Don’t miss this year’s star guests at Henley
THE 10th Henley Literary Festival takes place later this month at venues across the picturesque Thames-side town — with 150 talks, Q&As, performances and workshops for adults and children.
From Monday, September 26, to Sunday, October 2, speakers at a packed week of events will include Archbishop of York John Sentamu, Jo Malone, Terry Waite, Sara Pascoe and Miriam Gonzalez Durantez.
The festival features best-selling writers Fay Weldon, Jessie Burton, Jonathan Coe, Val McDermid and Alan Titchmarsh alongside acclaimed debut novelists Kit de Waal, Alice Adams, Fiona Barton, Abir Mukherjee and Lisa Owens.
Sports events include former England cricketers Mike Atherton and Jonathan Trott as well as longtime Daily Mail sportswriter Alan Fraser on the 1936 Olympics.
In the midst of party conference season, politics will be covered by Margaret Hodge, David Laws, Gary Younge and Ken Livingstone, while Jeremy Paxman will unveil his long-awaited autobiography in an exclusive pre-publication Q&A.
Children of all ages will be entertained by 40 events, including Roald Dahl and Harry Potter shows, Kipper and Maisy storytellings, a Judith Kerr Q&A and free activities at the Buster Books Corner in the Baillie Gifford Festival Hub.
Comedian Susan Calman will be in conversation with broadcaster Emma Freud, while Robert Harris will talk to Jason Bourne director Paul Greengrass about Harris’s much-anticipated novel, Conclave.
Fawley Court plays host to speakers including Lucy Worsley, James Naughtie, Lord Harries and Clive Aslet, while Henley’s Hotel du Vin holds a day of workshop events with Rachel Hore, Irenosen Okojie and Cherry Menlove.
The historic Kenton Theatre is the venue for the staged reading of a new play by Eleanor Bron and Shakespeare’s Postbag, a performance of key letters from the bard’s plays.
Food will be on the menu with Great British Bake Off stars Nadiya Hussain and Martha Collison, as well as Tom Parker-Bowles and Prue Leith, while Yes Minister star Derek Fowlds, T’Pau singer Carol Decker and former Doctor Who Peter Davison will look back at their careers on stage and screen.
Finally, hear the compelling stories behind the latest books by Mail columnists Bel Mooney and Quentin Letts.
The full programme and tickets are available online at henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk and by phone on 01491 575 948.