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King and Osman to headline Cheltenham Literature Festival
Stephen King, Richard Osman and Taylor Jenkins Reid are among those headlining this year’s Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival in October.
The world’s oldest literature festival will welcome audiences back to the spa town of Cheltenham from 7th to 16th October, hosting more than 1,000 speakers to speak at 500 events.
This October sees the continuation of a major new three-year theme for the festival called "Read the World". A greater range of international writing will be profiled, with a focus on connecting cultures and platforming international perspectives. As part of this, there will be a dedicated Ukraine Day on 11th October co-curated with the International Book Arsenal Festival, Kyiv, celebrating the country’s unique, rich culture and highlighting the impact of the ongoing conflict on those personally affected.
Other guest curators, including Celeste Ng, Inua Ellams, Katy Hessel, Justin Webb, Clarisse Loughrey, and the Week Junior were announced last month. This year’s resident literary explorer is Ann Morgan.
Voicebox will also return this year, dedicated to bringing youth voices to the forefront through a free programme of workshops, panels, DJ sets and music, and talks on topics that matter to young people.
Other famous faces include Anton Du Beke, Ardal O’Hanlon, Asma Khan, Bonnie Garmus, Bono, Clive Myrie, Charlie Mackesy, Davina McCall, Damon Galgut, Dolly Alderton, Elizabeth Strout, Gabby Logan, Graham Norton, Jeremy Hunt, Karl Ove Knausgård, Maddy Mortimer, Malorie Blackman, Michael Morpurgo, Monica Ali, Nanjala Nyabola, Oksana Zabuzhko, Onjali Q Raúf, Raynor Winn, Richard Coles, Roddy Doyle and Stanley Tucci.
Organisers said: “With something to cater to all – from avid bookworms to first-time visitors – the dynamic programme spans history, food, travel, poetry and spoken word, art, sport, faith, philosophy, fashion, psychology, science, nature, business and much more. The best new voices in fiction and poetry will appear alongside literary giants and high-profile speakers, political thinkers, and beloved stars of the stage and screen.”
Booking opens to Cheltenham Festivals members on Wednesday 31st August and general booking opens on Wednesday 7th September. The full programme can be found here.
