Rebuck to step down as chair of Cheltenham Festivals

Baroness Gail Rebuck, chair of Cheltenham Literature Festivals and member of the Cheltenham Festivals' board of trustees, is to stand down at the end of 2016 due to the pressures of work. 

Rebuck has chaired four Cheltenham Literature Festivals.

Louise Emerson, c.e.o. of Cheltenham Festivals, said: “The festivals would like to thank Gail for sharing her expertise and experience over the past four festivals. We will miss her strategic insight on the board and the literature team will miss her invaluable advice and knowledge of the publishing industry. We will continue to welcome Gail to future festivals and value her feedback as a close friend."

Rebuck said: “I have enormously enjoyed the past years with Cheltenham, the oldest literary festival and probably the most diverse, combining world-class literature and deep insights into current affairs. We rarely have time to truly reflect in an incredibly busy and fast-moving world and Cheltenham will, I am sure, continue to delight, inspire, challenge and entertain ever-growing audiences for years to come. I will continue to be a friend of the festival and support it in any way I can.”

Cheltenham Festivals’ Board will be undertaking a recruitment process in the early new year to find Rebuck's replacement.