garden, he shares stories and seasonal recipes with Julia Wheeler
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5.30–6.30pm LL08
Kindly supported by Pegasus Homes
Sunday 12 October, 7–9.30pm Dinner with Matt Tebbutt and Olly Smith p29
Monday 13 October, 7–9.30pm An Evening with Nigel Slater p34
Tuesday 14 October, 4–5pm
Hack Yourself Healthy with Julia Bradbury p37
Tuesday 14 October, 7–10pm The Italian Table p41
Sunday 19 October, 4–5pm Giles Coren Has No Idea p69
The Hour of the Predator
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall £18, £15
How do you defend democracy when the rules have changed? Former political advisor Giuliano da Empoli shares an insider’s perspective of our disintegrating world order. Encountering dictators and tyrants, strongmen and tech billionaires, the ‘geopolitical predators’, he examines the shifting power dynamics shaping our world in global politics today.
Chaired by Georgina Godwin EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC33
With thanks to our event supporters
A special series of events including fine dining experiences created in collaboration with Michelin-starred Executive Head Chef John Burton-Race.
The Power of ParkRun
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
ParkRun has become a global movement. But before coming up with the simple idea of a free weekly run, founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt was struggling to hold his life together. He talks to Hannah MacInnes about how ParkRun instilled him with connection and purpose and the journey that has led to a community that spans five continents.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LU07
New Voices: Stories from Sweden
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Celebrate two of Sweden’s award-winning debuts. Lisa Ridzén’s When the Cranes Fly South is a poignant meditation on ageing, family and the many forms that love can take. Andrev Walden’s Bloody Awful in Different Ways tells the story of a boy who had seven fathers in seven years, in a funny portrayal of the challenges of growing up.
Chaired by Ann Morgan
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LR41
Kindly supported by the Swedish Arts Council and the Embassy of Sweden UK
With thanks to our event supporters
Natalie Haynes: No Friend to This House
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Medea is one of the legendary figures of Greek myths, but is she a cold-blooded killer or the victim of misogyny? Natalie Haynes reveals the many faces of the sorceress, presenting Medea as you’ve never seen her before.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.30–8.30pm LB03
The Rhymes that Raised Us
The Hive
£15
Nursery rhymes like I Had a Little Nut Tree or Wee Willie Winkie have simple lyrics and tunes, but these texts are cornerstones of culture, rich in wonder and feeling. Join folk musician Nick Hart , academic James Wade and Guest Curator Amy Jeffs for an evening of performance and conversation, exploring the aesthetics, layered histories and many meanings behind the rhymes that raised us.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.30–9pm LD05
Surround Sound: Music from the Movies
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£15
Leading film critic Mark Kermode and award-winning radio producer Jenny Nelson dive deep into the world of film music, chaired by Tim Hubbard. With behind-thescenes stories, composer insights and unforgettable soundtracks, this exhilarating celebration of cinema’s most powerful emotional force is a must for music and movie lovers alike.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE21
Mick Herron and Ed Docx
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Jackson Lamb is once again drawn into a game of shadows in Clown Town, the latest novel in the gripping Slough House series. Bestselling espionage author Mick Herron delves into this razor-sharp tale of deception and compromised spies and discusses the latest series of the TV adaptation, Slow Horses, with screenwriter Ed Docx and Sam Baker
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LR11
Image: Sasha Oglanby
Saturday 11 October
Tim Spector: Ferment
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£15
Fad or fact? Adding fermented foods into our diets brings an astonishing range of benefits. Tim Spector demystifies the world of ferments and introduces us to some of his favourites: kombucha, kefir, sourdough, miso and coffee. Chaired by Matthew Stadlen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LX06
Rod Liddle Canters Through the News
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
What’s been happening this week? Join Times Radio presenter Rod Liddle and his guests as he broadcasts live from The Forum stage and canters through the week’s news and culture.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LC43
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Sunny Singh
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Writer and academic
Online and Unsafe
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Online safety campaigners
Sunny Singh, renowned for championing decolonisation and inclusion, co-founded the Jhalak Prize in 2017 to celebrate writers of colour. Join Sunny in conversation with our Literary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan, as she reflects on her career, including her powerful new book Refuge: Stories of War (and Love)
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LR45
Cheltenham Bookshop Crawl
Meet at Box Office, Montpellier Gardens
£20
The sell-out Bookshop Crawl returns for another year and this time… there are two of them. Join fellow book enthusiasts on a guided tour of the town’s literary scene discovering unique finds, indie bookshops and second-hand gems. Peruse the shelves, grab recommendations and peek behind the scenes with Cheltenham’s passionate booksellers.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10am–1pm LK01 2.30–5.30pm LK02
Adele Zeynep Walton and Ian Russell know the devastating cost of online harm. 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. Chaired by Symeon Brown
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LQ14
What is the meaning of democracy?
Jonathan Sumption and Daniel Finkelstein
Jonathan Sumption and Daniel Finkelstein
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
What is the meaning of democracy? The former Supreme Court judge Jonathan Sumption offers a robust defence of our most basic freedoms against the global growth of authoritarianism and widening public apathy. In conversation with The Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LC07
How to Win the Ashes Down Under
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
From fast, hostile pitches to intense heat and historical pressure, for England, winning the Ashes in Australia presents cricket’s toughest challenge. The Times chief cricket correspondent 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. Chaired by The Times and Times Radio Executive Editor Jeremy Griffin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.15–1.15pm LU04
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio and kindly supported by Brethertons Solicitors
Hidden Figures
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Discover the stories of art’s hidden figures. From the six women who were integral to Picasso’s work but dismissed as muses, to the vital presence of Blackness erased from art history, Alayo Akinkugbe and Sue Roe reframe our understanding of art’s past and celebrate those who made it possible by bringing these contributions into view. Chaired by Charlotte Jansen
12.30–1.30pm LA05
Lit Crawl is back to take over the streets of Cheltenham
FREE with no ticket required A riotous evening of the written and spoken word – all completely free thanks to sponsorship from Cheltenham BID.
With thanks to our event supporters
Donating £10
could help cover the cost of a sensory pack, enabling someone with sensory issues to experience the Festival comfortably
Lit Crawl is part of Cheltenham Festivals’ Spotlight talent development programme, featuring a diverse programme of events showcasing up-and-coming authors, performers, poets and comedians in exciting formats and spaces. Drop in for one session or crawl your way through a whole evening of events. This is literature done differently. Look out for the full Lit Crawl line-up from mid-September on the Cheltenham Festivals app.
The
Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Acclaimed novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie joins an elite list of winners in receiving The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence 2025. In conversation with The Times and Sunday Times Chief Literary Critic Johanna Thomas-Corr, she discusses her literary career and latest novel, Dream Count, a publishing event 10 years in the making.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LR14
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Ultimate Autumn Style
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£22 Ticket includes a glass of fizz.
Keeping up with ever-changing fashion trends can feel like a full-time job for both your budget and your wardrobe. Here to walk you through the latest catwalk styles and show you how to make this season’s trends work for you are The Times experts, Fashion Director Anna Murphy and Style Editor Prue White
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LL09
With thanks to our event supporters
The Times Debate: Making Britain Great Again
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£22, £19
Does Britain still have a positive role to play on the global stage in an increasingly turbulent world? Can we recover our confidence and rebuild the economy? Join former Foreign Secretary
Jeremy Hunt and The Times columnists Emma Duncan and Trevor Phillips as they discuss the challenges and prospects ahead. Chaired by Times Radio’s John Pienaar and introduced by Editor of The Times Tony Gallagher
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.45pm LC26
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
How to Build a World
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£14
What goes into creating a new universe? Join bestselling author Caroline O’Donoghue for a deep dive into her new YA fantasy romance with a sci-fi twist, Skipshock. Margo and Moon’s worlds have collided and time is literally running out! Get into the mind of a master storyteller, discover how Caroline crafts incredible worlds and characters and ask your questions.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LF82
What goes into creating a new universe?
How to Build a World
The Booker Prize Shortlist
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
The Booker Prize is the world’s most significant award for a single work of fiction. It has rewarded and celebrated world-class talent for over 50 years, shaping the canon of 20th and 21st century literature. Join Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, for our annual introduction to the six shortlisted books and their authors, who will join us both in-person and virtually.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR26
Want early access to your Festival favourites?
Become a member and receive priority booking
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The Love of Things
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Why do the things we own mean so much to us? India Knight and Bee Wilson explore our emotional attachment to possessions and how they carry memory and identity. In conversation with Tim Hubbard, they discuss treasuring what matters, the essence of what makes a home and the joy and comfort that comes from being surrounded by the things you love.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LL12
How to Write a Memoir
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£55 Ticket includes tea, coffee and refreshments.
Do you have real-life experiences that you would like to turn into a book? Whether you want to write for publication or simply to get these stories down, this workshop with award-winning writer Tiffany Murray will open your creativity and guide you in characterisation, dialogue and creating atmosphere.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–6pm W01
The Hereford
Mappa Mundi
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
The illustrated medieval world map, the Hereford Mappa Mundi, hangs an hour north of Cheltenham. Since its only equivalent was destroyed in World War II, this gigantic centuries-old treasure is the last of its kind: an encyclopaedic resource covering history, diverse myths, geography and the apocalypse. But why? Guest Curator Amy Jeffs is joined by scholars Anya Burgon, Emily Guerry and Mary Wellesley as they navigate this astonishing survival.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LD04
Tony Robinson
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Beloved actor, presenter and history enthusiast Tony Robinson, star of Blackadder, Time Team and countless documentaries, talks to Julia Wheeler about his thrilling adult fiction debut. With his trademark wit and deep historical knowledge, Tony brings to life an epic tale of Anglo-Saxon intrigue, rebellion and the making of England.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LE19
Why do the things we own mean so much to us?
The Love of Things, LL12
Plan your visit to the Festival on the Cheltenham Festivals app
Available on Android and iOS, it’s the easiest way to plan your Festival visit.
Scan the QR code to download it now
Image: Paul Marc Mitchell
Make a day of it: Pop into one of our many free entry venues on site for drop-in workshops, live music, debates and much more
Into the Unknown with Jonathan Stroud
Parabola Arts Centre
£12
From the modern wild west of Scarlett and Browne to the spooky adventures of Lockwood & Co. follow author Jonathan Stroud on a journey into his imagination. Jonathan talks inspiration, love of writing and what it’s like to have a book turned into a Netflix series. A fantastic insight into the world-building process, from one of the most popular UK YA fantasy authors around today.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LF33
Discover how to change minds, including your own
Deborah Frances-White, LQ13
Deborah Frances-White
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Deborah Frances-White, host of The Guilty Feminist, talks to Poorna Bell about Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have, a fearless and urgent call to tackle the tough topics. Discover how to change minds, including your own, in this clear sighted conversation about freedom of speech, dissent and empathy.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LQ13
Funny HaHa
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£15
They say laughter is the best medicine and not without reason. Robbie Millen, The Times and Sunday Times Literary Editor, chairs a panel featuring author and comedian Ben Elton and journalist and authors India Knight and Charlotte Runcie, looking at books that make them laugh and recommending their funny reads of the year and all-time favourites.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LE47
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Margaret Thatcher: The Legacy
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
In Margaret Thatcher’s centenary year we bring together broadcaster and author Iain Dale and journalist and biographer Tina Gaudoin to discuss the lasting legacy of this hugely influential and divisive figure.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LC35
Kindly supported by Oldham Foundation
Love and Longing
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Tash Aw embarks on a quartet of novels with The South, where longing blooms between two boys over one Malaysian summer. Against the backdrop of Section 28, two men in South Wales must keep their love secret in Anthony Shapland ’s powerful debut, A Room Above a Shop. They introduce their tender new novels in conversation with Lotte Jeffs
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LR51
With thanks to our event
Spotlight
Rhys James
The Hive
£15
Join comedian Rhys James for an evening of sharp wit and reluctant wisdom as he shares stories from You’ll Like It When You Get There – a painfully funny guide to opting out. Dread, disaster and delightfully unhelpful life advice from a man who celebrates every cancelled plan like a personal triumph. Chaired by Matthew Stadlen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LE26
How To Be a Literary Explorer
Regency Suite,
Queens Hotel
£20
Turn reading upside down with our Literary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan in this whistle-stop tour of translated texts rarely seen in English. Playing with ideas of truth and identity and chasing down assumptions and biases, test what embracing not knowing can teach us about ourselves and our world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LR42
Young, Gifted and Black
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Join Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and two of her extraordinary children, violinist Braimah and pianist Konya, as they explore the transformative power of music, the challenges faced by Black artists in a traditionbound industry and what it means to raise a family of trailblazing musicians. A moving and uplifting evening of insight, talent and hope for change featuring unforgettable live music from the next generation.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8.30pm LM02
Old Songs
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Join Guest Curator Amy Jeffs, illustrator Gwen Burns, and musician Natalie Brice for a spellbinding evening of storytelling, live music and animation as they reimagine traditional British ballads for a modern audience. Expect tales of love, kidnap and bewitchment, elf queens, dragons, shapeshifting and everyday heroes. All rooted in Britain’s landscape, folklore and literary heritage, the fairy fruits of their collaboration promise a transformative, immersive journey.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9.30pm LD03
You’re Bard!
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Back by popular demand, this interactive Shakespearience makes a joyful return. Join the team for another completely improvised, totally unpredictable evening of your favourite Shakespeare shows.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–9.30pm LE42
A side-splittingly funny interactive Shakespearience
Westhoff Reviews –You’re Bard!
Ben Elton
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£22, £19
Director and longtime collaborator Richard Curtis interviews Ben Elton about What Have I Done?, Ben’s candid, funny and revealing new autobiography. From The Young Ones, We Will Rock You, Upstart Crow and Blackadder, expect behind-the-scenes tales, career highs (and lows) and the irrepressible wit of a comedy icon.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 9–10pm LE05
Kindly supported by Tarren Production
The Sunday Papers with Patrick Maguire
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Start your Sunday the right way with your host Patrick Maguire and special guests The Financial Times’ Whitehall Editor Lucy Fisher, Cheltenham Literature Festival’s Head of Programming Nicola Tuxworth and The Times and Sunday Times Literary Editor Robbie Millen as they run through the Sunday papers and pick out the stories that matter and the ones that really don’t, but make you smile anyway.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LC29
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Al Murray and James Holland
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, historians and podcast hosts James Holland and Al Murray discuss the extraordinary summer of 1945, when eight surrenders ended WWII and secured Allied victory. They reveal untold human stories, dramatic turning points and how the terms of the surrenders would determine the shape of today’s world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LH07
How to Read Horace
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Back by popular demand, the classics dons Mary Beard, Llewelyn Morgan and Peter Stothard return for a special bumper edition of How to Read a Latin Poem bringing the story and works of roman poet, Horace, to life. Translations are provided and minimal knowledge of Latin is required.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.15–11.45am LB01
No Filters:
Talking to Teens
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
When Rowan Egberongbe was 16, she only tolerated messages from mum Christie Watson via Snapchat. It took serious illness for them to get talking properly about mental health, identity and growing up in a digital world. In this candid conversation with Poorna Bell , they explore how parents and teenagers can break down barriers, communicate honestly and find meaningful connection.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LL16
The Times Live
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Join The Times Executive Editor Jeremy Griffin and leading journalists Patrick Maguire, Daniel Finkelstein, Jenny McCartney and Emma Duncan as they debate the hot topics of the day, and decide the leading articles for Monday’s edition of The Times
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LC28
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Emma Freud Meets... Joanna Lumley
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£22, £19
Join national treasure Joanna Lumley in conversation with Emma Freud as she shares insights from My Book of Treasures, a sparkling collection of quotes, musings and literary gems. Discover the wit, wisdom and whimsy that have inspired her throughout her life and career, it’ll be Absolutely Fabulous, darling!
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.15–1.15pm LE18
Kindly supported by Oldham Foundation
With thanks to our event supporters
Image: Rebecca Reid
Rethinking the U-Boat War
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
The Battle of the Atlantic is often remembered as a dramatic duel between ruthless German U-boat packs and vulnerable Allied convoys – but how accurate is that? Join Bletchley Park’s David Kenyon and historian Roger Moorhouse as they reveal how the war beneath the waves was really fought – and how propaganda, perception and post-war mythmaking have shaped the story we think we know.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LH12
Jung Chang: Fly Wild Swans
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Banned in China, Jung Chang’s bestselling Wild Swans defined a generation and exposed the horrors of Mao’s regime. More than 30 years later she returns with the long-awaited sequel tracing her life after 1978 and China’s astonishing rise to global power and reflecting on Xi Jinping’s China. Chaired by Clare Clark
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LM04
Deborah Meaden
Talks Money
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£12
Dragon’s Den investor Deborah Meaden demystifies the world of money and puts you in charge. With her trademark wit and wisdom, this empowering event is perfect for young people, to build the skills and confidence you need to manage your finances and reduce money worries whether you want to earn money, save money, set goals, or grow a business. With finance educator Abigail Foster
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LF18
Kindly supported by Attivo
The Sunday Times Debate: Universities Under Fire
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Has repeated interference from successive governments put the UK’s world-class higher education system at risk? British universities face unprecedented challenges –soaring costs, funding cuts, course closures, growing tensions over free speech and the march of AI. Join Superdry founder Julian Dunkerton, author Matthew Goodwin, the broadcaster and classicist Mary Beard and The Sunday Times columnist Charlotte Ivers for this crucial debate on how we protect universities’ independence, affordability and intellectual freedom. Chaired by The Sunday Times Editor Ben Taylor
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.45pm LC27
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Donating £15
could help us keep at least 25% of our activities free
With thanks to our event supporters
Picks from Japan: Mai Mochizuki
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant £15
Under a glittering full moon, a Kyoto coffee shop appears only where and when it’s needed. Blending magical realism with heartfelt storytelling, Mai vv The Full Moon Coffee Shop series has captivated readers worldwide. Mai introduces Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop, a tale of talking cats, delicious desserts and celestial wisdom perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LR67
Kindly supported by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation
Masculinity and the Manosphere
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
It’s 2025 – so why is misogyny so prolific and only getting worse? Author and campaigner Laura Bates and journalist James Bloodworth expose the harmful underground subcultures known as the ‘manosphere’ and the advances in technology that mean sexism is on the rise. With Jordan Stephens, they discuss how we can better support young men to form healthy relationships with masculinity and continue the fight for gender equality.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LC15
Kate Bryan and David Shrigley: How to Art
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
What is art, where do I find it and once in front of it, what am I supposed to think about it? Art historian and broadcaster Kate Bryan and celebrated artist David Shrigley share their nifty way to take in art on your terms. Accompanied by original artworks in David’s signature deadpan style, they chat to Charlotte Jansen in a fun celebration for anyone wanting to enjoy more art.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LA04
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See page 64
Sex, Scandal and the Church
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Examining the fraught dynamic between the Church and human desire, Diarmaid MacCullough’s Lower than the Angels traces Christianity’s 2000-year relationship with our animal instincts.
Christopher Clark ’s A Scandal in Konigsberg reveals the strange case of a sex cult that engulfed the Lutheran church in the 1830s, threatening to tear the city apart. They discuss their new books with Robbie Millen, Literary Editor of The Times and Sunday Times
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LH27
The Reading Revolution
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Reading aloud to little ones really matters. Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, BookTrust’s Annie Crombie and early years expert Tracy Jackson explore the science and everyday magic of shared books, illustrating how reading aloud builds brighter futures. They look to the government’s National Year of Reading 2026 and offer practical tips to spark a love of reading in every child. Let’s make every story time count. With The Times’ Johanna Thomas-Corr
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LC06
In memory of Aidan Chambers
With thanks to our event supporters
Alan Davies
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Following his bestselling memoir Just Ignore Him, Alan Davies makes his Cheltenham debut with White Male Stand-Up, the funny, raw and revealing story of finding comedy, fame and fallout. Talking to Hannah MacInnes, Alan shares how success nearly broke him, and how he kept going when disappearing felt easier.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LE03
Kindly supported by Tarren Production
Sebastian Faulks: A Life
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
In a conversation about his evocative memoir, Sebastian Faulks recalls a post-war rural childhood – ‘cold mutton and wet washing on a rack over the range’ – and the boozesodden heyday of Fleet Street and writing that followed. With Clare Clark , he reflects on a generation shaped by the legacy of war and explores life’s quiet dramas.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LM14
Alternative Book Club
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
An unconventional comedy night about books where there is absolutely NO required reading. Prepare to be entertained and informed by our line up of poets and readers Jamie D’Souza, Robin Ince and Leena Normington, who will be dissecting anything lit: from John Milton’s Paradise Lost to Kim Kardashian’s Selfish and everything in between. Hosted by comedian Shirley Halse
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7.30pm LP05
Mark Cavendish
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£37, £34 Ticket includes a copy of Believe, RRP £22.00. Record-holder for most Tour de France stage wins and one of the most formidable sprinters the sport has ever seen, Mark Cavendish has cemented his place in the history books. Reflecting on his exhilarating career and most unforgettable racing moments, Mark shares his story of struggle, sacrifice and the power of human determination.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LU03
The Haunted Imagination
The Hive
£15
Crumbling turrets, crenelated walls, creaking floorboards. We all know a haunted house when we see – or feel – one. Join Caitlin BlackwellBaines and Ben Machell for an unnerving exploration of the psychology and cultural obsessions that shape our belief in the supernatural – and why, even in a rational age, we still find ourselves afraid of the dark. Then grab a drink from the bar and step into the world of Penny Dreadfuls with eerie storytelling curated by Moth Sanctuary Productions – for those who thrill when a chill creeps down your spine...
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–9pm LH24
Picks from Japan: Mizuki Tsujimura
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Is there anyone in the afterlife you wish to see? This is the question asked in Mizuki Tsujimura’s runaway Japanese bestselling series, a strange and beautiful exploration of love, loss and meaning. In conversation with Daniel Hahn, the muchloved author reflects on her captivating tales that blend a unique combination of emotion, mystery and magic.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LR30
Presented in collaboration with the Japan Foundation. Kindly supported by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
With thanks to our
28 November - 5 December 2026
New York to Southampton
Find yourself in literary heaven surrounded by authors and fellow book lovers on this seven-night Transatlantic Crossing.
Enter now for your chance to win a Balcony Stateroom for two including outbound flights.
Scan the QR code or visit Cunard.com/CLFwin to enter T&C’s apply*
* Competition closes at 23.59 BST on 24 October 2025. UK residents, 18+ only. Prize is for two adults sharing a Balcony Stateroom on voyage M632 departing 28 November 2026 and outbound flights to New York. Exclusions apply. Visit cunard.com/CLFwin for full terms and conditions.
Dinner with Matt Tebbutt and Olly Smith
Nook on Five £85 Ticket includes a twocourse dinner with matched wines. Doors open 6.30pm.
Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt owned The Foxhunter Inn for over 13 years and knows how to please hungry customers. He’s joined by co-star and wine expert Olly Smith for a chat over a dinner of British pub classics with a twist, created by Nook on Five and accompanied by Olly’s choice of wines. Treat yourself to a unique night out at Cheltenham’s spectacular rooftop restaurant.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–9.30pm LDF03
Joanna Page: Lush!
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
From a small Welsh village to Love Actually and Gavin & Stacey, Joanna Page talks to Julia Wheeler about her journey to stardom. She shares behind-the-scenes stories, unforgettable moments and the truth about life both on and off screen.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.15–8.15pm LE35
Kindly supported by Kohler Mira
With thanks to our event supporters
Voices of Spanish Noir
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£15
Join two of Spain’s most exciting contemporary authors in conversation with Rosie Goldsmith. A police officer on the shadier side of the law searches Benidorm’s underbelly on the hunt for Reggie Kray’s stolen cigarette lighter in Esther García Llovet’s Spanish Beauty Rosa Ribas’ satirical Far sees a community attempt to live a normal life in an unfinished housing development in the middle of nowhere.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.30–8.30pm LR57
Kindly supported by Instituto Cervantes
Page One: A New Literary Generation
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
What does it mean to be a young writer in Britain today? The Times and Sunday Times Chief Literary Critic Johanna Thomas-Corr speaks with past winners of The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award, Harriet Baker, Tom Benn and Tom Crewe about resilience, carving out a literary life in your 20s and the stories behind their acclaimed books.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LR44
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
The Punk Rebellion
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Join Wag Club founder Chris Sullivan and Byline Times editor Stephen Colegrave in conversation with Deb Grant (Radio 6 DJ and Big Issue writer) as they talk about Punk: The Last Word. A raw, insider take on the movement that shook the world and a rebellious philosophy that still inspires authenticity, resistance and creative freedom nearly 50 years on.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–9.30pm LE30
Make a day of it: Looking for the perfect book lovers retreat? Head to The Snug to swap recommendations, join a community group or immerse yourself in crafts
Breakfast With The Times: Behind the Headlines
Regency Suite,
Queens Hotel
£25 Ticket includes a tea or coffee and a pastry.
Make an informed start to your day. Grab a coffee and a pastry and join Sunday Times Editor Ben Taylor, Chief Political Commentator for The Times Patrick Maguire and Leader writer Jenny McCartney as they take us through the big stories of the morning.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9.15am LC01
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio and kindly supported by BPE Solicitors LLP
Sarah Dunant: The Marchesa
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Sarah Dunant paints a vivid picture of the Italian Renaissance through Isabella d’Este, an icon of fashion and collector of works by artists including Michelangelo, Titian and Leonardo da Vinci. Through archive letters and incredible imagery, Sarah brings to life this most flamboyant and influential of Renaissance women. Chaired by Erica Wagner
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LA13
With thanks to our event supporters Monday 13 October
Lift the lid on Labour’s ruthless progress from electoral wipe-out in 2019 to landslide victory in 2024
Starmer’s Labour: The Story So Far, LC22
The Sunday Times Must Reads: Catherine Airey
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
New York, September 2001. The city is covered with photos of the missing, including Cora’s father. An offer of a new life arrives in the Irish town where her parents grew up, but her presence unearths long hidden family secrets. Catherine Airey discusses her expansive debut, Confessions
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LR19
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Starmer’s Labour: The Story So Far
The Times and Sunday Times Forum £16, £13
Fresh from the Labour Party conference, awardwinning journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund use their insider knowledge to lift the lid on Labour’s ruthless progress from electoral wipe-out in 2019 to landslide victory in 2024. In conversation with Ayesha Hazarika, they take stock of the Prime Minister’s performance so far and the many challenges ahead.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2pm LC22
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Want early access to your Festival favourites?
Become a member and receive priority booking
See page 64
New Voices: Florence Knapp and Claire Lynch
The Hive
£13
What’s in a name? This is the question at the heart of Florence Knapp’s The Names, a meditation on identity, fate and family. In A Family Matter, Claire Lynch asks how we might heal from the wounds of the past and what we might learn from them. They talk to Julia Wheeler about their powerful debut novels that explore choice, chance and belonging.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LR39
Lee Miller is one of the 20th century’s most urgent voices
Lee Miller: Picturing a Life, LA12
Nostalgia: A Dangerous Emotion?
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Once diagnosed as a deadly illness, nostalgia now shapes everything from personal memory to political movements. Novelist Georgi Gospodinov, historian Agnes Arnold-Forster and psychologist Catherine Loveday explore how longing for the past impacts our identities, societies and future and ask whether nostalgia is a refuge or a risk.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LQ04
Make
a day of it: Enjoy all our free programme has to offer, announced mid-September Make sure you grab a copy in print, online, or via the Cheltenham Festivals app
Lee Miller: Picturing a Life
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
From her participation in French surrealism to her fashion and war photography, Lee Miller is one of the 20th century’s most urgent artistic voices. Ami Bouhassane, Lee’s granddaughter and Director of Miller’s archive at Farleys House, and Hilary Floe, curator of the landmark 2025 Tate Britain exhibition Lee Miller, join Charlotte Jansen to explore the life, work and legacy of the trailblazing photographer.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LA12
Spotlight on talent development
Spotlight is our year-round talent development programme offering a wide range of opportunities for all ages to engage with literature, providing an invaluable platform for new talent and supporting writers and performers throughout their career.
New Voices
Look out for our New Voices series highlighting the hottest emerging writers throughout the programme.
Proof Parties
Introducing upcoming novelists before they’re even published, with Cheltenham audiences being among the first to take away their novels in proof form.
Lit Crawl
in association with Cheltenham BID
Saturday 11 October
A diverse programme of events showcasing up-andcoming authors, performers, poets and comedians in exciting formats and spaces around Cheltenham.
Look out for the Spotlight icon throughout the programme.
Find out how you can help us continue to support emerging artists on pages 64 and 102.
Image: Lee Miller Archives
Hen Party
Story Shack
£13
Join gardener and selfproclaimed ‘henfluencer’ Arthur Parkinson for a feathered fête as he introduces his gorgeously illustrated compendium of chickens. Ask your questions, pick up hen husbandry tips and meet his fabulous ‘girls’. A must for garden dreamers, chicken keepers and poultryloving partygoers!
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LN11
Harold and Marcia
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
A giant of 20th-century politics, Harold Wilson helped shape modern Britain. Former Labour minister
Alan Johnson and author Linda McDougall explore his legacy and relationship with Marcia Williams, his powerful and controversial adviser. Offering fresh insights into Wilson’s achievements – and the woman said to have helped drive them – they talk to Clare Clark about this political partnership.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LH15
David Suchet talks all things Agatha
Christie with Rachel Trethewey and Ann Cleeves
Agatha Christie: Queen of Crime? LD12
Agatha Christie: Queen of Crime?
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
Agatha Christie’s popularity has endured, finding fans in some of the most best-known crime writers of our time. Yet, her books are often dismissed as the original cosy crime. Is she misrepresented? Actor David Suchet , Christie biographer Rachel Trethewey and novelist Ann Cleeves find out. Chaired by Mike Gayle
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LD12
Inside Auschwitz
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
What compels people to become perpetrators – and what does survival demand in the darkest of times?
Biographer Anne Sebba and historian Laurence Rees delve into the moral and psychological complexities of the Nazi camps. In a conversation with Clare Clark , they reflect on authority, fear, complicity and resilience, inviting us to confront the nuanced human stories behind one of history’s darkest chapters.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LH11
Diana Henry and Claudia Roden
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Buy books by your favourite Festival authors from our online Waterstones bookshop
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. Two of our finest food writers talk to Tim Hubbard about their work, friendship and using food as a lens through which to see places, people and history.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LL05
A Wilder Way: Notes From the Garden
The Hive
£13
Devon-based horticulturalist
Poppy Okotcha and Sarah Raven protégé Arthur Parkinson share the inspiring, the mundane and the magical moments that arise from tending a garden throughout the year. They sit down with Julia Wheeler to talk about what they love most in their own green spaces – and why those small, grounding joys of connecting with nature are so vital for both our bodies and our minds.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LL04
Scribner Proof Party
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£35 Ticket includes a glass of fizz and a goody bag of limited edition proofs.
Scribner introduces three forthcoming debuts: in Ana Kinsella’s Frida Slattery as Herself, a relationship is tested across 17 years from Dublin to LA and back again; in Gab Torr’s Hard Place, recently dumped Billy carves a life in the city; in Lior Torenberg’s darkly comic Just Watch Me, a woman livestreams to fund her sister’s life support.
Chaired by Sam Baker
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR25
Into Being: Writing Memoir
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Lily Dunn and Caroline Sanderson discuss the art of memoir, drawing on their experience as both readers and writers of the genre to reflect on how memory is shaped, how to write honestly without harming yourself or others and how today’s memoirists are reinventing the form in bold, subversive ways. Chaired by Andy Rea
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LM15
The Archers Podcast
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Join Emma Freud as she hosts a live recording of The Archers Podcast, her hugely popular BBC Sounds show – celebrating everything you love about The Archers Featuring interviews with the cast and creators, digging deep into the issues behind the stories and delving into the riches of the archive. This is a rare opportunity to watch the show being created, enjoy bonus material and ask your questions.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LE28
Nick Clegg: How to Save the Internet
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
The most powerful tool ever created for bringing the world together risks being dismantled. In conversation with leading AI and technology expert Verity Harding, Meta’s former President of Global Affairs and UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg sets out the radical reforms needed to detoxify Big Tech, sharing a blueprint for the international cooperation needed to ensure the openness of the internet is preserved.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC20
Kindly supported by CyNam
Plan your visit to the Festival on the Cheltenham Festivals app Scan the QR code to download it
With thanks to our event supporters
Georgi Gospodinov
The Hive
£15
Georgi Gospodinov, author of the International Booker Prizewinning novel Time Shelter, introduces his enthralling new novel, Death and the Gardener, about a father, a son and an orphaned garden. He is joined by the book’s translator Angela Rodel as they talk to Rosie Goldsmith
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR59
John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
More than just collaborators, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were emotional soulmates. Ian Leslie explores their deep, complex relationship – marked by love, tension and loss – through the unforgettable songs they left behind. He talks to former Labour minister and Beatles fan Alan Johnson about his revelatory and critically acclaimed biography.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LM12
The Baillie Gifford Prize
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£15
Following the announcement on 2 October of the shortlisted books for this year’s £50,000 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, we join Prize Director Toby Mundy, Chair of the judging panel Robbie Millen and fellow judge Inaya Folarin Iman for a fascinating overview of the shortlisted books and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the judging process.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC48
Maurice and Maralyn
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
What else is a marriage, if not being stuck on a raft with someone and trying to survive? Sophie Elmhirst talks to Caroline Sanderson about her award-winning true story of a couple who swapped 1970s suburbia for the sea, only to face shipwreck and survival on the open ocean – a profound exploration of love and the resilience it takes to stay afloat together.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LT08
An Evening with Nigel Slater
Nook on Five
£85 Ticket includes a twocourse dinner and a drink. Doors open 6.30pm. Join us for a rare audience with Nigel Slater as he shares A Thousand Feasts – his exquisitely crafted memoir of small joys, quiet rituals and the sensory pleasures that shape a life. Enjoy dinner at Cheltenham’s spectacular rooftop restaurant in the company of one of our most beloved and influential food writers.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–9.30pm LDF04
Knackered Mums’ Night Out Dunkertons Taproom
£20 Ticket includes a drink on arrival.
Grab a drink and join us for a night of solidarity and saying the unsayable. Comedian Shirley Halse hosts a straight-talking lineup featuring author Holly Bourne, The Sunday Times’ Laura Pullman and Becky Barnicoat, cartoonist for The New Yorker, New Statesman, Private Eye and more. They tackle parenting against the grain, from defying expectations to finding joy in doing things your own way.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.30–9pm LDF14
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Women’s Health in Crisis
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Women’s health is routinely dismissed and forgotten, with a fraction of the research into conditions related to women, pregnancy and birth. Why?
Journalist and broadcaster Naga Munchetty, who suffered from endometriosis and adenomyosis for 20 years before diagnosis, is joined by former MP Theo Clarke, who set up the Birth Trauma Alliance after her own horrific experience of birth. Chaired by Mary Ann Sieghart
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LX03
Political Trouble and Strife
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Broadcasters and close friends Sarah Vine and Andrew Pierce are in conversation about their Sunday Times bestselling memoirs How Not to be a Political Wife and Finding Margaret. One with a story about the breakdown of relationships, the other about trying to build one.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE43
Donating
£20
could help place authors in local schools to inspire children in intensive yearround projects to improve literacy rates
Ash Sarkar: Minority Rule
The Hive
£15
We live under minority rule. But who is the ruling minority and is the collective power of ordinary people under attack? In conversation with Vicky Spratt , journalist and political commentator Ash Sarkar 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.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC18
William Hague: Back to Oxford
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
The Times columnist and former Foreign Secretary William Hague joins us in conversation with Times Radio’s Ayesha Hazarika to reflect on the journey that has led him back to the institution he first entered as a 17 year old, fresh out of comprehensive school. They discuss the enormous impact of the University throughout its history, the challenges facing Oxford today and his own mission as the 160th Chancellor of the institution.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC51
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Image: Rachel Joseph BBC
Martin Parr
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
When Martin Parr was 14, his teacher wrote that he was ‘utterly lazy and inattentive’. Now, his scenes of seaside resorts, crowds, fetes and placards have made him one of the most successful photographers in the world. Accompanied by some of his favourite images, Martin speaks to Charlotte Jansen about his extraordinary career.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LA02
Plant Power
Dunkertons Taproom
£13
Vegan chef Gaz Oakley planted a kitchen garden to explore the full potential of home-grown produce. He joins forces with ecological horticulturist and founder of @nettlesandpetals Jamie Walton to bring you an inspiring session on seasonal growing, wild food and sustainable gardening. Expect soil-friendly tips, zero-waste hacks and flavour-packed recipes. It’s time to grow, cook and live greener.
Chaired by Daze Aghaji.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 11am–12pm LDF18
With thanks to our event supporters
Image:
Julie Smith
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Life is complex and sometimes it can be hard to navigate the moments of confusion and selfdoubt. Take on anything life throws your way with words of wisdom from Julie Smith, bestselling clinical psychologist and author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LQ11
Writing for Wellbeing Walk
Off-site Walk
£20 Meet at Box Office, Montpellier Gardens. With stress levels at record highs and mental health at record lows, spending time in nature is as important as ever. Join author and forager Andy Hamilton on a walk exploring nature through writing and finding moments of stillness. Grab your notepads and pens and answer the call of the wild.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–2pm LN09
Hope for the Future
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Author and campaigner Emily Buchanan and futures expert Sarah Housley blend storytelling and strategy to inspire climate action and resilience. Buchanan’s Send Flowers explores grief, activism and radical softness, while Housley’s Designing Hope shows us a vision of optimism through the lens of four potential futures. Chaired by Daniel Hahn
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LR48
AI and Me: A Guide for the Perplexed
The
Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
How worried should we be about AI? Will it really impact our daily lives so much? From the workplace to healthcare, creativity and our leisure time, leading expert on AI and society Richard Susskind, computer scientist and AI specialist Michael Wooldridge and Government advisor on AI Laura Gilbert offer a roadmap for approaching AI and tackle the big questions to explore its real-world implications. With The Times Technology Business Editor Katie Prescott
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2pm LC45
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Reclaim your health to boost your energy, clear your mind and live a long, vibrant life.
Hack Yourself Healthy with Julia Bradbury, LDF24
Raising Hare
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
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. She talks to broadcaster Sophie Raworth about this memoir of unlikely friendship and choosing to live differently.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LN03
Make a day of it:
Visit the Feast Cafe for a selection of treats from our street food vendors. Plus, a percentage of every purchase helps fund our charitable work
With the Law on Our Side
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
How can we trust that the law is on our side and that our ancient, vast judiciary system is fit for purpose? Awardwinning barrister Charlotte Proudman and former President of the UK Supreme Court Brenda Hale discuss how the law works, why we should all care about it and how we can make it function better for everyone with Vicky Spratt
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LC42
The Sunday Times Must Reads:
Callum McSorley
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Gambling, gangsters and Glasgow grit await with previous winner of The McIlvanney Prize Callum McSorley’s newest novel, Paperboy. Raw and witty, it’s perfect for fans of Peter James. Don’t miss this rising star of Scottish crime fiction in conversation with The Times and Sunday Times Literary Editor Robbie Millen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LR20
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
The Spectre of Russia
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
The threat of Russian aggression persists over Europe. Against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine and a NATO commitment to increase defence spending, what are the implications for Russia’s bordering countries? Journalist Stephanie Baker joins Russian strategy expert Andrew Monaghan, Professor of East European Politics Kataryna Wolczuk and journalist Oliver Moody to examine why Russia’s closest neighbours are pivotal to the future of Europe and the wider world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LC10
Hack Yourself Healthy with Julia Bradbury
Nook on Five
£25 Ticket includes a wellness cocktail. Doors open 3.30pm. Join TV presenter Julia Bradbury to uncover health and wellness hacks, from ancient practices to cuttingedge science. Learn how to boost your wellbeing, build resilience, and take control of your health – physically, emotionally and naturally. Don’t miss this inspiring opportunity to kickstart your transformation.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LDF24
Marie Antoinette: Queen of Fashion
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
A complex fashion icon, Marie Antoinette is an enduring inspiration for design, fashion, film and art; conjuring up a vibrant world of excess filled with satin shoes, rustling silks, gravity-defying hairstyles and then, of course, bloody revolution. Curator of the V&A’s Marie Antoinette Style exhibition Sarah Grant and historian and broadcaster Madeleine Pelling explore the life and influence of the most fashionable (and illfated) queen in history with Amber Butchart
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LA10
Lest We Forget
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
In this year of WWII remembrance, 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. This is living history shared by those who shaped it and a powerful reflection on commemoration and why it matters.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LH13
Courses for Horses
The Hive £13
The racecourses of Britain and Ireland are as various as the people you meet there. Journeying around courses from Cheltenham to Curragh, spend a day at the races with Nicholas Clee as he charts the dedication, skill and expertise that make racing one of our most popular sports. Chaired by Matthew Stadlen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LU02
Fig Tree
Proof Party
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£35 Ticket includes a glass of fizz and a goody bag of limited edition proofs.
Fig Tree introduces three upcoming debuts exploring dysfunctional families: in Fran Fabriczki’s Porcupines, the daughter of a Hungarian immigrant tracks down her mysterious father; Angela Tomaski’s The Infamous Gilberts sees five siblings growing up in a crumbling stately home; in Grace Murray’s Blank Canvas, a student concocts a web of lies involving her supposedly dead father. Chaired by Daniel Hahn
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR21
Indigenous Narratives
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Experience an evening of vibrant storytelling with Morgan Talty* and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson* as they explore Indigenous life, memory and survival through bold, genredefying narratives rooted in Penobscot and Nishnaabeg worlds. Witness these compassionate and radical voices in conversation as they talk to our Literary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LR65
Jojo Moyes
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Join the Me Before You author as she dives into the chaos of the Kennedy household in her latest remarkable novel, We All Live Here. A recently broken marriage, two wayward daughters, an elderly stepfather quietly moving in and an estranged father appearing to make amends. This is Jojo Moyes at her best. Chaired by Julia Wheeler
This is Jojo Moyes at her best
Jojo Moyes, LR52
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR52
Jacqueline Wilson
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Beloved children’s author
Jacqueline Wilson returns with an adult sequel to The Illustrated Mum. Now 33, desperate for change and overwhelmed by choices ahead of her, can Dolphin Westward learn to forge a path of her own? In conversation with Ella Dove
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR55
How to Win an Election
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
What’s really going on behind the big stories and elections taking place here and around the world? In this special live edition of the hugely popular Times Radio podcast, strategists Daniel Finkelstein, Sally Morgan and Polly Mackenzie join Hugo Rifkind on stage for a witty and adversarial conversation.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC31
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
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Story of a Murder
The Hive £15
Hallie Rubenhold, author of the Baillie Gifford Prizewinning true crime sensation The Five, returns with a powerful new work. She joins critic Stephanie Merritt to explore how true crime often simplifies history – and how rethinking the genre can restore nuance and voice to victims and forgotten women behind the headlines.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LH16
The Language of Intimacy
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Ita O’Brien, Intimacy Coordinator for productions including Normal People, Sex Education and I May Destroy You, joins psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz for a powerful conversation about intimacy. From onscreen choreography to real-life relationships, they share expert insight into how to build trust, communicate needs and sustain emotional and physical connection through every stage of life. Chaired by Nick Purchase
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LL03
Raise The Bar
Dunkertons Taproom
£15
What’s really going on behind the big stories and elections taking place here and around the world?
How to Win an Election, LC31
The South West’s leading live poetry night Raise the Bar returns with an electrifying line-up. Headlining is awardwinning Hollie McNish sharing brand new work from her highly anticipated collection Virgin. She’s joined by Laurie Bolger and Deanna Rodger for dynamic performances and a night that hits hard and stays with you.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8.30pm LP02
With thanks to our event supporters
Where people really count
The Italian Table
Nook on Five
£90 Ticket includes a threecourse dinner and a drink. Doors open 6.30pm.
Beat the famed queues for iconic London restaurants Trullo and Padella and join celebrated Italian cheffounder Tim Siadatan for a memorable Italian dinner. With Amber Guinness, cook and host of The Arniano Painting School whose latest book celebrates the quiet beauty of off-season Tuscany, they talk to Tim Hubbard about the places, people and dishes that continue to inspire them.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–10pm LDF09
Graham Norton
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£22, £19
Born from a lifetime of observing people, Festival favourite, broadcaster and author Graham Norton has a rare gift for capturing the complexities of being human in all its sharp, funny, flawed and deeply moving ways. He joins Julia Wheeler to talk about his latest novel, Frankie
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE29
Kindly supported by Hazlewoods
Mary Portas: I Shop, Therefore I Am
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Mary Portas joins Sam Baker for a live edition of The Shift podcast, recalling her trailblazing transformation of Harvey Nichols in the 1990s – from dowdy department store to pop-culture icon – and how she redefined retail with fearless creativity, instinct and vision.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LL13
Queens of Fever Dreams
The Hive £15
Dive into the surreal with Mona Awad and Sarah Rose Etter
We Love You, Bunny, described as Frankenstein by way of Heathers, is the follow-up to Awad’s cult classic, Bunny Etter’s The Book of X explores one woman’s life and death against a landscape of meat, office desks and bad men.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LR33
Ivo Graham: Yardsticks for Failure
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Ivo Graham reflects on the whirlwind years of 2022–2024 in his memoir, Yardsticks For Failure. A heartfelt account of chaos, challenge and constant motion. Join him and chair Matthew Stadlen for an evening of sharp stories and self-deprecating wit as he unpacks two unforgettable years of gigs, grief, game shows and growing up.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE22
Mark Billingham’s Book Quiz
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15 Suitable for 18+ only. Bar open throughout.
Do you know your Archer from your Amis? Your Osman from your Ozymandias? Mark Billingham’s Book Quiz is all about taking part, obviously, and the emphasis is on fun as opposed to the unique and timeless glory of winning. Or is it...?
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–10pm LE38
Wednesday 15 October
Gloucester Cathedral and Tower Tour
Gloucester Cathedral
£20 Meet on College Green. Experience stunning architecture and vast history with an exclusive tour of the cathedral and its tower. Climb all 269 steps to the top to be rewarded with breathtaking views across the county and see the only medieval bell of its size still in use.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10am–12pm LG03
Ancient Rome in Fifty Monuments
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Over centuries, a small village in Italy was transformed into the crowning glory of an empire. Former Ashmolean curator Paul Roberts takes us on an illustrated tour of ancient Rome to tell the story of its emperors and the motivations behind the monuments they built, from the mighty Colosseum to the dazzling gleam of the baths of Caracalla and Diocletian.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LH29
PMQs Unpacked
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
It is one of the most distinctive features of our parliamentary process, but have you ever wondered what on earth is going on at Prime Minister’s Questions? Join Times Radio presenter Hugo Rifkind, Chief Political Commentator Patrick Maguire and their special guest as they pause the action live from Westminster to explain all.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LC50
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Between Fact and Fiction
Pillar Room, Town Hall,
£13
Enjoy a rare conversation between two of contemporary literature’s most unflinching voices.
Talking to Sam Baker, Chris Kraus and Constance Debré* discuss their latest novels exploring class, inheritance and the blurred lines between life and literature.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LR15
Max Hastings: Sword
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
Historian and Times columnist Max Hastings talks to Gabrielle Bertin about Sword, a gripping portrayal of the brutal, chaotic reality of D-Day. From the inexperienced soldiers facing relentless fire on Normandy’s beaches to crucial airborne assaults, he brings to life the courage, strategy and sacrifice behind the Allied victory that marked the turning point of WWII.
12.30–1.30pm LH08
Turner and Constable: A Tale of Two Artists
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Two titans of landscape painting and great rivals born just 14 months apart, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable changed the face of British art. To mark 250 years since their births, art historian Nicola Moorby and Tate Britain Curator Amy Concannon explore the intertwined lives and legacies of Turner and Constable with Gavin Plumley
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LA03
In memory of Rosemary Harvey
With thanks to our
Image: Alan Marcus
Exploring the World in Later Life
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Travelling in later life and retirement is a luxury many look forward to and often will do alone. Our guests talk about their recent adventures and books and make some tantalising recommendations. With Monisha Rajesh, Hilary Bradt and Alastair Sawday
Chaired by Tim Hubbard
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LT09
Kindly supported by Attivo
Can You Run the Economy?
The Hive
£13
You’ve just become the Chancellor of the Exchequer, one of the most powerful people in Britain. You’re one year out from a General Election, and the Budget is approaching. The stakes are high and the prosperity of millions lies in your hands. But if you play your cards right, you’ll grow the economy and make the country a wealthier and happier place. Join award-winning Bloomberg reporter Joe Mayes for this eye-opening interactive discussion revealing just what it takes to run the nation’s finances. In conversation with The Times Chief Political Commentator, Patrick Maguire
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LC39
Tracking Trump: The First Year
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
Cut through the noise and try to make sense of the second Trump presidency with our panel as they review a dizzying year of executive orders, policy changes, Oval Office confrontations and tariffs mayhem. Join The Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, The Times Washington Editor Katy Balls, Bloomberg reporter Stephanie Baker and The Sunday Times News Review Editor Josh Glancy for their expert insights.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LC37
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Castaway Characters
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Which literary character would you most like to be shipwrecked with? Everyone’s favourite classic literature debate returns for 2025 with a new theme. Reigning champ Andrew Hunter Murray defends his crown against historian and writer Sarah Churchwell and biographer Rachel Trethewey in our literary tussle of opinions hosted by Caroline Hutton
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LD11
A Better Menopause
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Discover how to feel your best through menopause and beyond with broadcaster and campaigner Mariella Frostrup and chef Belles Berry. Drawing on their book Menolicious, they share tips and recipes to support hormone balance, energy and wellbeing – and show you how to thrive through this stage of life.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LL19
Learning to Listen
The Hive
£13
Why does so much of our daily lives leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves, others and the world around us? From creating deeper connections to rediscovering lost sounds, authors Alice Vincent and Emily Kasriel explore the quiet art of listening to others and our surroundings in a world that has grown too loud. Chaired by Sam Baker
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LQ09
With thanks to our event supporters
The Borough Press Proof Party
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£35 Ticket includes a glass of fizz and a goody bag of limited edition proofs. The Borough Press presents three upcoming debuts: Lori Inglis Hall ’s The Shock of the Light explores the shattering impact of war on ordinary people; Rosie Storey’s Dandelion Is Dead sees confusing chemistry as Poppy impersonates her dead sister on a date; in Imani Thompson’s Honey, female rage takes centre stage as a serial killer finds her calling. Chaired by Daniel Hahn
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR22
Write Now
A writing for voice and agency project delivered in partnership with poet John Bernard and Altus School giving young people excluded from mainstream education the opportunity and platform to express their voice creatively.
Watch out for a Write Now event taking place in VOICEBOX during the Festival. Learn more at cheltenhamfestivals.org/news/ write-now
Far From Home
Town Hall, Pillar Room
£13
Travel is not always a choice – sometimes it’s a necessity driven by political upheaval or hardship. Noo Saro-Wiwa’s acclaimed travel memoir explores the lives of African economic migrants in China. Uyghur poet Tahir Hamut Izgil* fled Chinese state persecution to seek asylum abroad. With our Literary Explorer in Residence Ann Morgan and translator Joshua Freeman*, they reflect on migration, cultural dislocation and the emotional toll of living far from your homeland.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LT07
Female rage takes centre stage
The Borough Press Proof Party, LR22
Understanding the Middle East
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Against the backdrop of a devastating crisis in Gaza, ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran and escalating regional instability, we examine what’s next for the Middle East. Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies Vali Nasr, Professor of International Relations Fawaz Gerges and other experts offer their analysis of the region and implications for the wider international community.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC47
The Great Gatsby
The Hive
£15
One hundred years on, The Great Gatsby still captivates and confounds readers.
Sarah Churchwell offers fresh insights that challenge myths about the ‘Jazz Age’ and explores why Fitzgerald’s novel – rich with illicit desire, grand illusions and lost dreams – remains one of the 20th century’s most misunderstood and powerful works.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LD09
* This participant is appearing digitally
Irvine Welsh and John Niven
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Irvine Welsh reassembles the iconic Trainspotting crew in Men In Love, propelling them into a new decade of rave culture, romance and reinvention. John Niven’s The Fathers explores class, masculinity and grief as the lives of two Glasgow men collide. Join them as they explore what it means to be a man in changing times.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR12
Tristan Gooley
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
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, give us to gain rich insights into our turning year. The seasons will never look, sound or smell the same again.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LN05
Kindly supported by Leaf Creative
England Cricket’s Oldest Record
Town Hall, Pillar Room
£13
In 1902, Gilbert Jessop’s rapid century against Australia secured a historic victory for England. But the circumstances of his astonishing performance have long been shrouded in mystery. Using forgotten sources, Simon Wilde investigates the details of this legendary innings, reconstructing the match and revealing how Jessop’s explosive style revolutionised cricket. Chaired by Matthew Stadlen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LU10
Kindly supported by Peter Stormonth Darling Charitable Trust
International Bookshelf
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Ticket includes a glass of wine or a beer.
Join literary luminaries Rosie Goldsmith, Ann Morgan and Daniel Hahn to celebrate international fiction. Over a glass of wine, they’ll recommend hidden literary gems from voices around the world and explore how stories cross borders and cultures. A unique salon for curious readers and global minds.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LR60
Eat to Thrive
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
What if the key to feeling better, living longer and thinking more clearly was already on your plate? Join Rupy Aujla and Jack Mosley as they explore how food shapes our bodies, brains and behaviours. From tackling everyday cravings to preventing chronic disease, they offer no-nonsense advice on simple, sustainable eating habits. You might rethink what you thought you knew about “healthy eating”. Chaired by Tim Hubbard
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LX02
An Evening with Guy Chambers
Dunkertons Taproom
£28 Doors open 7.30pm. A one-off evening with multiaward-winning songwriter Guy Chambers, famous for co-writing some of the most iconic songs of the last 40 years with Robbie Williams, Tina Turner, Kylie Minogue, Mark Ronson and Tom Jones. During the evening, a member of the audience will join Guy to write a song on the spot with him. Expect the stories behind such classics as Angels and Feel, and unique performances of his impressive backlist.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–10pm LDF13
Your Festival, your way. Pick your favourite ticketed events then explore all the Festival village has to offer
Steph McGovern and Mark Billingham
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
DI Tom Thorne returns as his fellow police officers are in the firing line in Mark Billingham’s latest sensational thriller, What the Night Brings. Broadcaster Steph McGovern’s debut Deadline, takes us behind the scenes as a TV reporter is informed live on air of her family’s kidnapping. They talk to Sam Baker
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LR53
Music, love and writing rock stars on the page
Tiffany Murray and Georgina Moore, LE17
Who Rules the World?
Trump, Tech and the Fight for the
Future
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£15
Where does real power lie in the 21st century?
Who Rules the World? LC36
With thanks to our event supporters
Tiffany Murray and Georgina Moore
The Hive £15
Tiffany Murray ’s memoir My Family and Other Rock Stars begins on a farm where Queen are recording the ‘Galileos’ of Bohemian Rhapsody Georgina Moore’s novel River of Stars is inspired by the legendary Eel Pie Island on the River Thames. From Ozzy Osbourne to David Bowie to Georgina’s fictional Ossie Jones, these bestselling and award-winning writers talk to Julia Wheeler about music, love and writing rock stars on the page.
From America vs. China to democracy vs. Elon Musk, where does real power lie in the 21st century? In a live episode of Past Present Future, the history of ideas podcast, David Runciman and politician, journalist and philosopher Bruno Maçães ask which are the most dangerous fault lines in our world: fights over territory, money, ideology, or AI capabilities we can’t even imagine. Special guest to be announced.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC36
Kindly supported by CyNam
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE17
Plan your visit to the Festival on the Cheltenham Festivals app
Scan the QR code to download it
Professional development for educators
The Future of Reading Conference
Monday 13 October, 9.30am–4.45pm
Cheltenham Racecourse
The world is changing: children are accessing stories in new and innovative ways. We need to adapt to meet them where they are, while continuing to promote the joy that reading can bring.
Join us for a conference that will empower and equip you to create a culture of reading for pleasure that is fit for the future.
✓ Keynotes from authors
✓ Panel discussions
✓ Interactive sessions
✓ A choice of workshops led by literacy organisations and writers
Whether you are a senior leader, ECT, experienced teacher or librarian, The Future of Reading conference will give you the tools and practical ideas to refresh your practice, engage your pupils, and ignite their love of reading.
Featuring...
Bobby Joseph Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Sharna Jackson
...and many more
£90 Ticket includes the full day’s programme, two workshops of your choice, lunch and refreshments
To book a place email education@cheltenhamfestivals.org or scan the QR code
Thursday 16 October
Breakfast With The Times: Behind the Headlines
Regency Suite,
Queens Hotel
£25 Ticket includes a tea or coffee and a pastry.
Make an informed start to your day. Grab a coffee and a pastry and join The Sunday Times News Review Editor
Josh Glancy, Joe Mayes and Times Radio’s Rosie Wright as they take us through the big stories of the morning.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9.15am LC02
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio and kindly supported by BPE Solicitors LLP
Reporting the Royals
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Lift the lid on life as a royal reporter, from the chaos of press packs on tour to decoding palace briefs with Royal Editors and podcasters Roya Nikkhah (The Sunday Times) and Kate Mansey (The Times)
Chaired by The Times and Times Radio executive editor Jeremy Griffin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LC38
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Gloucester Cathedral and Tower Tour
Gloucester Cathedral
£20 Meet on College Green. Experience stunning architecture and vast history with an exclusive tour of the cathedral and its tower. Climb all 269 steps to the top to be rewarded with breathtaking views across the county and see the only medieval bell of its size still in use.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10am–12pm LG04
Nordic Noir
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
From Edvard Munch to Mamma Andersson, the British Museum is home to a remarkable collection of Scandinavian graphic art. Moving through dark fjords to densely crowded urban spaces, curator Jennifer Ramkalawon shares prints and drawings that explore themes of nature, identity and heritage through a uniquely Nordic lens. Chaired by Gavin Plumley
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LA11
Big ideas, brilliant books and free fun all in one Festival experience. Don’t forget to check out our free programme, announced midSeptember, across print, online or via our app
Craftland: Rediscovering Britain’s Lost Arts
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
For generations, Britain’s landscapes, identities and communities have been shaped by craft and what we’ve made with our hands. Travelling the length of the country, broadcaster and art historian James Fox and master stonemason Andrew Ziminski explore this rich legacy, from hand-built cathedrals to ancient rural workshops, to uncover a way of life not yet lost, whose wisdom could shape our future.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LH23
With thanks to our event supporters
Seamus Heaney Study Day
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£40 Ticket includes two events and refreshments. Explore the life and work of Seamus Heaney and uncover his profound influence on modern poetry.
12.30–3pm LP08
Life and Work
Join Rosie Lavan, Bernard O’Donoghue and Matthew Hollis, editors of the new collection The Poems of Seamus Heaney for a rare opportunity to reflect on the remarkable body of work left by Seamus Heaney, one of the most influential poets of our time. They’ll delve into the enduring power of his poetry, share insights into his creative life and present a selection of previously unseen poems drawn from his archive.
North: 50 Years On
Fifty years on, Seamus Heaney’s North remains a landmark in modern poetry, as relevant today as it was in 1975. A powerful response to the Troubles, this landmark collection gave voice to a fractured Ireland and reshaped the poetic landscape. To mark its anniversary, poet John McAuliffe reflects on its lasting impact and why North still resonates so fiercely. With thanks
The Changing Aristocracy
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
There are fewer than 5000 people who can genuinely claim to be members of the British aristocracy, yet we are fascinated by their houses and estates, their lives and loves, their foibles and eccentricities.
Author Eleanor Doughty (Heirs and Graces) has interviewed many of them, and is joined by Violet Manners, Viscountess Garnock, Caroline Harrowby, 8th Countess of Harrowby (The Pieces of Us) and Harry Beaufort, 12th Duke of Beaufort (The Unlikely Duke) to discuss the aristocracy’s relevance, adaptation and survival. Chaired by Caroline Sanderson
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2pm LE45
Tastes of India
Dunkertons Taproom
£30 Ticket includes street food bites from Jai Ho. Journey across India with chefs Roopa Gulati and Romy Gill as they celebrate the vibrant regional food that makes up a nation. From the smoky kitchens of Gujarat to the monsoon-washed backwaters of the Kerala, they bring the sights, sounds and flavours of India to your table, accompanied by light bites from Jai Ho at Dunkertons.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2.30pm LDF19
Who Cares For Our Carers?
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey shares his journey as a carer for his mother and now his son, John. Lindsey Burrow inspired the nation through her care for her husband Rob in his years living with Motor Neurone Disease. In a powerful conversation about the realities of caregiving, they highlight the struggles of millions of unpaid carers in the UK and call for systemic change. Chaired by Georgina Godwin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LM07
Hortobiography
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Carol Klein is one of our most cherished horticulturists and gardening presenters. Recalling a life lived happily amongst the greenery, she talks to Tim Hubbard about the people, places and plants that have shaped her life and shares a few gardening tips and recommendations.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LL18
Kindly supported by Leaf Creative
Ticket to Ride
The Hive
£13
Celebrating 200 years of passenger rail, “train nut”
Tom Chesshyre and fellow enthusiast Andrew Martin invite you on a whistle-stop tour around the country, delighting in the charm, chaos and enduring romance of the railways. Just the ticket for those with a soft spot for station stops, old trains and journeys mapped in miles, not minutes.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LT04
Church Tour: Winchcombe and Hailes
St Peter’s Church, Winchcombe
£20 Meet at St Peter’s Church. You will need your own transport to Hailes. Join stonemason and church conservator Andrew Ziminski for a guided tour of St Peter’s in Winchcombe, as he shares his expertise on the architectural history of our medieval churches. The tour will also take in the beautiful 12th century church in nearby Hailes, with its wonderful collection of medieval wall paintings.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–5pm LH17
Just Say It
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£13
Ever get that ‘deer in the headlights’ feeling when it’s time to speak up? Britain’s leading speech coach Susie Ashfield is here to help. Learn to deliver a knockout pitch, network like you enjoy it, or request the pay rise you deserve. Come away with confidence and techniques that work.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LDF12
Penny Lancaster with Jane Garvey and Fi Glover
The
Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
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 and life with husband Rod Stewart and the challenges she’s faced, from childhood bullying and trauma to her role as a Special Constable on the streets of London.
Prisoners of Geography
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Put the ‘geo’ back into geopolitics. In 2015, Tim Marshall published his hugely successful book detailing the way geography shapes the choices of world leaders –here, he discusses his fully updated 10th anniversary edition and offers crucial insights into today’s foreign policy challenges.
In conversation with Georgina Godwin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LC08
The Mother Shift
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Emma Barnett reports from the frontline of motherhood, exploring the soaring highs and challenging lows of maternity leave and its impact on women’s sense of purpose. Joined by Lucy Jones, author of the Women’s Prizelonglisted Matrescence, they discuss the profound physical and mental changes mothers face, societal attitudes toward motherhood and the often-overlooked challenges shaping women’s lives during this transformative time.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LL02
To
know a church is to hold a key to the past...
Andrew Ziminski
With thanks to our event supporters
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LE31
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Tales of Rural Ireland
The Hive £13
Discover the heart of rural Ireland in two captivating tales of fractured families. Join Garrett Carr and Alan Murrin in conversation with Tim Hubbard, exploring communities in flux, from a foundling in a coastal village to a mother’s fight for her children in 1990s Donegal.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR32
Canongate Proof Party
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£35 Ticket includes a glass of fizz and a goody bag of limited edition proofs. Canongate presents three exciting forthcoming debuts: in Katya Balen’s Our Numbered Bones, a woman escapes to rural England to cure writer’s block; I. O. Echeruo’s The Comfort of Distant Stars sees a physicist haunted by an Igbo God; in Y. M. Abdel-Magied ’s At Sea, an expert driller takes control of a deadly oil rig operation. Chaired by Sarah Shaffi
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR24
Stories from the Small Boats Crisis
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Each year, tens of thousands of people risk their lives to cross the Channel in small boats hoping to find safety in Britain. Investigative journalist Nicola Kelly, travel writer Horatio Clare and author Mir Rahimi, who at 13 was forced to flee Afghanistan to seek sanctuary in the UK, explore Britain’s intentionally hostile immigration system and the many people working to counteract it. Chaired by Julia Wheeler
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LC13
Burning Eye Books Showcase
The Hive
£15
Buy books by your favourite Festival authors from our online Waterstones bookshop
Celebrating the very best of performance poetry and spoken word, Bristol-based Burning Eye returns with a high-energy showcase of powerful voices and electric verse. Founder Clive Birnie hosts the very best of Burning Eye: Caitlin O’Ryan, Georgie Jones and Rosy Carrick . Expect an evening of bold, brilliant work and unforgettable poetry that pushes boundaries and speaks straight to the heart.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LP07
How to Write Historical Fiction
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£55 Ticket includes a tea or coffee and refreshments.
Historical fiction has to accommodate the facts of the historical record while leaving imaginative space for both writer and reader. How do we balance historical fact with the demands of character and plot? We’ll explore the challenges through discussion and exercises. Sarah Burton and Jem Poster are the authors of the acclaimed creative writing handbook The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–8pm W05
Stuart Maconie: Desert Island Books
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£15
As well as chatting about his new book, With a Little Help from Their Friends, a fun history of The Beatles, Stuart Maconie unveils his favourite books in the ever-popular Desert Island Books slot. Find out which books are at the top of Stuart’s reading list, and which ones he would save from the waves. Chaired by Georgina Godwin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LE10
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The Secret Painter
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Bookie-obsessed and shambolically dressed, behind closed doors Eric Tucker quietly made over 500 paintings of street scenes, circus performers and busy pubs. Now described as ‘Warrington’s Secret Lowry’, nephew Joe Tucker and curator and art historian Ruth Millington share Eric’s extraordinary story. Chaired by Julia Wheeler
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LA09
Has Medicine Gone Too Far?
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
The boundaries between sickness and health are being redrawn as we see an unprecedented rise in diagnosable conditions, screening programmes and medication. Neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan and neuropsychiatrist Alastair Santhouse consider whether, as a population, we are actually benefitting from this. In conversation with Hannah Barnes
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC25
New Voices Spotlight
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Behind the Barrel: Cider Tour
Dunkertons Taproom
£14 Suitable for 18+ only. From orchard to bottle, go behind the scenes at Dunkertons Cider and discover how their awardwinning organic ciders are made. Explore the presses, vats and fermentation rooms on a guided tour of the cidery and get a flavour for the craft, care and curiosity that go into every drop.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–5.30pm LDF16 6–6.30pm LDF17
The Art of Pairing: Cheese and Cider
Dunkertons Taproom
Celebrate some of this year’s hottest debut fiction
New Voices Spotlight, LR10
Join us as we celebrate some of this year’s hottest debut fiction in our New Voices Spotlight. Christina Fonthes (Where You Go, I Will Go), Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin (Ordinary Saints), Gurnaik Johal (Saraswati) and Gráinne O’Hare (Thirst Trap) talk to Liv Little about becoming a novelist in 2025, the stories they’ve chosen to tell and what the future holds.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.45pm LR10
£30 Ticket includes a cheese and cider tasting flight. Join cheese expert Michael Finnerty and Alistair Duncan from Dunkertons Cider for an exclusive tasting of hand-picked artisan cheeses paired with award-winning organic ciders. Explore the craft behind each creation – perfect for any curd connoisseur, cider enthusiast or curious newcomer.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8.30pm LDF15
Chris Bryant: A Life and a Half
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£19, £16
From Cheltenham College alumni to former priest, current Labour MP Chris Bryant talks about life before politics. Spanning General Franco’s Spain, gay clubs, pulpits and protest lines, Chris talks addiction, faith and identity and tracks the landscape of late 20th century British politics.
Chaired by Tim Hubbard
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE37
No Such Thing as a Fish
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Dan Schreiber, James Harkin and Andrew Hunter Murray record a live episode of their hit podcast with a special guest from the literary world. The show has been downloaded 500 million times, toured the world and covered book-y facts ranging from Roald Dahl’s missing teeth to Ernest Hemingway’s stolen urinal and Agatha Christie’s surfboard. Now the Fish team come to Cheltenham with their four favourite facts from the last seven days.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE33
If we save the sea, we save our world... I’m sure that nothing is more important
David Attenborough, LN02
Conspiracyland
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
No longer fringe beliefs, conspiracy theories have taken over our political sphere. What makes people believe in them and how do we counter them before it’s too late?
Journalist Phil Tinline, whose latest investigation delves into a notorious 1960s political hoax that duped America, is joined by Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey, co-authors of Conspiracy Theory, to pull back the curtain with the BBC’s disinformation specialist Marianna Spring
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC11
Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness
The Hive
£15
Filmmaker and environmental storyteller Colin Butfield – David Attenborough’s longtime collaborator and co-author of Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness – reveals the wonders of our ocean with breathtaking clips from their film. In conversation with Bex Band, he shares Attenborough’s urgent message: this fragile, resilient world can recover – but only if we act now.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9.15pm LN02
Don’t Forget We’re Here
Forever
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Why are so many young people in Britain turning to faith in this age of uncertainty? To find out, author Lamorna Ash attended an evangelical youth festival, Quaker meetings and a silent Jesuit retreat. She talks to former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–9.30pm LG02
Image: Matt Crockett QI Ltd
Breakfast with The Times: Behind the Headlines
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£25 Ticket includes a tea or coffee and a pastry.
Make an informed start to your day. Grab a coffee and a pastry and join The Times Executive Editor Jeremy Griffin, author and journalist Hannah Barnes and The Times columnist
James Marriott as they take us through the big stories of the morning.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9.15am LC03
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio and kindly supported by BPE Solicitors LLP
England’s Story
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Two of our most exciting historians, Alice Loxton and Catherine Clarke present a fresh, unconventional journey through British history. Through snapshots of 18 remarkable individuals at the age of 18 - and 25 poems that bear witness to events from the Great Fire of London to the Miners’ Strike – these voices offer vivid, immersive encounters with the past and a unique way to connect with our nation’s story. Chaired by Clare Clark
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LH22
Pathfinding: Motherhood and Freedom
Dunkertons Taproom
£20 Adult ticket includes a tea or coffee and a pastry. Children are welcome with a free ticket.
The desire to walk is something that defines us, bringing joy, connection and freedom. But what happens when we become mothers? Kerri Andrews and Helen Mort talk to adventurer Bex Band about holding on to your own dreams and sense of self, even amid the chaos and care of family life. Afterwards, you’re invited to join them for a gentle walk through beautiful Dowdeswell Wood.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LDF21
Wrestling with D.H. Lawrence
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£20
One of our greatest and most controversial writers, during his lifetime, D.H. Lawrence’s books were sometimes banned and sometimes burnt. For Geoff Dyer, Lawrence has had a profound influence on his life and work. In his recent BBC series, poet Michael Symmons Roberts attempts to better understand Lawrence through sex, class and nature. They examine Lawrence’s legacy and value to fight back against his many critics with Catherine Brown
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LD15
Church Tour: Winchcombe and Hailes
St Peter’s Church, Winchcombe
With thanks to our event supporters
Your Festival, your way. Pick your favourite ticketed events then explore all the Festival village has to offer
£20 Meet at St Peter’s Church. You will need your own transport to Hailes. Join stonemason and church conservator Andrew Ziminski for a guided tour of St Peter’s in Winchcombe, as he shares his expertise on the architectural history of our medieval churches. The tour will also take in the beautiful 12th century church in nearby Hailes, with its wonderful collection of medieval wall paintings.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30am–1pm LH18
Will AI Save Healthcare?
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Is AI what we need to save healthcare? In her new book Hacking Humanity, TV presenter, documentary maker and journalist Lara Lewington takes us to the cutting edge of scientific research to demystify how new innovations are transforming medicine for the better. In her groundbreaking study Dr Bot, Charlotte Blease reveals how AI, if handled with care, could emerge as the most reliable physician in history.
Chaired by Claudia Hammond
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LX05
The Scribbled Self
Creating Afghanistan’s Free Press
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
Saad Mohseni, CEO of Moby Group, joins the awardwinning Sunday Times foreign correspondent Christina Lamb to recount his two-decade mission to establish a free press in Afghanistan. From launching a radio station to building a media empire, he captures the resilience of Afghans who continue broadcasting under Taliban rule, offering news, entertainment and hope amid turmoil and repression.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LC32
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Curated by previous participants of our Beyond Words project, which put a writer-in-residence in the Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service A guide to writing for wellbeing for young people
Watch out for Scribbled Self events taking place in VOICEBOX during the Festival. Learn more at cheltenhamfestivals.org/the-scribbled-self
Natasha Brown and Sanam Mahloudji
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Two bold new novels explore truth, legacy and power. In Universality, Natasha Brown dissects a viral exposé and its tangled aftermath. Sanam Mahloudji’s The Persians, paints a portrait of a fractured Iranian-American family reckoning with identity, ambition and belonging. They talk with Sarah Shaffi about what holds us together and what tears us apart.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LR29
Samantha Harvey
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Described as our generation’s Virginia Woolf, 2024 Booker Prize winner Samantha Harvey reflects on her remarkable career and novel Orbital. In conversation with Max Porter, they discuss the process behind her awardwinning work, the experience of winning the Booker Prize and the evolving landscape of contemporary fiction.
With thanks to our event supporters
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LR28
The Big Read
On the 10th anniversary of its last outing, we’ve relaunched The Big Read to promote an outstanding debut title. This year we’ve chosen Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time. Find Kaliane in these events:
2–3pm LR36
The Big Read Book Group
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£22
In a special Festival book group, delve into this year’s Big Read with the author herself. Kaliane Bradley ’s, The Ministry of Time, asks what it means to defy history, when history is living in your house. Chaired by Sarah Shaffi
6–7pm LR58
The Ministry of Time
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Celebrate last year’s biggest debut, with author Kaliane Bradley Dive into The Ministry of Time’s bold fusion of time travel, romance and Arctic intrigue. Chaired by Julia Armfield, Kaliane is joined by Sarah Moss to explore our enduring fascination with polar exploration.
Jason Cowley and Fraser Nelson
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Former Editors of The New Statesman and The Spectator respectively, Jason Cowley and Fraser Nelson and are now regular columnists for The Sunday Times and The Times. Join them as they go head to head in this fascinating overview of our politics today. Will Keir Starmer’s stuttering government start to deliver? Will Nigel Farage be our next Prime Minister? Will Donald Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize?
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LC52
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Voices from Conflict
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Palestinian journalist Ahmed Alnaouq is Director of We Are Not Numbers, a project that gives voice to the youth of Gaza. Award-winning reporter Christina Lamb has worked in war zones for over 30 years, sharing the accounts of women of conflicts ranging from Syria to Ukraine with the wider world. They discuss the importance of recording the stories of ordinary people who bear witness to war with Julia Wheeler.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LC23
The Genius of Jane Austen
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£17, £14
Jane Austen’s ground-breaking novels are amongst the most loved in the English language. As we mark 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 with Andrea Gibb, who adapted Miss Austen for the BBC. EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LD02
Geoff Dyer: Homework
Attivo Garden Theatre
£13
Returning to his hometown, 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. Set in a 60s and 70s England caught between post-war austerity and rapid change, Geoff revisits the moments that shaped him: football cards and conkers, doomed beachballs, toy Tommy guns and the exams – 11-plus, O and A Levels – that determined his future.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LM13
With thanks to our event supporters
Image: Robin Christian
Cass Sunstein
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£16, £13
Will AI grant us more freedom, or take it away? Renowned lawyer, behavioural economist and nudge theory pioneer Cass Sunstein draws on decades of behavioural science to explore how AI and digital platforms may be subtly manipulating us. Explaining the dangers of algorithmic influence, he offers practical advice on how to counteract it in our daily lives.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LC09
Kindly supported by CyNam
T. S. Eliot Prize: Peter Gizzi and Ian McMillan
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£13
Combining readings and conversation, T. S. Eliot Prize winner Peter Gizzi joins us for a special event with poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan to discuss his prize-winning collection, Fierce Elegy
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LP01
Kindly supported by the T. S. Eliot Foundation
Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils
Our programme ensures books get into the right hands at the right time. We collaborate with teachers across the country to select books and inspire their pupils.
We offer termly teacher book groups and a variety of book-related activities and resources for both pupils and their teachers, including author webinars and interviews and creative writing challenges.
Find out more at cheltenhamfestivals.org/rtrp or email education@cheltenhamfestivals.org
Ripeness Book Group
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£22
Described by Katherine May as ‘one of our greatest living writers’, Sarah Moss returns with her new novel spanning 1960s Italy and modernday Ireland. In an exclusive Festival book group, she talks about her compelling story of migration, familial love and the communities we create.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR63
Jennifer Hayward
Want early access to your Festival favourites?
Become a member and receive priority booking
See page 64
Dress Codes
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
For centuries, royal fashion and dress codes have symbolized status and conveyed both personal and political messages. Guest Curator Tracy Borman is joined by fashion historian Rosie Harte, men’s dresswear expert Mark Wallis and Matthew Storey, curator of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, to explore the conventions of royal clothing, the powerful impact of fashion and the evolution of dress codes over time.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LH04
Private Eye Live
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Join Ian Hislop, Andrew Hunter Murray, Adam Macqueen and Helen Lewis for a live recording of Private Eye’s hit podcast Page 94, full of tales from the Eye’s history, the present state of the nation and the future of the press. What’s the next big scandal you should know about? Which politicians should fear the Curse of Lord Gnome? And are there any more jokes left to make about Donald Trump?
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LC40
The Ritual Remedy
The Hive
£15
What can rituals, both spiritual and every day, offer in our restless world? From breathwork and exercise to morning affirmations and manifestation, join journalist Abi Millar and broadcaster Ashley Roberts as they explore how rituals provide us with meaning, structure and connection. Chaired by Claudia Hammond
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LQ02
Raymond Antrobus:
The
Quiet Ear
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Acclaimed poet and performer Raymond Antrobus was diagnosed as deaf at six. Teachers thought he was slow and disruptive, some didn’t believe he was deaf at all. In conversation with writer and educator Jeffrey Boakye he explores themes of miscommunication, identity, belonging and creativity. This is a compelling call to action from a transformative and trailblazing voice redefining D/deaf culture and the landscape of contemporary poetry.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LM05
Make a day of it: Enjoy all our free programme has to offer, announced mid-September
What can ritual offer in our restless world?
The Ritual Remedy, LQ02
Make sure you grab a copy in print, online, or via the Cheltenham Festivals app
Doubleday Proof Party
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£35 Ticket includes a glass of fizz and a goody bag of limited edition proofs. Explore upcoming debuts from Doubleday: Madeline Cash’s Lost Lambs is a portrait of suburban dysfunction; in Marisa Kashino’s Best Offer Wins, the competitive housing market pushes a buyer to land her dream home by potentially deadly means; Eliana Ramage’s To The Moon and Back is an expansive coming-of-age spanning decades and continents.
Chaired by Sarah Shaffi
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR23
New Voices: Nicola Dinan and William Rayfet Hunter
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
#Merky Prize-winning William Rayfet Hunter’s dazzling debut Sunstruck follows a young man as he spends the summer with the wealthy Blake family in a poignant exploration of race and status. Polari Prizewinning author Nicola Dinan’s Disappoint Me is a razor-sharp story of modern relationships, forgiveness and the lure of domesticity. They speak to Liv Little about their new novels.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LR40
Lyse Doucet
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet traces five decades of Afghanistan’s recent history through the perspective of Kabul’s first luxury hotel. From a glistening edifice to a shrapnel-damaged shell, its walls have witnessed civil wars, terrorist attacks and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. Lyse is joined by BBC news producer Mahfouz Zubaide to share this country’s story, opening a window into the life of ordinary Afghans. Chaired by Kavita Puri
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC14
Unhappily Ever After
The Hive
£15
By flickering lamplight and the rustle of old pages, unsettling folk tales come to life. With stories full of mischief, misfortune and things best left undisturbed, expect eerie encounters, grim twists and a generous dose of dark humour from acclaimed storyteller Tom Phillips. Introduced by storyteller Hannah Moore
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LP03
Sayaka Murata
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Sayaka Murata, celebrated author of bestseller Convenience Store Woman, has the uncanny ability to highlight the strangeness of our everyday lives. Returning to Cheltenham with her latest novel, Vanishing World, she imagines an alternative Japan in which all children are born via artificial insemination and sex is considered taboo. She talks to Abigail Bergstrom
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LR03
Presented in collaboration with the Japan Foundation. Kindly supported by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and Japan House London Trust
Larry Lamb
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Star of Gavin & Stacey and EastEnders Larry Lamb talks about his debut novel All Wrapped Up with son George Lamb. Anticipate insider gossip, laugh-out-loud tales from decades on set, behindthe-scenes secrets and lively anecdotes about the chaos of movie-making in paradise.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE34
With thanks to our event supporters
The Story of Tudor Art
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Art historian Christina Faraday and Guest Curator Tracy Borman unpack the rich symbolism and hidden stories in Tudor art, beginning with Holbein’s The Ambassadors, one of the National Gallery’s most iconic paintings. Together they explore how images and objects – from portraits to everyday artefacts – reveal the political, religious and social drama of this turbulent period. Chaired by Julia Wheeler
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LH03
Simon Armitage: New Cemetery
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
The UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage makes peace with the dead in this highly imaginative and wideranging new collection, New Cemetery. A first look at Simon’s first single-volume collection of poems since 2017’s The Unaccompanied, expect readings interspersed with insight and stories.
Introduced by Raymond Antrobus
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LP06
Indigenous Wisdom
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Joycelyn Longdon and Mónica Feria-Tinta talk to Ash Bhardwaj as they explore how Indigenous knowledge from across the globe can help us rethink not just how we act but how we think about our relationship with the natural world, merging ancient wisdom with modern tools in the fight for our planet.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LN08
Criminal Records: Jeremy Vine and Simon Mayo
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine, and Simon Mayo, now a Greatest Hits Radio presenter, have both turned to crime for their latest books, Murder on Line One and Black Tag They talk to Georgina Godwin about their inspiration, their research and coming up with that killer twist.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LE44
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Become a member and receive priority booking
See page 64
Ian McEwan
The Times and Sunday Times Forum £19, £16
The master storyteller behind Atonement joins The Times and Sunday Times Chief Literary Critic Johanna Thomas-Corr to discuss What We Can Know, his latest fictional tour de force reclaiming the present from our looming sense of catastrophe and imagining a future where all is not quite lost.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.15–1.15pm LR04
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio and kindly supported by Waterstones
How do you come up with that killer twist?
Criminal Records, LE44
With thanks to our event supporters
Silencing the Witch
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
One of the darkest chapters in our history, the English and Scottish witch hunts were fuelled by fear, superstition and a relentless misogyny.
Guest Curator Tracy Borman is joined by Witches of Scotland podcast hosts Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi to explore why persecutors went to extreme lengths to silence women and shine a light on a chilling legacy that still threatens women worldwide today.
Chaired by Clare Clark
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LH05
Beginners’ Manga Workshop
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£12
Join award-winning comic artist Sonia Leong to create your own original Mangastyle characters. Learn how to draw shiny eyes, stylish hair and dynamic poses using simple shapes and techniques. Sonia also introduces the basics of storyboarding, with handouts for follow-up activities.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF57
How does our most powerful military alliance handle a changing world?
Leading NATO in a Time of War, LC24
Nature Matters
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£13
Hear from some of the contributors to this beautiful new collection of nature poetry from African, Asian and Caribbean diaspora voices, edited by Mona Arshi and Karen McCarthy Woolf EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LP13
Jens Stoltenberg: Leading NATO in a Time of War
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
The List of Suspicious Things Book Group
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£22 Ticket includes a glass of fizz.
Yorkshire, 1979. Miv and Sharon start a list in the hope of solving the case of the disappearing women, but their search for truth unearths more secrets than they ever thought possible. Explore one of last year’s biggest debuts in an exclusive Festival book group with Jennie Godfrey. Chaired by Tim Hubbard
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LR34
Living With Jane Austen
Buy books by your favourite Festival authors from our online Waterstones bookshop
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 reflects on unity, leadership and NATO’s enduring relevance, providing a rare insight into how our most powerful military alliance handles a changing world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LC24
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Literary historian Janet Todd shares the joys of living with Jane Austen’s novels for over 50 years. In conversation with her good friend Miriam Margolyes, she reveals how their timeless wisdom offers lasting inspiration and guides us through life with humour, patience and heart.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LD01
Three incredible voices in Black romance come together to talk love and identity
Heat and Heart, LR17
Crafting a Compelling Pitch to Sell Your Novel
Queens Hotel, Regency Suite
£55 Ticket includes a tea, coffee and refreshments.
Crime writer Nicola Whyte shows you how to write a compelling pitch for your novel that will catch the eye of industry professionals –whether that’s an agent, a publisher, or a competition judge. Explore the elevator pitches that hook and write a synopsis that both sells your story and satisfies your reader.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–6pm W02
Heat and Heart
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
From passion to page, Oti Mabuse, Sareeta Domingo and Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, three incredible voices in Black romance, come together to talk love and identity. Expect laughs and sparks as they talk to Guest Curator Oyinkan Braithwaite about their sizzling new novels.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LR17
Geoff Dyer Presents...
Billy Collins
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£18, £15
Guest Curator Geoff Dyer welcomes former US and New York State Poet Laureate Billy Collins for an hour of poetry and conversation. Famous for his witty, quirky and tender writing that captures the joy and mystery of daily life, don’t miss this chance to hear from one of America’s favourite and most beloved poets.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LP12
Don’t miss the best and brightest young talent
Ken Follett and Kate Mosse
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Join two master storytellers for an unmissable conversation about their historical epics. Kate Mosse revisits Labyrinth, the archaeological mystery bestseller that changed her life on its 20th anniversary. Ken Follett brings his latest novel, Circle of Days, telling the human story behind one of our greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.45–5.45pm LR06
BookTok to Book Shop
The Hive
£14
Four of our favourite new YA writers spill the tea on their latest books. Hear how Andy Darcy Theo, Busayo Matuluko, Monique Turner and host Bill Wood became published authors, their social media secrets and tips for crushing it on BookTok. Plus, this is your chance to ask them your questions.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LF06
After Love
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Jessica Stanley ’s debut
Consider Yourself Kissed traces the complex path of a relationship across a decade characterised by momentous upheaval. Award-winning US novelist Lily King follows a happily married author as she returns to the dizzying days of her first love in Heart the Lover. They talk to Julia Wheeler about the life-long echoes of love, family and what happens when life gets in the way.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR49
Alan Hollinghurst
Attivo Garden
Theatre
£15
Alan Hollinghurst , winner of 2024’s Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence, discusses his latest novel with Clare Clark. Praised as his greatest work since Booker Prizewinning The Line of Beauty, Our Evenings explores race, class and equality in a powerful story unfolding over half a century.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR08
Truth in Crisis
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Truth is a much-debated concept in our modern world. For climate expert Mike Berners-Lee, if humanity is to thrive in the decades ahead, the most critical step is increasing honesty in our politics, our media and our businesses. KC John Bowers has made an urgent call for a more accountable political system to protect against a collapse in public standards. In conversation with Dharshini David, they examine how we can restore faith and integrity in public life.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LC12
Gloucestershire
Writers’ Network
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£15
Gloucestershire Writers’ Network competition winners present their work inspired by the theme of ‘Edges’. Competition judges poet Kate Potts, author of Pretenders and prize-winning author Jamila Gavin also read a selection of their work.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8.15pm LK03
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Miriam Margolyes
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Join the irrepressible Miriam Margolyes in conversation with Gaby Huddart as she shares candid stories from her extraordinary life. Expect wit, wisdom, unapologetic honesty and the unforgettable charm that has made her a national treasure.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LE02
California Dreaming
The Hive
£15
Home of myth, reinvention and contradiction, California has long captured the imagination of writers and artists. From desert landscapes to the city of dreams through life and art, Guest Curator Geoff Dyer and author and filmmaker Chiara Barzini take a deeply personal journey across the American Southwest, reflecting on how it has shaped their writing and identities. Chaired by Gareth Evans
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LT03
Sister, Sister
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Abigail Bergstrom’s psychologically charged Selfish Girls follows the closeknit Wyn sisters in a portrait of a dysfunctional family and the pain we inflict on those we love most. In Emily Itami ’s masterful Kakigori Summer, silence between sisters can only last for so long in an uplifting exploration of love, loss and family ties over the course of a Japanese summer. They discuss writing the fraught and precious bond shared amongst sisters with Liv Little
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7.15–8.15pm LR37
Kindly supported by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation
Make a day of it:
Visit the Feast Cafe for a selection of treats from our street food vendors. Plus, a percentage of every purchase helps fund our charitable work
With thanks to our event supporters
Who Wants to Live Forever?
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
In The Immortalists, Aleks Krotoski journeys from the fringes of experimentation to Silicon Valley to investigate the growing quest to ‘cure’ ageing. Hanna Thomas Uose’s wildly original novel Who Wants to Live Forever? follows Sam and Yuki, a young couple whose relationship is tested by the creation of a miracle drug promising to extend human life indefinitely. Together, they explore the complex questions raised by our enduring fascination with immortality with Julia Wheeler.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LC16
The Fun Lovin’ Criminal
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Huey Morgan, frontman of Fun Lovin’ Criminals, joins Fee Mak to discuss his journey from former-marine to rock star, via criminal underworld. With the raw energy of 90s New York as a backdrop, Huey unpacks music, mayhem and the making of an iconic debut album.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE40
Tim Berners-Lee: This is for Everyone
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Tim Berners-Lee shared his invention, the World Wide Web, for no commercial reward. Its widespread adoption transformed humanity into the first digital species. For the first time, Tim tells the story of his iconic invention, exploring how it launched a new era of creativity and collaboration and permanently changed the way humans live, work and interact with each other. Chaired by Georgina Godwin
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8.30–9.30pm LX01
Richard Osman
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£22, £19
Following the release of the film The Thursday Murder Club in August, Festival favourite Richard Osman returns to talk to author and presenter Miles Jupp about The Impossible Fortune, the fifth novel in the multi-million copy bestselling series.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 9–10pm LE36
Kindly supported by Benefact Group
Donating £10
could help cover the cost of a sensory pack, enabling someone with sensory issues to experience the Festival comfortably
With thanks to our event supporters
Queen James
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Britain’s first king, James Stuart, lived dramatically and loved boldly. Gareth Russell explores this complex monarch –genius, liar, spendthrift, idealist, witch-hunter – and the men he loved. In conversation with Guest Curator Tracy Borman, they reveal the passion, scandal and intrigue that shaped an extraordinary life and reign.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LH02
Sanctions, Tariffs and Trade Wars
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
In the new world order, sanctions and tariffs have become a key battleground. Robin Niblett is joined by BBC Chief Economics Correspondent Dharshini
Authors and Algorithms
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Elizabeth was king, then James was queen
English author, 1603
David, Economics Editor at BBC Newsnight Ben Chu and journalist and author Philip Coggan to explore the global rise in trade policy conflicts. From penalties on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine to Donald Trump’s introduction of tariffs, they ask: are trade wars the new face of modern warfare?
TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LC17
Words That Burn
A human rights and poetry project in partnership with Amnesty International UK
This year, schools across Gloucestershire read and write poetry while learning about human rights
Look out for Words That Burn events taking place in VOICEBOX during the Festival
Is AI a tool, a threat, or a co-author? Join Alan Blackwell and authors Simon Okotie and Hannah Silva as they explore how AI is reshaping writing. From creativity and control to bias and access, this conversation asks who gets to write the future and who gets written out? A timely debate on the promises and perils of writing with machines. Chaired by Julia Wheeler. EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10.30–11.30am LR50
Michael Morpurgo: The Storyteller and the Man
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall £18, £15
Michael Morpurgo has been enchanting children with his stories for over 40 years. In conversation with Daniel Hahn, he reflects on life, sharing thoughts on nature, childhood, writing, politics and getting older – plus the recent joys and challenges of adapting Shakespeare for young readers.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LD06
Tracy Borman: The Stolen Crown
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth I died without naming an heir. Guest Curator Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, reveals how the myth of a smooth Tudor-Stuart succession was a carefully crafted fiction – one that sparked chaos, conspiracy, persecution and unrest in the Stuart era.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LH01
Esther Freud and Emma Jane Unsworth
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Love, sisterhood and female friendship run through the latest novels by acclaimed authors Esther Freud and Emma Jane Unsworth Exploring the complexities of sibling relationships and the tangled emotions that define them, they take a sharp, humorous look at the messiness of modern female friendships and the identities we build. Speaking with Abigail Bergstrom they discuss the art of writing relatable female characters and the power of stories that reflect the richness of women’s lives.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12.30–1.30pm LR27
Celebrating Global Smash Hit Heartstopper
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£12
Join Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman for a special inconversation event. Discover the journey behind the global coming-of-age phenomenon and hear behind-the-scenes insights, as we look forward to what’s next for Nick, Charlie and the whole gang. A must-attend for fans of love, friendship and all things Heartstopper
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2pm LF10
Kindly supported by Waterstones
Family, Interrupted
Hotel du Vin, Restaurant
£15
In Esther Walker’s debut novel Well, This is Awkward, Mairéad’s world is upended by her niece after a long estrangement from her sister. In Island Calling, the latest instalment of Francesca Segal ’s Tuga Trilogy, Charlotte’s carefully curated island life is disrupted by her mother’s arrival. They explore how women navigate identity, responsibility and upheaval with heart and sharp insight.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1.30–2.30pm LR66
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Ebony RainfordBrent: How to Read Cricket
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Do you know a grubber from a yorker? Cricket legend and Test Match Special commentator Ebony Rainford-Brent talks to Max Whittle about her trailblazing career. Sharing behind-the-scenes insights into the game – from royal ducks to endless teas – Ebony offers a whirlwind tour through the traditions, drama and charm of cricket.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LU05
Andrew Graham-Dixon: Vermeer
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
The paintings of Johannes Vermeer are some of the most beautiful in the history of art. Yet like the life of Vermeer himself, they are mysterious and for centuries have defied explanation. Drawing on newly uncovered archival research, art historian and broadcaster Andrew GrahamDixon paints Vermeer in a new light, revolutionising our understanding of this enigmatic artist.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LA07
With thanks to our event supporters
Your Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Starts Here
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£12
Intrigued by Dungeons & Dragons but unsure where to begin your quest? Or perhaps you’re a Dungeon Master seeking new insights and strategies? Gather your companions for this interactive D&D workshop for teens and young adults. Learn how to play, how to craft unique characters and even how to start running your own home game. Hosted by Becci Smith
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF70
Eating Together
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Struggling to build healthy family eating habits? Join Dr Clare Bailey Mosley and child psychiatrist Professor Stephen Scott as they share simple, proven ways to transform family mealtimes. Discover quick, healthy recipes, clear boundaries and how shared meals can strengthen bonds with your children, improve behaviour and bring real connection to even the busiest of households. Because it’s not just what we eat but how we eat that matters.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LL20
Sunday Times Culture Interview
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Join us for the Sunday Times Culture interview. Always an hour of fascinating conversation and insight, previous luminaries in this event have included Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis, Lenny Henry, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Darcey Bussell, to name but a few. Check the website for details of who this year’s guest will be.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3.30–4.30pm LE39
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Unlocking Samuel Pepys’ Diary
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
During the 1660s, Samuel Pepys kept a coded diary full of intimate details and political scandal. Had the contents been revealed, they could have destroyed his marriage, ended his career and seen him arrested. Join scholar Kate Loveman and historian Guy de la Bédoyère to explore the diary’s many intrigues – and what it reveals about power, privacy and daily life in Restoration England. Chaired by Clare Clark
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LD08
How to Edit Your Novel
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£55 Ticket includes a tea or coffee and refreshments. Your first draft is done, and you’re ready to edit. But where to start? Editor Flora Rees guides you through the crucial stages of developing your manuscript, the essential elements of storytelling and identifying what’s working –and what’s not. Please bring your synopsis and the opening chapter of your novel. The workshop includes group discussions of attendees’ work.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–6pm W03
England, My England
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
What does it mean to be English? Writer and Guest Curator Geoff Dyer and Chinese-British novelist and filmmaker Xiaolu Guo delve into the contradictions and cultural layers of Englishness. From migration and memory to language and landscape, they reflect on what it means to live between worlds and what it takes to truly call a place home.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LC46
Image:
Guy
Drayton
Giles Coren Has No Idea
Nook on Five
£35 Ticket includes a drink, canapés and petits fours. Doors open 3.30pm.
Join The Times food critic and columnist Giles Coren and Esther Walker for a live recording of their hit podcast at Nook on Five. Over drinks, watch the couple’s hilarious kitchen-table routine unfold – Giles with no ideas for his weekly column, Esther with several and plenty of sharp, funny chat.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LDF11
In partnership with The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
Plan your visit to the Festival on the Cheltenham Festivals app
Scan the QR code to download it
With thanks to our event supporters
Bradley Wiggins
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Cyclist Bradley Wiggins appeared a national hero. Despite Olympic golds and Tour de France glory, behind the medals lay trauma, addiction and self-doubt. Bradley shares his powerful story of self-discovery and how he confronted his inner demons to finally find peace and authenticity.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4.30–5.30pm LU06
Step into two chilling worlds
Tales of the Unexpected, LR54
Tales of the Unexpected
The Hive
£15
Step into an off-season seaside town and a labyrinthine research facility, two chilling worlds from International Booker Prizenominated Bora Chung and English folk horror master Andrew Michael Hurley. They unveil their haunting new novels in an evening steeped in the uncanny.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LR54
Elevate Your Brand
Unleash the Power of Corporate Partnership
Our Partnership offerings are crafted to elevate your brand in ways that are completely tailored to meet your goals and ambitions.
You will be aligning with our vision for a world where everyone can explore and create culture whilst getting to shape an unforgettable brand narrative and connect with a vibrant community.
✓ Bespoke brand awareness
✓ Exclusive networking opportunities
✓ VIP experiences
✓ Align with world-class musicians and talent
✓ Achieve collective goals for diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and accessibility
Email partnerships@ cheltenhamfestivals.org to speak to a member of the Development Team.
Oyinkan Braithwaite
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Cursed Daughters is the darkly comedic follow up to the Booker and Women’s Prize nominated, My Sister, The Serial Killer. Eniiyi attempts to escape a family curse before she falls victim to the same fate as her aunt that she has an uncanny resemblance to. Join Guest Curator Oyinkan Braithwaite as she discusses her latest literary sensation.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LR56
We are delighted to host the annual David Vaisey Trust Awards Ceremony rewarding and recognising initivatives by Gloucestershire libraries that result in more people reading more books. For more information, visit davidvaiseyawards. co.uk
With thanks to our event supporters
Antony Szmierek
Attivo Garden Theatre
£15
Join critically acclaimed spoken-word artist and musician Antony Szmierek for an evening of poetry, music, chat and infectious lyrics as he rounds out a busy summer of performances. The Manchester-based artist talks to Jasmine Gardosi about his debut collection Roadmap alongside debut album Service Station at the End of the Universe, and the connection between the two. Antony will round out this special event with a few songs from the album.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7.30pm LP14
Eddie Jordan: Full Throttle
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
Maverick F1 team boss, Eddie Jordan was a brilliant mentor and a magnet for talent. He believed in going all in and lifting others as he rose. His widow Marie Jordan and his long-time friend and business partner Keith O’Loughlin reminisce about Eddie’s life and fearless approach to everything he did. Chaired by Matthew Stadlen
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LE41
Charlie Mackesy
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£18, £15
Charlie Mackesy returns to Cheltenham with his new book, Always Remember, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm. Talking to Georgina Godwin, Charlie tells us about his life and work since we saw him last in 2023.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6.30–7.30pm LE20
Kindly supported by Waterstones
Peter James
Parabola Arts Centre
£15
Crime royalty meets the monarchy in Peter James’ gripping thriller, The Hawk Is Dead, as Queen Camilla’s favourite fictional detective, Roy Grace, goes behind-thescenes at Buckingham Palace. The bestselling author talks to Clare Clark about his latest instalment featuring a killer in the most unexpected of places.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 6–7pm LR62
Image: Charlie Gray
The Perimeter: Walking the Edge of Britain
The Hive
£15
Take a breathtaking photographic tour with Quintin Lake as he shares highlights from his extraordinary five-year walk around the entire British coastline. Through striking images and stories, he captures the beauty, isolation and quiet strangeness of the nation’s edge, revealing a side of Britain few ever get to see.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LT10
Family Matters
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£15
Bestselling authors Kate Sawyer and Rachel Joyce introduce their sweeping novels exploring familial bonds. Sawyer’s ambitious Getting Away follows the transformation of one family across decades of their holidays. A father’s unexpected death fractures the close relationship between siblings as they search for answers in Joyce’s The Homemade God. Chaired by Tim Hubbard
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LR61
New Voices: Rowe Irvin and Lucy
Rose
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£15
Step into the dark with two of this year’s most arresting debuts. Urgent, haunting and thrillingly alive, Rowe Irvin’s Life Cycle of a Moth explores the tenderness and ferocity of maternal love, asking what we might find ourselves capable of to shelter those we hold dear. Lucy Rose’s The Lamb is a multilayered folk horror tale revolving around a motherdaughter relationship, desire and animal instincts. Chaired by Abigail Bergstrom
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8pm LR38
Thirsty: How to Drink Wine
Dunkertons Taproom
£30 Ticket includes a flight of wines.
Struggle to tell your Barolo from your Beaujolais, your Syrah from your Shiraz? Wine expert Tom Gilbey is here to help you level up your vino game. Learn how to decode labels, pick the perfect bottle and chat wine without sounding naff – all whilst enjoying this gloriously gluggable elixir.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 7–8.30pm LDF20
Your Festival, your way. Pick your favourite ticketed events then explore all the Festival village has to offer
Tulisa Contostavlos: Judgement
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£19, £16
In 2013, Tulisa Contostavlos stood at the pinnacle of her career. Then, an elaborate sting operation saw her reputation publicly shredded and her future thrown into chaos, all captured for the front pages of The Sun. Tulisa kept a diary chronicling her darkest year and talks to TikTok sensation and host of the Saving Grace podcast, GK Barry
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 8–9pm LE25
Decode labels, pick the perfect bottle and chat wine without sounding naff
Thirsty: How to Drink Wine, LDF20
Plan Your Perfect Festival With the Cheltenham Festivals App
Available on Android and iOS, it’s the easiest way to plan your Festival visit. Scan the QR code to download it now.
YOUNG ADULTS YOUNG ADULTS
Saturday 11 October
Into the Unknown with Jonathan Stroud
Parabola Arts Centre
£12 Age 12+
Explore the fantastical worlds of bestselling author Jonathan Stroud. From the modern wild west of Scarlett and Browne to the spooky adventures of Lockwood & Co, Jonathan talks inspiration, how to build a fantasy world and what it’s like to have a book turned into a Netflix series.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LF33
How to Build a World
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£14 Age 14+
What goes into creating a new universe? Bestselling author Caroline O’Donoghue dives into her new YA fantasy romance with a sci-fi twist, Skipshock. Get into the mind of a master storyteller and discover how Caroline crafts incredible words and ask your questions.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LF82
Sunday 12 October
Deborah Meaden Talks Money
Pillar Room, Town Hall
£12 Age 12+
Dragon’s Den investor Deborah Meaden demystifies the world of money and puts you in charge. With her trademark wit and wisdom, Deborah helps you to build the skills and confidence you need to manage your finances and reduce money worries whether you want to earn money, save money, set goals, or grow a business. With finance educator Abigail Foster
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2.30–3.30pm LF18
Kindly supported by Attivo
Saturday 18 October
BookTok to Book Shop
Hive
£14 Age 14+
Four of our favourite new YA writers spill the tea on their latest books. Hear how Andy Darcy Theo, Busayo Matuluko, Monique Turner and host Bill Wood became published authors, their social media secrets and tips for crushing it on BookTok. Plus, this is your chance to ask them your questions.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LF06
Check out the free activities on site – more information in our Free Brochure dropping in September
With thanks to our event supporters:
Beginners Manga Workshop
Queens Hotel, Regency Suite
£12 Age 12+
Join award-winning comic artist Sonia Leong to create your own original Mangastyle characters. Learn how to draw shiny eyes, stylish hair and dynamic poses using simple shapes and techniques. Sonia also introduces the basics of storyboarding, with handouts for follow-up activities.
Celebrating Global Smash Hit Heartstopper
The Times and Sunday Times Forum
£12 Age 12+
Other
Join Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman for a very special in-conversation event. Discover the journey behind the global coming-of-age phenomenon, hear behindthe-scenes insights and find out what’s next for Nick and Charlie. A must-attend for fans of love, friendship and all things Heartstopper
Your Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Starts Here
Queens Hotel, Regency Suite
£12 Age 12+
Intrigued by Dungeons & Dragons but unsure where to begin your quest? Or perhaps you’re a Dungeon Master seeking new insights and strategies? Gather your companions for this interactive D&D workshop. Learn how to play, how to craft unique characters and even how to start running your own home game.
Hosted by Becci Smith
Kindly supported by Waterstones
Family Programme
Look out for these icons
Workshop
Bring along a pencil and paper to join in.
Comic events curated by Jamie Smart
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted events
AI captioned event
• All ages are recommendations, you know your child best
• For safety, children 11 years and under must be accompanied by a ticket holder ages 16+
More information on page 107
Celebrating 160 years of Alice in Wo
Return to Wonderland
Step into the world of Alice with a Why by Anna James and journey to Wonderland to meet the Mad Hatter.
Mini Writer’s Showcase
Inspired by Anna James’ imagining of Alice in Wonderland, some of our young storytellers tell us their own retold tales.
Curious Creatures
Look out for our giant blackboard and add your curious creature to the imaginative menagerie. With thanks to our supporters
Mock Turtle Tales and the Potion Professors
Join Louby Lou’s Storytelling for shows inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Meet the Mock Turtles and the Potion Professors, the brains behind the magical eat me/drink me.
Walk-about performances
Look out for your favourite book characters parading around the Festival Village including the White Rabbit.
Comic Corner
Grab a pencil, draw your comic-style self and help build our creative comic wall.
Tales from Acorn Wood Trail
Celebrate 25 years of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Acorn Wood
Spot your favourite characters, lift the flaps and find hidden objects.
onderland
Ghastly Stories for Gruesome Gremlins
Boggarts, ghosts and things that go burp in the night. A silly, spooky show with Gav Cross
Sensory Nook
A sensory space to explore natural objects and snuggle up with books.
Super Great Kids Stories
Enjoy exciting, moving folk and fairy tales from all over the world with Kim Normanton
Free Activities for a Fun
Family Day Out from 9.30am – 5pm at weekends
The Escape Trail
Are you ready to play the ultimate game? Unlock the levels, find the scattered keys and save the world before it’s too late. Christopher Edge’s The Escape awaits. Can you complete the trail in time?
Spellbinding Stories
A Magical myths of giants, dragons and heroes with Amy Jeffs
Imagination Station
Costumes, mirrors and props. Perfect for playful roleplay and creative fun.
Puppet Show
Create and play! Make your own Alice in Wonderland puppets, then bring them to life behind the screen in this magical craft zone.
Mog Storytelling
Enjoy a purrfect storytelling session featuring everyone’s favourite forgetful cat.
Waterstones Bookshops
Come along to the Waterstones Children’s Bookshop to browse the shelves, get recommendations from our expert booksellers, meet authors after their events and have your books signed.
Fairytale Mix Up
Join in the fairytale fun with Becci Books as she presents much loved tales with a twist for little ones.
The Rock Family Band
The Hive
£9 Age 3+
Are you ready to ROCK?
Meet The Rock Family Band and their flute-playing son, Sam, who feels a bit different with award-winning author and West End star Robert Tregoning. Can this glamrock family find harmony?
Hear The Dress in the Window and The Rock Family Band with all the added song, dance and sparkle you could possibly want. EVENT
10–10.45am LF17
How to Make a Comic with Neill
Cameron
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Age 7+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
Calling all budding comic artists! Sharpen your pencils and get ready to create your very own characters and comics with Neill Cameron, cartoonist for The Phoenix comic and creator of Donut Squad and Mega Robo Bros EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF11 12–1pm LF12
Family Day Out Discount
*
Make the most of your trip to the Festival and get 10% off when buying tickets to two or more family events
Return to
Wonderland
with Anna James
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 7+
Discover the stories you can create by reimagining the ones you already love with bestselling author Anna James as she returns to Wonderland with Alice with a Why. Meet the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and some exciting new faces in this interactive session. Request a place on our Mini Writers’ Workshop (LF81) to read your story out on our Huddle stage.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF25
Enjoy the ultimate family day out, with free storytelling sessions, adventure trails, arts and crafts, tasty treats from our on-site traders and appearances by favourite book characters.
* Valid on family events taking place on the same day. Excludes workshops, book and ticket and YA events.
Mini Writers’ Workshop
PAC Studio
£12 Age 7+
Write your own Alice in Wonderland inspired story and read it aloud on our Huddle stage. Hosted by Becci Smith . Please note: spaces are limited and only open to bookers of LF25. Booking forms will be emailed to you.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 11.30am–12.30pm LF81
The Wild Robot
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 5+
Roz the robot wasn’t made for the wild, but can she adapt and learn to live on an uninhabited island? Join The Wild Robot author and illustrator Peter Brown for behind-the-scenes film secret reveals, live drawing and a chance to ask him all about Roz’s friends and adventures.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF09
Meet Nina Peanut, Superstar!
The Hive
£9 Age 8+
Meet Nina Peanut, mysterysolver extraordinaire and extremely kind and patient big sister to the world’s most annoying brother. Come and hear about Nina’s whacky adventures, her friendships and frenemies and design your own cartoon character with writer and illustrator Sarah Bowie
11.30am–12.30pm LF60
When I Grow Up with Rob Biddulph
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 3+
Dream big with authorillustrator Rob Biddulph, creator of #DrawWithRob, as he brings his award-winning books to life including When I Grow Up, I’d Like to Be Explore the world of jobs, learn to draw one of his amazing illustrations and leave inspired with endless possibilities.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LF43
Space Adventure!
The Hive
£9 Age 4+
Blast off with author-illustrator Chloe Savage in this aweinspiring space adventure. Join Commander Julia’s mission to explore the universe and answer the big question: Are we alone? Discover incredible expedition artwork, unleash your inner astronaut, and create your own aliens in this imaginative, hands-on event.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1.15–2.15pm LF35
Kaleb Cooper’s Farmyard Tales
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 5+
Grab your wellies and join Kaleb Cooper, the nation’s favourite farmer, star of Clarkson’s Farm and now author of some very silly and true farm stories for kids. Hear about escaping cows, runaway tractors and how NOT to herd sheep. An entertaining session for young would-be farmers and animal lovers. Hosted by author Nicola Baker
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–2.45pm LF40
Kindly supported by FEWS Event Structures With
The Fart that Saved the Universe
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 8+
Stephen and Anita Mangan, the funniest author-illustrator, brother-sister duo are here with games, draw-alongs and silly stories. Presenting their hilarious new adventure, they set off on an out of this world adventure with mysterious gadgets, double-crossing villains and… a praying mantis wearing a big wig.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF05
Design Your Own Terrarium with Ben Newell
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£9 Age 7+
Design your dream terrarium, from prehistoric jungles to alien landscapes, with expert Ben Newell . Learn practical tips and let your imagination grow wild. Bring along a clean empty jar (jam jars work best!) and take home some soil and a terrarium plant, courtesy of Tropica, to start your own miniature world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF41
Message in a Bottle
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
Take a deep breath and plunge into dangerous waters with adventurer, author and illustrator Teddy Keen
Discover the incredible story of the Unknown Adventurer ’s perilous trip to find the sea nomads of the coral triangle. This interactive show blends thrilling tales, practical survival skills and detailed artwork and artefacts.
Flight or Fight?
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
In a savage world where huge technological Constructs fight for territory, no-one is safe. Enter this thrilling new world with author Alastair Chisholm, author of I Am Wolf and the gripping sequel I am Raven and explore what makes great science fiction. A pulse-raising event that demonstrates how we can tackle universal issues inventively through a sci-fi lens.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 5–6pm LF45
Into the Unknown with Jonathan Stroud
Parabola Arts Centre
£12 Age 12+
Explore the fantastical worlds of bestselling author Jonathan Stroud. From the modern wild west of Scarlett and Browne to the spooky adventures of Lockwood & Co, Jonathan talks inspiration, how to build a fantasy world and what it’s like to have a book turned into a Netflix series.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LF33
BAFTA’s annual competition finds aspiring young presenters aged 10–18 years to host BAFTA events and content. Look out for their specially filmed introductions in our events, featuring Elizabeth and Tristan.
Image: Billie Charity
Tales from Acorn Wood
The Hive
£9 Age 2+
Join storyteller Liz Fost for a special 25th birthday celebration of this wonderful, woodland world created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Meet the animal characters from the lift-the-flap books through storytelling and craft.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE
10–10.45am LF21 11.30am–12.15pm LF22
Hugh Bonneville’s Big Top Adventure
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 9+
What happens when the circus comes to town?
Beloved actor Hugh Bonneville presents his new, thrilling adventure story, Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room. Hugh talks to fellow children’s author Sam Sedgman about this modernday classic reminiscent of Paddington and Just William
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF46
Make a Matchbox Pet House
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Age 5+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
What would your invisible pet be like? Join author and illustrator Ruby Wright for a fun, creative workshop with live drawing and crafts inspired by her brilliant new picture book Invisible Dogs. Magically reveal your invisible pet to the world.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF77
Books and Beats with MC Grammar
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 7+
Drop the mic! MC Grammar brings his brand-new book to life with jokes, bangin’ tunes, wicked rhymes, a rap battle and an epic dance-off. Meet Rap Kid, sidekick SFX, and Pup Smoke in a fun-filled show about friendship, words and finding your voice. Get ready to rhyme, move and groove.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF02
Emily Brown and the NotVery-Spooky Halloween
Dunkertons Taproom
£9 Age 4+
Emily Brown and Stanley are trying on their Halloween costumes when they hear a teeny-tiny “BOO!” from the cupboard under the sink and discover the sweetest little ghost you’ve ever seen. Help your little one find their brave through storytelling, live drawing and lots of giggles, with the extraordinarily talented Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton . Halloween dress-up, welcome.
10.30–11.30am LF39
On top of our fabulous ticketed book shows and workshops, enjoy free activities and performances plus buggy parks, picnic areas, a play area, water taps, a children’s bookshop and lots of book characters to meet!
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 8+
Prepare to be inspired by three extraordinary women - Rose Ayling-Ellis, the pioneering deaf actor; Elena Favilli, co-founder of Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls and author and activist, Onjali Q. Raúf. Hear their journeys with host Selina Brown, discover your inner rebel and go change your world.
With every Waterstones purchase, you can gift another book to a child in need in Gloucestershire All books will be given to children in our community who might not otherwise have access to books Pay it Forward
Comic Workshop
Truong
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Age 8+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
Join City of Dragons co-creator Vivian Truong for a lively comic workshop packed with creativity and inspiration. Explore different styles of short comics, learn how to draft a story step-bystep and then create your own mini comic. Whether you’re just starting out or already love drawing, this session will spark your imagination and bring your stories to life.
Small Wonder with Ross Montgomery
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
Ross Montgomery, bestselling author of I Am Rebel, celebrates his epic new adventure, Small Wonder
Perfect for fans of thrilling quest stories, Ross reveals how he builds fantasy worlds and develops heroes and villains. Help create the beginnings of a brand new quest. EVENT TIME
1–2pm LF44
Tweedy The Clown Who Lost His Nose
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 3+
Roll up, roll up… it’s time for a joyful, story-filled show with the one and only Tweedy the Clown . On this laughter-packed adventure, he brings his latest tale to life with circus chaos, hilarious mishaps and clowning galore.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF03
YOGIS & VIVIAN TRUONG
Drawing Dragons with Cressida Cowell
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 7+
In this fiery dragon-drawing event, How to Train Your Dragon author and illustrator Cressida Cowell shares tips on how to bring dragons to life on the page through stories and sketches. Unleash your imagination and create something truly magical.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF26
Laughs and Drama at Bigg School
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
It’s Back to School season, and what’s more exciting than moving up to ‘big’ school?
Join bestselling author Lisa Williamson as she introduces the brilliant cast of her Bigg School series and shares hilariously relatable tales from her own school days as well as behind-the-scenes inspiration from the books that capture the highs and lows of starting Year 7.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LF32
The Magic in You
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
Get ready for thrills, skills and magic with Mat Ricardo, one of the world’s greatest entertainers, as he performs legendary acts and teaches you tricks. Discover how this once shy, undiagnosed autistic boy transformed into a global sensation, now captivating audiences everywhere.
There are plenty of free activities for a great day out in The Wild Wood, with storytelling sessions, mystery trails, arts and crafts and so much more.
Monday 13 October Wednesday 15 October
Paul the Peacock
Waterstones Children’s Bookshop
£3 Age 2+
Go on an adventure through the forest with new author and illustrator Tilly Matthews
Meet Paul the mighty proud peacock, watch live drawing and take part in some feathery fun. EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–10.30am LF51 1.30–2pm LF51
Tuesday 14 October
Let’s Meet Bear!
Waterstones
Children’s Bookshop
£3 Age 2+
Meet a friendly Bear and learn all about sharing and why it’s good to say what you mean with Natalia Shaloshvili. Natalia will read the story and draw live for you. Plus, draw your very own bear to take home.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–10.30am LF52 1.30–2pm LF52
Roarsome Train Adventure!
Waterstones Children’s Bookshop
£3 Age 2+
All aboard for an extraordinary trip to the sea. Join Mariesa Dulak for a roarsome event where a tiger and a menagerie of other animals hop on the train – all while Dad’s glued to his phone! Get ready for lots of fun animal actions and dancing along.
1.30–2pm
All our Family events are Relaxed – feel free to move around and enjoy the show however you’re most comfortable
Thursday 16 October
How to Tame a Mummy Monster
Waterstones Children’s Bookshop
£3 Age 2+
What happens when Mummy gives her little monsters a taste of their own medicine? Join author/illustrator Rochelle Falconer to celebrate her new picture book, How to Tame a Mummy Monster! Discover a hilariously relatable story of sibling rivalry and family chaos in an interactive story time with a fun draw-along.
Friday 17 October
Tiger, Don’t Worry!
Waterstones Children’s Bookshop
£3 Age 2+
Loveable duo Mei and Tiger are back for a new adventure in a sweet story about friendship, responsibility and courage. Join Daishu Ma for interactive readings of her latest Tiger and Mei books and make some fabulous tiger crowns.
Saturday 18 October
Fairytale ShakeUp Showdown
The Hive
£9 Age 4+
Author Craig Barr-Green and illustrator Francis Martin need your help for this daring mission. Use your mega story skills and super imagination to create a jaw-dropping adventure. Help them craft a dazzling new tale, unlike those silly fairytales. Race the clock and get that imagination in gear!
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–10.45am LF08
The Lion Inside
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 3+
Discover how a shy little mouse finds his roar in a heartwarming tale about confidence and self-esteem with Rachel Bright and Jim Field. Rachel shares ideas for creating memorable characters and rhyming stories, while Jim draws live and leads a draw-along.
EVENT TIME EVENT
Create Comic Characters with Laura Ellen Anderson
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Age 7+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
Join the creator of Evil Emperor Penguin, Laura Ellen Anderson, for a high-energy comic workshop packed with creativity and fun. Create bold characters, build your own comic strip and bring your ideas to life on the page.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF65
Draw with Dapo
The Hive
£9 Age 6+
Ever wonder how to draw amazing characters? Join prize-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola for an exciting insider’s guide on illustrating stories. Draw along and even invent your own unique characters. Head home with fantastic tips to start your own illustrated stories.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 11.30am–12.15pm LF56
Michael Rosen’s Pocket Shakespeare
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall
£9 Age 9+
Join children’s book legends Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell, and special guests, for a fun-filled event celebrating the best bits of Shakespeare. With live drawing and storytelling, discover love, magic and plenty of brilliant insults as they bring the Bard to life like never before.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LF01
How to Draw Cartoons with RAMZEE
Regency Suite, Queens Hotel
£20 Age 9+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
Do you have lots of creative ideas, but you’re not sure how to get them down on paper? Join author/illustrator of The Cheat Book, RAMZEE , for a step-by-step cartoon workshop through the process of taking ideas and turning them into your own unique creations.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LF64
Image: David Levene
Image: Tim Lane Penguin Books
The Great Big Bug Show
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 3+
From beetles to butterflies, spiders to scorpions, meet the most bizarre and aweinspiring bugs ever to walk the Earth. Join poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko for a morning of poems, raps and songs about these extraordinary creatures. Every tune is an earworm – even the ones about woodlice!
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LF34
Music Making Adventures
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
Travel back in time to the 90s as Kofi and Kelvin have their best music-making adventure ever with author and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye
Learn about iconic artists and pick up tips on how to write (and rap!) through Kofi and the Brand New Vibe
EVENT TIME EVENT
1–2pm LF37
Ask the Experts
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 7+
Did you know some Stone Age people were cannibals? Or which butterfly has the wingspan of a blackbird? Or the longest held record for a Pokémon gym? Join gaming expert Alice Bell , zoologist Jess French and historian Greg Jenner to uncover mind-blowing information. Come prepared with your own questions for the experts. Hosted by The Week Junior Science+Nature editor, Dan Green
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF42
Skandar the Epic Finale
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 9+
Celebrate the finale of the Skandar series with all its bloodthirsty unicorns and epic sky battles with bestselling author A.F. Steadman. Hosted by T lá Okogwu, find out what’s in store for Skandar, Flo, Bobby, Mitchell and Kenna in the explosive and unmissable conclusion to this epic series. Get your questions ready for this live Q&A event.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 2–3pm LF36
Find out more about a Manga Workshop on p74
Serial Chillers with Jennifer Killick
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
Experience chills, spills and plenty of laughs with bestselling author Jennifer Killick . Dive into her thrilling new book and the inspiration behind her comedy thriller stories with quizzes, games and creative insights.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LF24
The Big Comic Show Off
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 7+
Witness an epic drawing showdown as four phenomenal comic artists –Laura Ellen Anderson, Tor Freeman, Hugh Raine and RAMZEE – battle it out live, bringing your suggestions for characters, inventions and more to life. Hosted by Robin Etherington, you get to decide the winner.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 4–5pm LF30
Scooter Dog
The Hive
£9 Age 2+
Watch author, illustrator and animator Lo Cole draw amazing characters live, then create your own thaumatrope illusion in this fun-packed picture book extravaganza. Meet Eddie the Scooter Dog for a fast-and-slow whizzing challenge and an interactive I-Spy adventure.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–10.45am LF48
History’s Most Epic Fails
Attivo Garden Theatre
£9 Age 9+
History’s full of daring deeds and incredible inventions… but it’s also full of huge FAILS! Discover the truths behind the world’s biggest howlers with comedian and CBBC Horrible Histories writer, Athena Kugblenu. Whether it’s silly mishaps that changed the course of history or mistakes that did us all a favour, Athena takes you on a riotous ride through history.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF76
The Café at the Edge of the Woods: A Gruesome Sequel!
The Hive
£9 Age 3+
Join BAFTA award-winning animation director, writer and picture book creator, Mikey Please as he returns to the woods to discover hungry goblins and bathtubs of bogey broth in his brand-new picture book The Cave Downwind of the Café. Expect laughs, captivating storytelling, live drawing, and a very interesting menu.
11.30am–12.15pm LF58
Escape Room Game Zero
Parabola Arts Centre
Literature Festival for Schools
We can’t wait to welcome over 12,000 pupils to the Festival Village for inspirational explorations of the written and spoken word.
This year’s writers, illustrators and industry professionals include Neill Cameron, Maz Evans, Pari Thomson and Jaqueline Wilson.
For more information about our work with schools, visit: cheltenhamfestivals.org/literature-for-schools Bus fees kindly supported by
£9 Age 9+
Game on! Help author Christopher Edge uncover the secrets of The Escape, a game where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. This is no ordinary game – beat epic puzzles, peril and challenges before the time runs out. Do you dare play?
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 12–1pm LF20
Let’s Play with Katy Ashworth
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 4+
Come along for a fun-filled family show with former CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth, as she introduces her new picture book, This That What. Through fun activities see how creativity helps channel ‘busy brains’ in a celebration of curiosity, creativity and embracing our individuality.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF38
Comic Workshop with Hugh Raine
Queens Hotel, Regency Suite
£20 Age 7+
Ticket includes one adult, one child and a copy of the author’s book.
Learn how to bring a comic to life from scratch with illustrator and comic artist for The Beano, Hugh Raine With plenty of drawing tips and imagination-fuelled activities, create your own comic heroes and invent wild stories.
Unleash Your Inner Word Wizard
The Hive
£9 Age 9+
What’s your favourite word? Is it ‘bumbershoot’ or ‘zounderkite’? Join Beth Lincoln, author of The Swifts, to discover these and more hilarious words in the Lost Words quiz, then see how she uses dictionaries to create amazing characters in her thrilling murder mysteries.
Buy books by your favourite Festival authors from our Waterstones Children’s bookshop
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 10–11am LF67 12–1pm LF68 page 74
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 1–2pm LF61
The Magic Bookmark with Mama G
Parabola Arts Centre
£9 Age 4+
Join everyone’s favourite panto dame, Mama G , on a glittery pantomime adventure to help her defeat the evil Bookworm. Packed with bighearted picture books, singalongs and fabulous fun, this interactive show celebrates being yourself and spreading kindness everywhere you go.
2–3pm LF15
Boss of the Underworld
The Hive
£9 Age 7+
Embark on a hilarious journey through a manhole and down into the underworld with comic artist, Tor Freeman . Unleash your creativity and follow a doodle-tastic draw-along to discover the perfect ingredients to build your own comic strip stories.
EVENT TIME EVENT CODE 3–4pm LF66
The Hour of the Predator
The Power of ParkRun
Mick Herron and Ed Docx
Voices: Stories from Sweden
Michael Palin
The Making of Modern Asia Making Peace in the Culture Wars
Shon Faye: Love in Exile Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Garden
Natalie Haynes: No Friend to This House
Struggling to Finish Your Novel?
Rhymes That Raised Us The Election Generals
Movies
Adult event
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Town Hall
Tim Spector: Ferment Rod Liddle Canters Through the News
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Return to Wonderland with Anna James
Bookshop Crawl
When I Grow Up with Rob Biddulph
How to Build a World The Rock Family Band Meet Nina Peanut, Superstar! The Wild Robot
How to Win the Ashes Down Under The Times Debate
Message in a Bottle
The Fart that Saved the Universe Space Adventure Flight or Fight?
How to Make a Comic with Niell Cameron Ultimate Autumn Style
How to Make a Comic with Neill Cameron Design Your Own Terrarium with Ben Newell
The Booker Prize Shortlist How to Write a Memoir: Creative Writing Workshop
Bookshop Crawl Deborah FrancesWhite The Love of Things
Jonathan Sumption and Daniel Finkelstein Online and Unsafe
Kaleb Cooper’s Farmyard Tales Into the Unknown with Jonathan Stroud
Robinson Rhys James How To Be a Literary Explorer Young, Gifted and Black Margaret Thatcher: The Legacy Ben Elton Sunny Singh Hidden Figures The Hereford Mappa Mundi Love and Longing
Funny HaHa You’re Bard!
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Town Hall
The Sunday Papers with Patrick Maguire
The Times and Sunday Times Forum The Hive Attivo Garden Theatre Regency Suite, Queens Parabola Arts Centre Dunkertons Taproom Nook on Five Hotel du Vin, Restaurant 10am 11am 12pm 1pm
The Times Live
Al Murray and James Holland How to Read Horace
Tales from Acorn Wood Books and Beats with MC Grammar
Make a Matchbox Pet House
Hugh Bonneville’s Big Top Adventure Emily Brown and the Not-VerySpooky Halloween
Jung Chang: Fly Wild Swans
Sex, Scandal and The Church
Emma Freud Meets... Joanna Lumley
No Filters: Talking to Teens Rethinking the U-boat War
Deborah Meaden Talks Money
The Sunday Times Debate: Universities Under Fire
Alan Davies The Reading Revolution
Tales from Acorn Wood Small Wonder with Ross Montgomery Bigg School Time
Tweedy: The Clown Who Lost His Nose
Comic Workshop with Vivian Truong Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
Kate Bryan and David Shrigley: How to Art
Comic Workshop with Vivian Truong Drawing Dragons with Cressida Cowell
Masculinity and the Manosphere
The Magic in You
Mark Cavendish Picks from Japan: Mizuki Tsujimura The Haunted Imagination
Joanna Page: Lush!
Sebastian Faulks: A Life Alternative Book Club
Voices of Spanish Noir Page One: A New Literary Generation
Dinner with Matt Tebbutt & Olly Smith
The Punk Rebellion
Adult event Family event
Picks from Japan: Mai Mochizuki
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Town Hall The Times and Sunday Times Forum The Hive
Attivo Garden Theatre
Regency Suite, Queens Dunkertons Taproom Nook on Five Story Shack 8am
Breakfast With The Times: Behind the Headlines
Sarah Dunant: The Marchesa
Nostalgia: A Dangerous Emotion? Inside Auschwitz
The Sunday Times Must Reads:
Nick Clegg: How to Save the Internet
Harold & Marcia
Adult event
Women’s Health Crisis
Political Trouble and Strife
Ash Sarkar: Minority Rule
William Hague: Back to Oxford
Maurice and Maralyn
The Archers Podcast
John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs Georgi Gospodinov
The Baillie Gifford Prize
Knackered Mums’ Night Out An Evening with Nigel Slater
A Wilder Way: Notes From the Garden Diana Henry and Claudia Roden Scribner Proof Party Into Being: Writing Memoir
New Voices: Florence Knapp and Claire Lynch
Lee Miller: Picturing a Life Hen Party
Catherine Airey Starmer’s Labour: The Story So Far
Agatha Christie: Queen of Crime?
Martin Parr
Julie Smith With the Law on Our Side
Marie Antoinette: Queen of Fashion
Hack Yourself Healthy with Julia Bradbury
Jojo Moyes
Mary Portas: I Shop, Therefore
How to Win an Election Story of a Murder
Jacqueline Wilson Raise The Bar
The Italian Table
Language of Intimacy Mark Billingham’s Book Quiz
Courses for Horses Lest We Forget Fig Tree Proof Party Raising Hare
Narratives
Graham Norton
Ivo
Graham: Yardsticks for Failure Queens of Fever Dreams
Spectre of Russia
Adult event
The Art of Pairing: Cheese and Cider
Cider Tour
Cider Tour
Friday 17 October
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Town Hall The Times and Sunday Times Forum The Hive
Garden Theatre Regency Suite, Queens
Breakfast With The Times: Behind the Headlines
Event Hotel du Vin, Restaurant Dunkertons Taproom
England’s Story
Wrestling with D.H.
and
Church Tour: Winchcombe and Hailes
Voices from Conflict
Pathfinding: Motherhood
Freedom
Jason Cowley and Fraser Nelson
Private Eye Live
Raymond Antrobus: The Quiet Ear The Ritual Remedy Doubleday Proof Party
Cass Sunstein The Ministry of Time
Lyse Doucet
Larry Lamb Unhappily Ever After Sayaka Murata
Dress Codes
Nicola Dinan and William Rayfet Hunter
Geoff Dyer: Homework
T.S. Eliot Prize: Peter Gizzi and Ian McMillan
Ripeness Book Group
The Genius of Jane Austen
Samantha Harvey
The Big Read Book Group
Adult event
The Cunard Stage, Town Hall Pillar Room, Town Hall The Times and Sunday Times Forum The Hive
Queen James
Authors and Algorithms Sanctions, Tariffs and Trade Wars
Michael Morpurgo Esther Freud and Emma Jane Unsworth
Andrew GrahamDixon: Vermeer
Eating Together
Celebrating Heartstopper
Sunday Times Culture Interview
Bradley Wiggins
Oyinkan Braithwaite
Charlie Mackesy New Voices: Rowe Irvin and Lucy Rose
Eddie Jordan: Full Throttle
Garden Theatre
Suite, Queens Parabola Arts Centre Dunkertons Taproom Hotel du Vin, Restaurant Nook on Five
History’s Most Epic Fails
Comic Workshop with Hugh Raine Let’s Play with Katy Ashworth
The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods
Tracy Borman: The Stolen Crown
Comic Workshop with Hugh Raine
Escape Room Game Zero
Unleash Your Inner Word Wizard
Scooter Dog Boss of the Underworld
Ebony RainfordBrent
Your Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Starts Here
The Magic Bookmark with Mama G
Unlocking Samuel Pepys’ Diary
How to Edit Your Novel Tales of the Unexpected
Antony Szmierek
Tulisa: Judgement The Perimeter: Walking the Edge of Britain Family Matters
England. My England
Family, Interrupted,
Peter James
Thirsty: How to Drink Wine Giles Coren Has No Idea
thank you A big
to our Partners and Supporters
Title Partner
Principal Partners
Major Partners
We are delighted to sponsor Cheltenham Literature Festival. We work collaboratively with the Festival team, curating a wonderful programme of events featuring the latest literary talent and many of our award-winning journalists The Times, The Sunday Times and Times Radio
We are proud to be Partners of this world-renowned literary festival, and to present the annual Cheltenham Literature Festival at Sea on board Queen Mary 2, bringing you the written word in all its wonderful variety Cunard
The Benefact Group is extremely proud to support Cheltenham Festivals and their inspiring work as a charity, to make the arts accessible to all through this brilliant Literature Festival Benefact Group
Hawthornden Foundation
Global Partners
Our partnership with Cheltenham Festivals reflects what makes this town unique: where world-class innovation and creativity meet. At CyNam, we see the future of tech shaped not just in labs, but through dialogue, curiosity, and culture. This collaboration helps us explore where technology and the arts converge.
CyNam
In-Kind and Media Partners
With the popularity of contemporary Japanese literature at an all-time high, it is our great pleasure to work with the Festival and to see Japanese authors being so well-received at such a prestigious event
The Japan Foundation
Leaf Creative has taken great pleasure in being a dedicated supporter of Cheltenham Festivals since 2014, bringing the colourful world of plants and trees to the forefront of the community. Through our ongoing collaboration with Cheltenham Festivals, we continue to showcase the theatre of plants, creating unforgettable experiences for all.
Leaf Creative
The Sedbury Trust
Borneo Orangutan Survival UK
with Patronage
Join our valued Patron community and play a crucial role in advancing our artistic programmes and outreach projects, creating experiences that bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change. From £90 per month, Patronage covers all four Festivals.
You’ll also benefit from:
✓ Advanced booking and early programme announcements
✓ Access to hospitality areas at our Festivals
✓ Invitations to special events and parties
To find out more please email patrons@cheltenhamfestivals.org or visit cheltenhamfestivals.org/supportus/become-a-patron
I feel like an important part of the whole Festivals experience, including the huge amount of work done for schools, young people and the local community
Keith Norton, Life Patron
Patrons Our
Life Patrons
Dr Lynda Albertyn and Pat Gallasch
Mark and Sue Blanchfield
Peter and Anne Bond
Ruth and Jason Buttle
Dominic and Jannene Collier
Denise Collis
Michael and Felicia Crystal
Colin and Suzanne Doak
Victoria Draper
Miles and Monica Dunkley
The Eaton Family
Carole Epstein - her life and legacy
Fingerhuth Leung Family
Charles Fisher
Lucy Freeman and Peter Hulett
Mr and Mrs D M Gates
David and John Hall
Margaret Headen
Diane and Mark Hill
Jeremy and Germaine Hitchins
Family
Jonathan and Cassinha
Hitchins Family
Stephen and Tania
Hitchins Family
Jeff and Keren Illiffe
Elizabeth and Michael Jones and Family
David Jones and Amanda Payne
Rick and Lisa Jones
Steven and Linda Jones
Hugh and Sue Koch
Robert and Moira Leechman
Hazel and Jeremy Lewis
Eileen Lockwood
The McKelvie Family
Fiona McLeod
The McWilliam family in loving memory of Ruth McWilliam
Keith Norton and Piers Norton
The Parker Family in loving memory of Edward and Gladys
Mark and Elizabeth
Philip-Sørensen
Anthony and Rowenna Poeton
Suzie Procter and Andy Leaper
Carrie and Phil Rawlins
Shelley Bence and Felix Robson in memory of Jason Robson
Karen Salters and Marcus Freer
John and Susan Singer
Jean Gouldsmith Skinner
Andrew Smith
Phil and Jennifer Stapleton
Liz and Neil Stewart
Sharon Studer and Graham Beckett
Chris and Bridgette Sunman
Fiona and David Symondson
Michelle Thorley
Luanne and Hodson Thornber
The Walker Family
Jacqueline Woof
Director’s Circle Patrons
Chris Barratt and Carolyn
Howard
Heather Barrett
Sue Bennett
Charlie Chan
Richard Claridge
Michael and Angela Cronk
Carol and Adrian Farnell
Marc and Melanie Gillespie
Jeremy and Alison Halliday
Mark and Moira Hamlin
Stephen Harper and Megan Broadley
Sarah Harris and Gemma Irvine
Jennifer Hayward and Richard Waite
Stephen Hodge
Andrew and Caroline Hope
David Jones
Simon and Emma Keswick
Emma Logan and KB Beaton
Andrew and Susanne Malim
Hayden and Tracy McKinnes
Spencer McPherson and
Emily Poole
The Miskin Family
P. J. Moore
Chris Morgan
Joanna Morrison
Giles Mountford
Oldham Foundation
John Phillips
Andrew Pitt and Pamela Odih
Jan and Gill Rowe
Khal and Zoe Rudin
Andy and Ali Stalsberg
Peter Stormonth Darling
Charitable Trust
Paul and Amanda Toner
The Warner Family
Steve and Helen Wheeler
Stephen Wood
Gold Patrons
Sigrid and Ben Atkinson
Nicholas and Alixandra Avery
Christopher Bence
Stephen Bond and Sarah
Russell
Matthew and Emily Clayton
John Cooper and Emma Bovill
Ian Culverhouse
Sally Dimmer
Wallace and Morag Dobbin
Peter and Sue Elliott
Mark and Olpha Gibbon
Gill and Steven Bond
Louise Hewett D.L.
Mike and Judie Hill
Peter Horton
Elizabeth Jacobs
Nathan and Jenny McLoughlin
Sir Michael and Lady McWilliam
Kim Moore
Louise Morgan
John and Judith Murray
Dr Julia Pearson and Dr Keith
England
Adrian and Cassandra Phillips
Martin and Susan Pickard
Brenda Salters and Harold Longmate
Candy Shaw and William Barf
Mat and Patsy Shilling
Esther and Peter Smedvig
Lindsey Troughton
Tony and Victoria Wood
Silver Patrons
We would also like to thank all our anonymous Patrons and Silver Patrons who are listed on the website: cheltenhamfestivals.org/ support-us/become-a-patron/ our-patrons
Help us give Nominate your favourite charity for a donation.
Special thanks
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival is presented by Cheltenham Festivals, a Charity and a company limited by guarantee.
Cheltenham Festivals Board of Trustees
Mark Philip-Sorensen (Chair), Kiane Atanga, Lucy Carlton-Walker, Deborah Cogan Thacker, Adrian Farnell, Beverley Grimster, Lauren Stone, Jonathan White
Andrew Williams
Company Secretary
Matthew Clayton
Co-CEOs
Ian George, Ali Mawle
Senior Management Team
Julia Caskey, Alaana Watt
Programming
Chloe Barsby, Olivia Chapman, Loraine Evans, Sophie Hoult, Jo James, Ellie Petrie, Nicola Tuxworth, Emma Whittle
People Matters
Nikki Massey
Finance
Ben Bates, Russ Poole
Marketing and Box Office
Jade Beard, Phil Brook, Hannah Franklin,
Dan Hartland, Hannah McNally, Grace Pascoe, Ashleigh Poole, Madelaine Richards, Beth Skuse, Grace Walsh, Liz Wheatley
Learning and Participation
Pip Claridge, Sarah Cooksley, Emma Gardner, Khazana McLaughlin, Rose Wood
Development
Katherine Cox, Claire Crawford, Fi Cruikshanks
Alice Gilder, Sally Gillespie, Becky Harte, Holly Haynes, Fiona Magowan, Holly Parsons, Samantha Sandford, Connor Teague, Eleri Thomas
Operations and Production
Christos Cailleux, James Clay, Emily Davis, Adrian Hensley, Roman Kirby, Melissa King, Andrew Lansley, Vicki Picken, Sophia McCrea, Niamh Roderick, Tarren Production, Rachel Wollaston
Literature Festival Chair
Caroline Hutton
Festival Advisory Group
Sam Baker, Abigail Bergstrom, Clare Clark, Inua Ellams, Will Gompertz, Daniel Hahn, Andrew Holgate, Sharna Jackson, Clarissa Pabi
With many thanks to our programming partners and the publishers, agents, staff and volunteers, all of whom provide invaluable support and help make the Festival a success.
Contact
If you have any specific comments about the Festival, please email boxoffice@ cheltenhamfestivals.org
To get the best out of the Festival we recommend you book in advance, however there will be availability for some events at the Box Office on site.
During the Festival
You can purchase tickets in person at our Festival Box Office. Opening hours will be listed at cheltenham festivals.org/booking
Access Ticket Bookings
Please book using our online form which will be available from 13 August at cheltenhamfestivals. org/access. Forms will be processed from 26 August in the order we receive them.
Refunds
Tickets cannot be refunded, except in the case of a cancelled event.
Tickets can be exchanged subject to a £3 fee (excluding Patrons and Member+) and availability.
Please note, if there is a difference in price, ticket holders will not be refunded the difference and will have to pay any additional cost price. Sometimes alterations to the advertised details of an event or performance are made at short notice. If this happens there is no obligation to refund your money or exchange your seats.
Family Discount
Get 10% off when buying tickets to two or more family events. Valid on family events taking place on the same day. Excludes workshops and YA events.
Family Events
For safety, children 11 years and under must be accompanied by a ticket holder aged 16 or over. Everyone over the age of 12 months requires a ticket, babies in arms (12 months and under) do not require a ticket unless stated.
Dining Event Booking
Our dining seating plans are pre-allocated by the venue and tables may be shared. Please inform our Box Office about any dietary requirements or add these to the special requirements field when booking online.
Gift Vouchers
Cheltenham Festivals Gift Vouchers may be purchased at our Box Office or online and may be redeemed against ticket or Membership purchases.
cheltenhamfestivals.org/ whats-on/literature
By Telephone
01242 850270
For queries email boxoffice@cheltenhamfestivals.org
Booking Dates
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Become a member
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For full ticketing terms and conditions please visit cheltenhamfestivals.org/ terms-and-conditions
Index
AA C Grayling 14
A. F. Steadman 86
Abi Millar 58
Abigail Bergstrom 59 64 67 71
Abigail Foster 25 73
Adam Macqueen 58
Adele Zeynep Walton 18
Agnes Arnold-Forster 31
Ahmed Alnaouq 56
Al Murray 24
Alan Blackwell 66
Alan Davies 27
Alan Hollinghurst 63
Alan Johnson 32 34
Alan Murrin 51
Alastair Chisholm 80
Alastair Santhouse 52
Alastair Sawday 43
Alayo Akinkugbe 19
Aleks Krotoski 65
Alice Bell 86
Alice Loxton 54
Alice Oseman 67 74
Alice Vincent 43
Alistair Duncan 52
Amber Butchart 38
Amber Guinness 41
Ami Bouhassane 31
Amy Concannon 42
Amy Jeffs 23
Ana Kinsella 33
Anand Menon 14
Andrea Gibb 56
Andrev Walden 17
Andrew Graham-Dixon 67
Andrew Hunter Murray 43 53
58
Andrew Martin 50
Andrew Michael Hurley 69
Andrew Monaghan 37
Andrew Pierce 35
Andrew Ziminski 48 50 54
Andy Darcy Theo 63 73
Andy Hamilton 36
Andy Rea 33
Angela Rodel 34
Angela Tomaski 38
Anita Mangan 80
Ann Cleeves 32
Ann Morgan 17 18 23 38 44 45
Anna James 78
Anna Murphy 20
Anne Sebba 32
Anne Strathie 13
Annie Crombie 26
Anthony Shapland 22
Antony Szmierek 70
Anya Burgon 21
Arthur Parkinson 32 33
Ash Bhardwaj 60
Ash Sarkar 35
Ashley Roberts 58
Athena Kugblenu 87
Ayesha Hazarika 30 35
BBecci Smith 68 74 79
Becky Barnicoat 34
Bee Wilson 21
Belles Berry 43
Ben Chu 66
Ben Elton 22 23
Ben Machell 27
Ben Newell 80
Ben Taylor 25 30
Bernard O'Donoghue 49
Beth Lincoln 89
Bex Band 53 54
Bill Wood 63 73
Billy Collins 62
Bora Chung 69
Bradley Wiggins 69
Braimah Kanneh-Mason 23
Brenda Hale 37
Bridget Kendall 12
Bruno Maçães 46
Busayo Matuluko 63 73
CCaitlin Blackwell-Baines 27
Caitlin O'Ryan 51
Callum McSorley 37
Carol Klein 49
Caroline Hirons 12
Caroline Hutton 43
Caroline O'Donoghue 20 73
Caroline Sanderson 33 34
Cass Sunstein 57
Catherine Airey 30
Catherine Clarke 54
Catherine Loveday 31
Charlie Mackesy 70
Charlotte Blease 55
Charlotte Ivers 25
Charlotte Jansen 19 26 31 36
Charlotte Proudman 37
Chiara Barzini 64
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 20
Chloe Dalton 37
Chloe Savage 79
Chris Bryant 53
Chris Kraus 42
Chris Riddell 85
Chris Sullivan 29
Christie Watson 24
Christina Faraday 60
Christina Lamb 55 56
Christopher Clark 26
Christopher Edge 87
Claire Lynch 31
Claire Mitchell 61
Clare Bailey Mosley 68
Clare Clark 14 25 27 32 54 56 61 68 70
Claudia Hammond 55 58
Claudia Roden 32
Clive Birnie 51
Colin Bell 38
Colin Butfield 53
Constance Debré 42
Craig Barr-Green 85
Cressida Cowell 81 83
DDaishu Ma 84
Damon Hill 70
Dan Green 86
Dan Schreiber 53
Daniel Finkelstein 18 24 39
Daniel Hahn 27 36 38 44 45 66
Dapo Adeola 85
David Kenyon 25
David Runciman 46
David Shrigley 26
David Suchet 32
Daze Aghaji 36
Deanna Rodger 39
Deb Grant 29
Deborah Frances-White 22
Deborah Meaden 25 73
Dharshini David 63 66
Diana Henry 32
Diarmaid MacCullough 26
Dorian Lynskey 53
EEbony Rainford-Brent 67
Ed Davey 49
Ed Docx 17
Eleanor Doughty 49
Elena Favilli 82
Eliana Ramage 59
Ella Dove 39
Emily Buchanan 36
Emily Guerry 21
Emily Kasriel 43
Emma Barnett 50
Emma Duncan 20 24
Emma Freud 24 33
Emma Jane Unsworth 67
Erica Wagner 30
Esther Freud 67 69
Esther García Llovet 29
Esther Walker 67 69
FFawaz Gerges 44
Fee Mak 65
Fi Glover 50
Florence Knapp 31
Fran Fabriczki 38
Francesca Segal 67
Francis Martin 85
Frank Cottrell-Boyce 26
Fraser Nelson 56
GGab Torr 33
Gabriel Pogrund 30
Gabrielle Bertin 42
Gaby Huddart 64
Gaby Wood 24
Gareth Evans 64
Gareth Russell 66
Garrett Carr 51
Gavin Plumley 42 48
Gaz Oakley 36
Gecko 86
Geoff Dyer 54 56 62 64 68
George Lamb 59
Georgi Gospodinov 31 34
Georgie Jones 51
Georgina Godwin 13 15 49 50
51 60 65 70
Georgina Moore 46
Giles Coren 69
Gill Hornby 56
Giuliano da Empoli 15
GK Barry 71
Grace Murray 38
Graham Norton 41
Greg Jenner 86
Guy Chambers 45
Guy de la Bédoyère 68
Gwen Burns 23
HHallie Rubenhold 39
Hamza Yassin 13
Hanna Thomas Uose 65
Hannah Barnes 52 54
Hannah MacInnes 17
Hannah Moore 59
Hannah Silva 66
Harriet Baker 29
Harry Beaufort 49
Helen Lewis 58
Helen Mort 54
Hilary Bradt 43
Hilary Floe 31
Hollie McNish 39
Holly Bourne 34
Horatio Clare 51
Huey Morgan 65
Hugh Bonneville 81
Hugh Raine 86 89
Hugo Rifkind 39 42 43
II. O. Echeruo 51
Ian Dunt 53
Ian Hislop 58
Ian Leslie 34
Ian McEwan 60
Ian McMillan 57
Ian Russell 18
Imani Thompson 44
Inaya Folarin Iman 34
India Knight 21 22
Irvine Welsh 45
Ita O'Brien 39
Ivo Graham 41
J
Jack Mosley 45
Jacqueline Wilson 39
James Bloodworth 26
James Fox 48
James Harkin 53
James Holland 24
James Marriott 54
James Wade 17
Jamie D'Souza 27
Jamie Walton 36
Jamila Gavin 63
Jane Garvey 50
Janet Todd 61
Janice Hallett 13
Jas Gardosi 70
Jason Cowley 56
Jeffrey Boakye 58
Jem Poster 51
Jennie Godfrey 61
Jennifer Ramkalawon 48
Jenny McCartney 24 30
Jenny Nelson 17
Jens Stoltenberg 61
Jeremy Griffin 19 48
Jeremy Hunt 20
Jeremy Vine 60
Jess French 86
Jim Field 85
Joanna Lumley 24
Joanna Page 29
Joe Mayes 43 48
Joe Tucker 52
Johanna Thomas-Corr 20 26 29 60
John Bowers 63
John McAuliffe 49
John Niven 45
John Pienaar 20
John Sergeant 14
Jojo Moyes 38
Jonathan Stroud 22 73 80
Jonathan Sumption 18
Jordan Stephens 26
Josh Glancy 43 48
Joshua Freeman 44
Joycelyn Longdon 60
Julia Armfield 56
Julia Bradbury 37
Julia Wheeler 14 15 21 29 31 33
38 41 46 51 52 56 60 63 65 66
Julian Dunkerton 25
Julie Smith 36
Jung Chang 25
KKadiatu Kanneh-Mason 23
Kaleb Cooper 79
Kaliane Bradley 56
Karen McCarthy Woolf 69
Kataryna Wolczuk 37
Kate Bryan 26
Kate Loveman 68
Kate Mansey 48
Kate Mosse 63
Kate Potts 63
Kate Sawyer 71
Katie Piper 12
Katie Prescott 36
Katy Ashworth 89
Katy Balls 43
Katya Balen 51
Kavita Puri 59
Keith O'Loughlin 70
Ken Follett 63
Kerri Andrews 54
Konya Kanneh-Mason 23
LLamorna Ash 53
Lara Lewington 55
Larry Lamb 59
Laura Bates 26
Laura Ellen Anderson 85
Laura Gilbert 36
Laura Hackett 14
Laura Pullman 34
Laurence Rees 32
Laurie Bolger 39
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
38
Leena Normington 27
Lily Dunn 33
Lily King 63
Linda McDougall 32
Lindsey Burrow 49
Lior Torenberg 33
Lisa Ridzén 17
Lisa Williamson 83
Liv Little 52 59 64
Liz Fost 81
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn 62
Llewelyn Morgan 24
Lo Cole 87
Lori Inglis Hall 44
Lorraine Candy 12
Lotte Jeffs 22
Lucy Fisher 24
Lucy Jones 50
Lucy Rose 71
Lyse Doucet 59
MMadeleine Pelling 38
Madeline Cash 59
Mahfouz Zubaide 59
Mai Mochizuki 26
Mama G 89
Marianna Spring 53
Marie Jordan 70
Mariella Frostrup 43
Mariesa Dulak 84
Marina Wheeler 13 14
Marisa Kashino 59
Mark Billingham 41 46
Mark Cavendish 27
Mark Frary 13
Mark Kermode 17
Mark Wallis 58
Martin Parr 36
Mary Ann Sieghart 35
Mary Beard 24 25
Mary Portas 41
Mary Wellesley 21
Mat Ricardo 83
Matt Tebbutt 29
Matthew Goodwin 25
Matthew Hollis 49
Matthew Stadlen 18 23 38 41 45 69 70
Matthew Storey 58
Max Hastings 42
Max Porter 55
Max Whittle 67
MC Grammar 81
Mensun Bound 13
Michael Finnerty 52
Michael Morpurgo 66
Michael Palin 12
Michael Rosen 85
Michael Symmons Roberts 54
Michael Wooldridge 36
Mick Herron 17
Mike Atherton 19
Mike Berners-Lee 63
Mike Gayle 32
Mikey Please 87
Miles Jupp 65
Mir Rahimi 51
Miriam Margolyes 61 64
Mizuki Tsujimura 27
Mona Arshi 61
Mona Awad 41
Mónica Feria-Tinta 60
Monisha Rajesh 43
Morgan Talty 38
N Naga Munchetty 35
Natalia Shaloshvili 84
Natalie Brice 23
Natalie Haynes 17
Natasha Brown 55
Neal Layton 81
Neill Cameron 78 87
Nicholas Clee 38
Nick Clegg 33
Nick Hart 17
Nick Purchase 39
Nicky Morgan 14
Nicola Baker 79
Nicola Kelly 51
Nicola Moorby 42
Nicola Tuxworth 24
Nicola Whyte 13 62
Nigel Slater 34
Noo Saro-Wiwa 44
Nussaibah Younis 14
OOliver Moody 37
Olivia O'Sullivan 20
Olly Smith 29
Onjali Q. Raúf 82
Oti Mabuse 62
Oyinkan Braithwaite 62 70
PPaddy O'Connell 14
Paul Dolan 14
Paul Roberts 42
Paul Sinton-Hewitt 17
Penny Lancaster 50
Peter Brown 79
Peter Frankopan 12 13
Peter Gizzi 57
Peter James 70
Peter Stothard 24
Philip Coggan 66
Polly Mackenzie 39
Poorna Bell 22 24
Poppy Okotcha 33
Prue White 20
QQuintin Lake 71
RRachel Bright 85
Rachel Joyce 71
Rachel Parris 56
Rachel Trethewey 32 43
RAMZEE 85
Raymond Antrobus 58 60
Raymond Blanc 15
Rhys James 23
Richard Curtis 23
Richard Osman 65
Richard Susskind 36
Richard Whitehead 19
Rob Biddulph 79
Robbie Millen 22 24 26 34 37
Robert Tregoning 78
Robin Etherington 86
Robin Ince 27
Robin Niblett 61 66
Rochelle Falconer 84
Rod Liddle 18
Roger Moorhouse 25
Romy Gill 49
Roopa Gulati 49
Rosa Ribas 29
Rose Ayling-Ellis 82
Rosie Goldsmith 29 34 45
Rosie Harte 58
Rosie Lavan 49
Rosie Storey 44
Rosie Wright 48
Ross Montgomery 82
Rosy Carrick 51
Rowan Egberongbe 24
Rowan Williams 53
Rowe Irvin 71
Roya Nikkhah 48
Ruby Wright 81
Rupy Aujla 45
Ruth Bourne 38
Ruth Millington 52
SSaad Mohseni 55
Sally Morgan 39
Sam Baker 17 33 41 42 43 46
Sam Dalrymple 13
Sam Sedgman 81
Samantha Harvey 55
Sanam Mahloudji 55
Sarah Bowie 79
Sarah Burton 51
Sarah Churchwell 43 44
Sarah Dunant 30
Sarah Grant 38
Sarah Housley 36
Sarah Moss 56 57
Sarah Rose Etter 41
Sarah Shaffi 51 55 56 59
Sarah Vine 35
Sareeta Domingo 62
Sayaka Murata 59
Sebastian Faulks 27
Selina Brown 82
Shirley Halse 27 34
Shon Faye 15
Simon Armitage 60
Simon Mayo 60
Simon Mole 86
Simon Okotie 66
Simon Wilde 45
Sonia Leong 61 74
Sophie Elmhirst 34
Sophie Raworth 37
Steph McGovern 46
Stephanie Baker 37 43
Stephanie Merritt 39
Stephen Colegrave 29
Stephen Grosz 39
Stephen Mangan 80
Stephen Scott 68
Stuart Maconie 51
Sue Roe 19
Sunny Singh 18
Suzanne O'Sullivan 52
Symeon Brown 18
TTahir Hamut Izgil 44
Tash Aw 22
Teddy Keen 80
Tessa Dunlop 38
Theo Clarke 35
Tiffany Murray 21
Tilly Matthews 84
Tim Hubbard 13 17 21 32 41 43
45 49 51 53 61 71
Tim Marshall 50
Tim Siadatan 41
Tim Spector 18
Toby Mundy 34
T_lá Okogwu 86
Tom Benn 29
Tom Chesshyre 50
Tom Crewe 29
Tom Gilbey 71
Tom McTague 14
Tom Phillips 59
Tony Gallagher 20
Tony Robinson 21
Tor Freeman 86
Tracy Borman 58 60 61 66 67
Tracy Jackson 26
Travis Elborough 56
Trevor Phillips 20
Tristan Gooley 45
Tulisa Contostavlos 71
Tweedy the Clown 82
Vali Nasr 44
Verity Harding 33
Vic Marks 19
Vicky Spratt 35 37
Violet Manners 49
Vivian Truong 82
William Hague 35
William Rayfet Hunter 59
Xiaolu Guo 68
Y. M. Abdel-Magied 51
Zoe Venitozzi 61
REFUEL INQUISITIVE MINDS
Celebrate The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival at The Queens Hotel, right at the heart of the literary action in the Montpellier District.
Meet a host of famous writers, new authors and high profile speakers before enjoying mouth-watering dishes in Victoria’s, indulgent afternoon teas, and the best cocktails in town.
Dates Save the
Cheltenham Jazz Festival
29 April–4 May 2026
Cheltenham Science Festival
2–7 June 2026
Cheltenham Music Festival
3–11 July 2026
The Times and Sunday Times
Cheltenham Literature Festival
9–18 October 2026
for Your 2026 Festival Season
Produced by
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival at
Settle in with a crisp, organic cider and savour mouth-watering street food from a handpicked selection of local independent food vendors.
Enjoy exclusive events throughout the Festival in the relaxed charm of our scenic Cotswold taproom.
The perfect spot for cider lovers and bookworms alike.
and Access Your Visit
Entrance to the Festival Village is free; buy tickets for the individual events you wish to see.
Getting to the Festival
Cheltenham is easily accessible from all over the UK, by road and rail*. Most events take place on the main Festival site, located in central Cheltenham on Montpellier Gardens (GL50 1UW). For more information on getting to the Festival or accessibility, visit cheltenhamfestivals.org/ your-visit
Access Requirements
Please book using our online form at cheltenhamfestivals. org/access or call the Box Office phone line from Thursday 26 August, open Thursday to Fridays between 10am–4pm.
Relaxed Events
All of our family events have a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the venue, and you are free to enter and exit throughout.
Sensory Aids
A series of items to support the Festival experience for children and adults with autism and sensory processing disorders are available to borrow at our on-site Box Office on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please Note
Filming, audio recording and photography is not permitted during events.
Visitors to the Festival may be filmed and/or photographed for future promotions.
We can't wait to see you!
All events taking place in The Times and Sunday Times Forum, Town Hall, Attivo Garden Theatre and The Hive are captioned with AI technology.
A selection of events are British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted. These events are chosen in collaboration with Gloucestershire Deaf Association.
Look out for the following icons throughout the brochure:
Auto generated live captioned event British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted events
