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LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR GUILDFORD BOOK FESTIVAL 2025
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Today organisers of Guildford Book Festival have announced the line-up for the 2025 event, taking place in venues across the Borough and beyond between 13 September and 19 October.
Now in its 36th year, highlights of this year’s programme include: legendary chef Raymond Blanc sharing insight into the garden-to-table ethos he has pioneered at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons; former Foreign Secretary and Chancellor – and Surrey MP - Sir Jeremy Hunt, discussing why he thinks it’s now or never for Britain to be great again: acclaimed Royal biographer Robert Hardman shining a light on Charles III, the monarch and the man; much-loved Reverend Richard Coles with the latest novel in his Sunday Timesbestselling series and TV personality Stephen Mulhern with top tips for young magicians.
Clare Mulley tells the incredible story of Agent Zo – her book shortlisted for the prestigious Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction – and Women’s Prize Founder and bestselling author Kate Mosse shares her new Feminist History for Every Day of the Year. Judith Mackrell unveils the vibrant lives of Gwen and Augustus John, two visionary artists who helped shape early 20th-century art – but it would only be posthumously that Gwen’s work achieved significant recognition.
Andrew Morton examines the complex and enduring relationship between Winston Churchill and the House of Windsor, and Andrew Lownie explores the controversial lives of the Duke and Duchess of York.
The historic setting of Charterhouse School is the location for this year’s History Day, which features Valentine Low examining the political power of the monarchy; Daniel Swift on London’s first playhouse and the making of William Shakespeare; Victoria Bateman sharing the untold story of how women made the world wealthy and Festival favourite Alison Weir discussing her latest novel about the secret life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.
This year’s Readers’ Day includes Sunday Times bestselling Milly Johnson and Ruth Ware, Costa Prize-winning Francesca Segal, acclaimed debut-novelist Joanne Rush and Lily Samson with her second book, Watch Me Watch You.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lucy Foley will be in conversation with Sunday Times bestselling writer Heidi Perks at this year’s Literary Lunch.
Maz Evans, author of hugely popular children’s books, will be discussing her first novel for adults, That’ll Teach Her.
Award-winning writer Peter Ross uncovers the mysteries of Britain and Ireland’s ancient sites, Luke Sherlockshines a light on the treasures that are England’s Forgotten Churches, and Patrick Galbraith encourages us to rethink our relationship with the countryside.
Mike Berners-Lee asks why, when we have the technology available to us for a cleaner and healthier future, we are still accelerating into a polycrisis of environmental and social strife?
And campaigner and activist Kwajo Tweneboa exposes our housing emergency and calls for action to rebuild.
Renowned theatre and opera director Stephen Unwin explores how people with learning disabilities have been understood and misunderstood - inspired by his own experience of being a father to a son with severe learning disabilities.
Accompanying its programme of events for readers, each year Guildford Book Festival runs a series of events to support budding writers. Rachel Marsh returns with her ever-popular Creative Writing Course; authors Alice Fowler, Ally Sherrick, Louise Morrish, Sarah Hegarty and Jo Foat will provide tips on how to get published, and local author Alice Fowler will also lead a Nature Writing Workshop at Hatchlands Park.
This year’s children’s programme is bigger than ever before and features interactive events with Alex Milway, Amanda Wood, Helen Peters, Peter Brown and more.
In The Last Bard, superstar author Maz Evans takes younger readers on a whirlwind tour of Shakespeare’s greatest hits and their modern equivalents – in a hilarious, anarchic show for 7 to 12 year olds.
Guildford Book Festival Director, Alex Andrews, said: “We’re delighted to be back for our 36th year with a programme that has something for everyone – and with more events for youngers readers than ever before.”
“We’re also really excited to be presenting events at new venues this year – Guildford High School and Charterhouse – giving our audiences even more choice.”
Guildford Book Festival is grateful to its sponsors, Martin Grant Homes and Cressive DX.
The 2025 Guildford Book Festival takes place between 13 September and 19 October at venues across the Borough and beyond. Tickets are now on sale.
For further information and to book tickets: guildfordbookfestival.co.uk
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Tamsin Williams - tamsin@wigwampr.com - 07939 651252
Guildford Book Festival
Established in 1989, Guildford Book Festival is staged annually across venues within the town. Many bestselling authors have appeared at the Festival, including Jodi Picoult, Joanna Trollope, Louis De Bernières, Patrick Gale and Bernard Cornwall alongside household names such as Richard Osman, Nigella Lawson, David Suchet, Jeremy Paxman, Mel C, Graham Norton, Noel Fitzpatrick and Gyles Brandreth.
Guildford Book Festival is a registered charity and receives funding from Guildford Borough Council and the Community Foundation for Surrey.
Festival patrons are Elizabeth Buchan, Michael Buerk, Adele Parks, Michael Rosen and Alistair Burtenshaw.
Guildford Book Festival Schools Programme
Opening books. Inspiring minds.
Throughout the year, Guildford Book Festival takes authors and illustrators into local schools to engage and encourage young readers. The charity’s Schools programme provides an opportunity for students from both Primary and Secondary state schools to meet some of the very best authors and illustrators face to face, to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustrating that will stay with them for a lifetime. In 2025, Guildford Book Festival Schools Programme will reach over 5,000 students.
“Thank you to local author Ally Sherrick for her inspirational talk to Year 7. The insight into her historical research surrounding the book Black Powder and how she has interwoven this into the story greatly impressed the students. The time Ally Sherrick took into preparing the interactive PowerPoint and the props she brought in, the time she gave up to sign books was such an act of kindness to our students. We are very grateful to Guildford Book Festival for the smooth organisation of this event and for their excellent communication surrounding the whole visit.”
“It’s wonderful to be taking authors into schools once again, and our Schools’ programme is at the heart of our charity – which was established over 30 years ago to inspire a love of reading, writing and illustrating among all.”
“Funds raised through ticket sales at our main Festival events – which this year take place between 2 and 16 October – enable our charity to take authors into the Borough’s schools free of charge, ensuring as many young people as possible can take part.”
She added:
“We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on young people’s literacy and learning, and our Schools’ Programme is more important now than ever before.”
