10TH - 16TH AUGUST 2026
Including:
STEPHANIE AUSTIN, LOUIS BARFE, CHRISTOPHER BIGGINS, CRAIG BROWN, PAUL BURRELL, IWAN CARRINGTON, HUNTER DAVIES, LADY ANNE GLENCONNER, MELVYN HAYES, JOHN HEGLEY, MERLIN HOLLAND, ALEXANDER LARMAN, HELEN LEDERER, KATHY LETTE, ROGER LEWIS, CHRIS MANBY, ROGER McGOUGH, GEORGINA MOORE, LESLEY PEARSE, SARAH PEARSE, MIKE PICKERING, SU POLLARD, SIMON ROBINSON, GEORGIA TOFFOLO, DAME HARRIET WALTER, ANN WIDDECOMBE, ANDREW WILSON, and A. N. WILSON
10TH - 16TH AUGUST 2026
Monday 10th AUGUST
09:15-10:15 SARAH PEARSE (Main Stage) –local million selling thriller writer.
11:00-13:00 KATHY LETTE (Main Stage) –the hugely popular novelist and personality talks about ‘The Sisterhood Rules’.
14:30-16:30 SU POLLARD (Main Stage) –Hi-de-Hi!'s Peggy reveals stories from her life in showbiz.
14:30-15:30 LOCAL POETRY SHOWCASE (Stage Left) –with John and Suzy Miles. FREE EVENT
19:30-21:30 PAUL BURRELL (Main Stage) –Stories about working with the Queen, the current King and, of course, Princess Diana.
Tuesday 11th AUGUST
09:15-10:15 STEPHANIE AUSTIN (Main Stage) –Devon’s other Queen of Crime
11:00-13:00 JOHN HEGLEY (Main Stage) –The poet and comedian presents his latest show 'New and Selected Potatoes'.
11:00-12:15 OPEN MIC (Stage Left) – a chance for writers to read extracts from their work. FREE EVENT
14:30-16:30 ROGER LEWIS (Main Stage) – brilliant biographer of Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
14:30-15:30 'CRIME AT THE SHARP END' (Stage Left) –local crime authors give insights into how it affects their writing. FREE EVENT
19:30-21:30 CHRISTOPHER BIGGINS (Main Stage) –the entertainment legend will chose six books that have accompanied his extraordinary life in entertainment.
ALL AUTHORS WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS AFTER THEIR EVENTS.
www.torbayliteraryfestival.co.uk
Tickets only available through The Palace Theatre Box Office www.palacetheatrepaignton.co.uk
10TH - 16TH AUGUST 2026
Wednesday 12th AUGUST
09:15-10:15
LOUIS BARFE (Main Stage) – biographer of Ken Dodd, Morecambe and Wise, and Les Dawson. 11:00-13:00 ANN WIDDECOMBE (Main Stage) – one of our most popular politicians will discuss her past, present and future. 11:00-12:15 OPEN MIC (Stage Left) – a chance for writers to read extracts from their work. FREE EVENT
14:30-16:30
MELVYN HAYES (Main Stage) – the comedy legend will discuss his memoir ‘It Ain’t Half Late Mum’.
14:30-15:30 'KEEPING THE READER GUESSING' (Stage Left) – local crime writers discuss how to plot the perfect murder. FREE EVENT
19:00-22:45 THE SECOND COMING OF DAVID BOWIE:
ALEXANDER LARMAN (Main Stage) – will talk about his acclaimed biography of David Bowie ‘Lazarus’; followed by world renowned tribute band BOWIE EXPERIENCE, in two 55 minute sets.
Thursday 13th AUGUST
09:15-10:15 GEORGINA MOORE (Main Stage) – bestselling romantic novelist likened to Maeve Binchy.
11:00-13:00 LADY ANNE GLENCONNER (Main Stage) –Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting offers tips on ‘Manners and Mischief’.
11:00-12:15 OPEN MIC (Stage Left) – a chance for writers to read extracts from their work. FREE EVENT
14:30-16:30 MERLIN HOLLAND (Main Stage) –Oscar Wildes only grandson discusses his legacy. 14:30-15:30 ‘CRUEL AND UNUSUAL’ (Stage Left) –a panel of crime authors discuss the most unusual ways to bump people off. FREE EVENT
19:30-21:00 TO BE ANNOUNCED (Main Stage)
Friday 14th AUGUST
09:15-10:15 CHRIS MANBY & SIMON ROBINSON (Main Stage) –talk about ‘War Babies’ the children of WW2.
11:00-13:00 A.N. WILSON (Main Stage) – The brilliant 'man of letters' talks about his book about the Great Exhibition 'The Wise and their Works'.
11:00-12:30 'BREAK YOUR WRITER’S BLOCK' (Stage Left) –hugely successful novelist, Chris Manby, conducts an interactive workshop to help get your book written.
14:00-15:45 FINAL OPEN MIC SESSION (Stage Left) – your last chance to read your poem or prose to an audience. FREE EVENT .
14:30-16:30 ROGER McGOUGH (Main Stage) – Britain's greatest and most popular poet is still 'Alive and Gigging'.
18:30-19:30 LESLEY PEARSE (Main Stage) – Torquay’s most successful novelist, after Agatha Christie, discusses a life more colourful than her books.
20:30-22:15 HELEN LEDERER (Main Stage) – described by Dawn French as ‘the third funniest woman in the world.’
www.torbayliteraryfestival.co.uk
Tickets only available through The Palace Theatre Box Office www.palacetheatrepaignton.co.uk
10TH - 16TH AUGUST 2026
Saturday 15th AUGUST
09:15-10:15 IWAN CARRINGTON (Main Stage) –the star of BBC TV’s ‘Sort Your Life Out’ takes questions and talks about his new book ‘Clean in 15’.
11:00-13:00 HUNTER DAVIES (Main Stage) – The Beatles only ever authorised biographer on the group then and now. (Includes unseen short Paul McCartney film.)
14:30-16:00 GEORGIA TOFFOLO (Main Stage) –the hugely popular television personality discusses her romantic novels, and love of books.
14:30-15:30 HUNTER DAVIES’ BEATLES QUIZ (Stage Left) –join the man who knows the Fab Four best for a unique quiz.
16:30-17:30 ANDREW WILSON (Main Stage) –will discuss his ground-breaking biography of Marilyn Monroe: I Wanna Be Loved By You
18:15-19:30 MIKE PICKERING (Main Stage) – Hacienda superstar DJ, music legend and founder of M-People. Followed by THE LAST WORD: END OF FESTIVAL PARTY, at The Arena, Torquay: details to be announced. 7pm-1am.
Sunday 16th AUGUST
11:00-12:30 CRAIG BROWN (Main Stage) –
Britain's greatest satirist on his many books, including biographies of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and The Beatles. Craig, A.N. Wilson and Dame Harriet Walter will also read from his many parodies.
14:30-16:15 DAME HARRIET WALTER (Main Stage) –In conversation about her astonishing stage career and screen appearances including Succession, The Crown, Killing Eve and Sense and Sensibility. Dame Harriet will also read from her book 'She Speaks!' about Shakespeare's women.
www.torbayliteraryfestival.co.uk
Tickets only available through The Palace Theatre Box Office www.palacetheatrepaignton.co.uk
